Support Area Small Businesses This Christmas

Teamsters Vote Official Support of Occupy Wall Street

Teamsters General Executive Board Passes Resolution Following Eviction in New York

WASHINGTON, Nov. 15, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The General Executive Board of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters unanimously passed a resolution today supporting the right of protesters at Occupy Wall Street to assemble at Liberty Park. The Teamsters further commended New York Supreme Court Judge Lucy Billings for issuing a restraining order this morning restoring protesters' constitutional rights.

"You can draw a direct line from the Wisconsin protests in the winter to Occupy Wall Street to the overwhelming rejection of an anti-union ballot question in Ohio," said Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa. "Occupy Wall Street is bringing new energy to a fight that labor has been engaged in from the beginning: The fight for an economy that works for everybody, not just the 1 percent."

Today's vote by the Teamsters' 24-member General Executive Board came at an already-scheduled meeting at the union's headquarters in Washington. The board, after learning of the evictions, which included a New York City councilman and a district leader, immediately ordered a resolution of support be drafted.

Hoffa said rank-and-file Teamsters have participated in Occupy Wall Street actions throughout the country. Teamsters protected encampments in San Francisco and New York, fed Occupy Oakland, led rallies in Cleveland and Chicago, marched in Occupy Chattanooga and supported the movement from Maine to California. Occupy Wall Street protesters have taken direct action against Sotheby's for locking out 43 Teamsters art handlers in New York, while Occupy Chicago protesters rallied against private-equity firm Madison Dearborn in Chicago.

The resolution states, in part, "just as 'Occupy Wall Street' demands that the nation respond to the unrelenting pressure on the middle class, on workers and on the unemployed, the Teamsters have exposed the 'War on Workers' being waged by billionaires and CEOs who seek to blame working people for the state of the economy and to 'fix' the economy by giving to the rich and taking from the middle class."

To view the entire resolution, go to: http://www.teamster.org/content/occupy-wall-street-resolution.

Rally & March for Jobs, Downtown St. Louis

Instead of the normal 15 second sound bite, we thought we would show you the length and breadth of today's event downtown.  The rally was incident free except for the arrest of a handful of people who sat down at the entrance ramp of the MLK Bridge.  We did not witness any arrest resistance or any violent incidents of any kind.

Latest News From Pattonville School District

Click here to see the PDF of the latest happenings at Pattonville School District.
http://www.psdr3.org/NewsInfo/pdf/PAW11-11-11.pdf

Read this article and I'll shut up.

(Until I can't shut up anymore.)

A few of my friends and a couple of my family members have expressed concern that I’ve posted several updates on Facebook that are very critical of the Republican Party.  It’s no secret to anyone that I’m a Democrat, but I understand that they were concerned that I might offend someone who could be a future advertiser, business associate, or employer.  It was also silently implied that I could be offending friends and family members as well.

I really appreciate that the people who are closest to me have my best interest at heart.  I honestly do.  My dilemma is that even though I crave everyone’s respect and admiration (like every other human being) I recently came to the sad realization that such yearnings are both unobtainable and unsustainable.  Part of that realization came from advancing age, but most of it came from the liberating reality of facing my own mortality. 

I was always supposed to do this and be that when I grew up.  Well… I’ve pretty much done this and been that and now what?  I’ve been a big success and a big failure and I know that you can’t be one without the other.  You can’t enjoy success unless you’ve failed and you can’t fail if you enjoy success.  There is a lot of life yet to live and I plan on doing just that.

I haven’t earned a fortune, but I just bought a beautiful new life, by surviving the terror that is cancer.  Money doesn’t impress me anymore... people who are kind to each other impress me the most. 

No, I haven’t earned a fortune, but I believe that I’ve earned the right to speak my mind once in a while.  Tomorrow, I might speak out against a Republican, tear into a Democrat, or challenge an Independent to choose a lane in which to drive.  If I offend a particular person’s sensibilities, that is unfortunate.  My intention is normally to spark healthy political debate.  I say normally, because there are occasions when I make statements that are fully intended to insult members of the Grand Old Party.   I am not ashamed of that last statement and I hope that those words don’t ruin any relationship that we may have now, or anytime in the future.

With that said, I think it’s time to quote my favorite Republican:  “The time comes upon every public man when it is best for him to keep his lips closed.”  Abraham Lincoln

Steve Erdelen

     

Large Majorities of Americans Believe Top Managers Make More Than They Deserve

Large Majorities of Americans Believe Top Managers Make More Than They Deserve

Pattonville High School Salutes Veterans

PHS to host estimated 100 veterans on Nov. 11

An estimated 100 area veterans will visit Pattonville High School as students and staff recognize current and former military personnel on Veterans' Day.

Pattonville High School will host a breakfast and ceremony honoring veterans from 8 to 9:30 a.m., Friday, Nov. 11. The morning will begin with breakfast and music by the PHS orchestra in the school cafeteria. The ceremony will include a flag folding ceremony, missing man ceremony, presentation of thanks and gifts, and a performance by the PHS choir.

Among those invited to attend were veterans who live in Pattonville, veterans employed by the Pattonville School District and veterans related to Pattonville students and staff.

The Rock Road Reporter Teams Up With Encyclopedia Britannica

Our online magazine is pleased to announce that we are now a participant in the WebShare Initiative with the Encyclopedia Britannica. This initiative will give The Rock Road Reporter the ability to link to thousands of authoritative articles and give our readers access to the articles in their entirety, without paying subscription fees.

“It’s good business for us and a benefit to people who publish on the Net,” said Britannica president Jorge Cauz. “The level of professionalism among Web publishers has really improved, and we want to recognize that by giving access to the people who are shaping the conversations about the issues of the day. Britannica belongs in the middle of those conversations.”

Britannica links will soon be available in our Featured Articles section and a new World and National News section.