Women ALIVE Ministries

Strikes continued Thursday against Verizon Communications by 45,000 members of the Communications Workers of America and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers unions. Tensions continue to run high, and yet more reports of potentially illegal activity have emerged – beyond the sabotage Verizon alleges it has endured.

Under the National Labor Relations Act, it is illegal for a picketing union to prevent non-striking employees from entering company facilities. But in the last couple days, there have been numerous apparent instances of Verizon strikers doing just that.

A judge in Allegheny County, PA, issued an order on Wednesday prohibiting picketing workers from blocking the entrances to Verizon stores, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported:

The order, signed by Judge Michael E. McCarthy, specifies that the unionized workers with the Communications Workers of America, AFL-CIO, are enjoined from picketing, other than peacefully, and by no more than six pickets spaced, at any entrance to any Verizon facilities . . . or at any worksite of any Verizon employee or contractor performing company work.

In addition, the order prohibits the strikers from interfering with business, by threatening, obstructing, intimidating or harassing customers or other employees.

Meanwhile, video captured another picketing IBEW worker using his young daughter to prevent a Verizon truck from entering a company facility. In the video, the man instructs his daughter to stand in front of the vehicle, then verbally berates the two individuals inside (warning: extremely vulgar language).

Striking workers have even taken to the street to prevent Verizon technicians from doing their jobs. One Boston woman claims that a group of union members prevented a Verizon employee from fixing her malfunctioning phone line.

“I looked in the street and there are picketers, 10 of them or more, doing a circle around the Verizon truck,” said Karen Austin, 64, a mother of five who lives on Forest Avenue. “Every time (the repairmen) would walk up to my house they would follow them. I couldn’t believe my eyes. This is ridiculous. Why are they picketing my house?”…

“I’m not on a main street I’m not a business. I’m a person who needed a line fixed,” she said.

A Verizon spokesperson in Pittsburgh said the situation is far worse than just these sorts of obstructions. Some non-striking employees, the spokesperson said, have been physically assaulted. We have had some employees who have alleged that they have been kicked, been spit on, had things thrown at them, somebodys been elbowed, Verizon’s Lee Gierczynski told WTAE Pittsburgh.

(H/T: Labor Union Report)

BY DAVID BIRD

With the busiest part of the Atlantic hurricane season still ahead, government forecasters Thursday repeated expectations for above-average storm activity.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said it sees an 85% chance of above-normal activity in the season, which typically intensifies between August and October. That is up from a 65% confidence rating in a preseason forecast for an active season.

Gerry Bell, NOAA’s lead hurricane forecaster, sees a 70% …

Fatal shooting likely related to drug activity

Police believe a man who died after he was shot outside an apartment complex in Madison was involved in illegal drug activity when the incident occurred around 6 pm Wednesday.

Ricco M. Winston, 32, of Lischey Avenue, died during surgery at Vanderbilt University Medical Center after police responded to the shots fired call on Forest Park Road outside the apartments.

Police are still seeking information on the case. Winston was shot inside a parked vehicle, police believe was borrowed from a friend.

Winston has past felony marijuana, cocaine and gun convictions, police said.

Anyone with information that can assist North Precinct detectives in identifying the person or persons who killed Winston is urged to contact Crime Stoppers at 74-CRIME.

13-year-old from Smyrna accused of making homemade explosives

A 13-year-old Smyrna boy has been charged with making homemade explosive devices after one was found during a search of his home, according to the Rutherford County Sheriff?s Department.

The youth made statements about making the devices when his Smyrna Middle School teacher asked eighth grade students how they spent their summer, according to a student resource officer at the school.

The teacher alerted a student resource officer and consent was obtained from the youth?s mother to search her home on Stokes Drive in Smyrna.

Tennessee Highway Patrol?s bomb squad removed the devices at the home with assistance from the Smyrna Police and Smyrna Fire Departments.

A hearing on the felony charge against the youth is pending in Juvenile Court, according to the Sheriff?s Department.

Man arrested ccused of

Metro Police have arrested a suspect they believe tried to rob a gunman in the Walmart parking lot at 7044 Charlotte Pike Wednesday night.

Jonathan Fewell, 29, of Madison is accused of approaching a male victim around 10 pm in the parking lot and asking him if he had any gas money. When the victim said no, Fewell allegedly lifted his shirt and revealed a handgun. The victim ran and told a security guard who contacted police.

An officer reportedly soon spotted Fewell who tossed the pistol on the ground as the officer approached him. The victim positively identified Fewell as the man who tried to rob him.

Fewell is charged with aggravated robbery, unlawful weapon possession and drug possession after one Lortab pill was recovered from his pocket. Fewell has two previous misdemeanor drug possession convictions and is being held in lieu of $27,000 bond.

Merger and acquisition activity within the global transportation and logistics industry jumped nearly 15% in the second quarter this year compared to the same period of 2010, according to a quarterly survey conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), with domestic deals involving regional and local companies, particularly within Asia, accounting for nearly 75% of the transactions.

Chile’s economic activity indicator
increased 6.1 percent in June from the previous year, more than
economists forecast, driven by retail and industrial expansion.

The median forecast of 18 economists surveyed by Bloomberg
was for the Imacec, as the central bank’s monthly gross domestic
product proxy is known, to climb 5.8 percent in June. The
economy grew a seasonally adjusted 0.7 percent from the previous
month, the central bank said today on its website.

While economic growth and inflation expectations in Chile
are easing, policy makers need to see further moderation in
internal demand growth before completing their tightening cycle,
Luis Oscar Herrera, the central bank’s head of research, said in
an Aug. 3 interview. Retail sales rose 12.5 percent from June
last year, the National Statistics Institute reported July 28.

“The monthly result was influenced mainly by growth in
commercial and industrial activity,” the bank said today.

Industrial production expanded 4 percent in June from a
year ago while copper output slumped to the lowest since
February on strikes and inclement weather.

The central bank kept the benchmark interest rate unchanged
at 5.25 percent last month, the first pause since January, amid
a “highly uncertain” global outlook, according to minutes of
the meeting in which a quarter-point increase was discussed.

Chile’s peso was little changed at 462.63 per US dollar
at 9:11 am New York time. The currency has depreciated 1.1
percent since July 29 after five straight weekly gains.

To contact the reporter on this story:
Eduardo Thomson in Santiago at
ethomson1@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story:
Joshua Goodman at
jgoodman19@bloomberg.net

The following stocks were detected to be trading among the most active on August 5: Financial Select Sector SPDR, iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Index, Ford Motor Co, Brocade Communications Systems, Inc, and General Electric Co. These stocks are highly traded usually because new relevant information on the company has become available. Being on the highly active list isnt always positive as high activity may be a result of negative news. Regardless, high activity means high liquidity. High volume, combined with price movement is what traders require to make profits.

Shares of Financial Select Sector SPDR (XLF) fell by 1.02% or $-0.14/share to $13.55. In the past year, the shares have traded as low as $13.13 and as high as $17.09. On average, 85300700 shares of XLF exchange hands on a given day and todays volume is recorded at 54109660. The shares are currently trading below the 50-day and 200-day moving averages which indicates that the shares have been experiencing downward momentum. The stock may bounce back to test the 200-day moving average. Thus, you may want to pay close attention for a move up to the $15.02 area but be careful because the stock may face selling pressure at this level.

Shares of iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Index (EEM) fell by 1.05% or $-0.45/share to $42.41. In the past year, the shares have traded as low as $38.60 and as high as $49.92. On average, 54024200 shares of EEM exchange hands on a given day and todays volume is recorded at 47951880. The shares are currently trading below the 200-day moving average which indicates that the shares have been suffering from downward momentum lately. The stock may bounce higher to test the 200-day moving average, so look for a move up to the $46.54 area where the stock may encounter resistance.

Shares of Ford Motor Co. (F) fell by 0.6% or $-0.07/share to $10.8. In the past year, the shares have traded as low as $10.78 and as high as $18.98. On average, 63628900 shares of F exchange hands on a given day and todays volume is recorded at 45877056. The shares are currently trading below the 50-day and 200-day moving averages which indicates that the shares have been experiencing downward momentum. The stock may bounce back to test the 200-day moving average. Thus, you may want to pay close attention for a move up to the $13.34 area but be careful because the stock may face selling pressure at this level.

Shares of Brocade Communications Systems, Inc. (BRCD) fell by 29.86% or $-1.46/share to $3.43. In the past year, the shares have traded as low as $4.64 and as high as $7.30. On average, 12580330 shares of BRCD exchange hands on a given day and todays volume is recorded at 42018500. The shares are currently trading below the 200-day moving average which indicates that the shares have been suffering from downward momentum lately. The stock may bounce higher to test the 200-day moving average, so look for a move up to the $5.98 area where the stock may encounter resistance.

Shares of General Electric Co. (GE) traded higher by 0.18% or $0.03/share to $16.5. In the past year, the shares have traded as low as $13.83 and as high as $21.33. On average, 52583970 shares of GE exchange hands on a given day and todays volume is recorded at 38227088. The shares are currently trading below the 50-day and 200-day moving averages which indicates that the shares have been experiencing downward momentum. The stock may bounce back to test the 200-day moving average. Thus, you may want to pay close attention for a move up to the $18.52 area but be careful because the stock may face selling pressure at this level.

Chile’s economic activity indicator
increased 6.1 percent in June from the previous year, more than
economists forecast, driven by retail and industrial expansion.

The median forecast of 18 economists surveyed by Bloomberg
was for the Imacec, as the central bank’s monthly gross domestic
product proxy is known, to climb 5.8 percent in June. The
economy grew a seasonally adjusted 0.7 percent from the previous
month, the central bank said today on its website.

While economic growth and inflation expectations in Chile
are easing, policy makers need to see further moderation in
internal demand growth before completing their tightening cycle,
Luis Oscar Herrera, the central bank’s head of research, said in
an Aug. 3 interview. Retail sales rose 12.5 percent from June
last year, the National Statistics Institute reported July 28.

“The monthly result was influenced mainly by growth in
commercial and industrial activity,” the bank said today.

Industrial production expanded 4 percent in June from a
year ago while copper output slumped to the lowest since
February on strikes and inclement weather.

The central bank kept the benchmark interest rate unchanged
at 5.25 percent last month, the first pause since January, amid
a “highly uncertain” global outlook, according to minutes of
the meeting in which a quarter-point increase was discussed.

Chile’s peso was little changed at 462.63 per US dollar
at 9:11 am New York time. The currency has depreciated 1.1
percent since July 29 after five straight weekly gains.

To contact the reporter on this story:
Eduardo Thomson in Santiago at
ethomson1@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story:
Joshua Goodman at
jgoodman19@bloomberg.net

A new research has indicated that there may be a connection between low lifetime recreational activity (LRA) and increased peripheral arterial disease (PAD).

PAD narrows the leg arteries, reducing blood flow to the limbs.

PAD narrows the leg arteries, reducing blood flow to the limbs.

Research co-author John P. Cooke, MD, PhD, is a professor of medicine at Falk Cardiovascular Research Center at Stanford University Medical Center in Stanford, CA. Dr. Cooke noted that the relationship between LRA and the risk of developing PAD had been unknown.

(RTTNews) – Switzerland’s consumer sentiment declined more than expected in the July quarter as households turned more pessimistic about the country’s economic prospects in the coming 12 months, the latest quarterly survey results from the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs showed Tuesday.

The consumer confidence index dropped to minus 17 in July from minus 1 in April. Economists had forecast it to fall to minus 5.

During the month, the indicator reflecting consumers’ expectations worsened significantly to minus 22 from 14 in April. Unemployment expectations for the coming twelve months were significantly revised upward to 54 from 16 points in April.

Households’ assessment of future development of their personal financial situation deteriorated to minus 2 points in July from 6 point in April. The assessment about future saving possibilities was more positive in July with the corresponding index scoring 9 points compared to minus 9 points in April.

The sub-index that measures whether it seems to be a good time to make large purchases remained roughly at the same level of April, the survey report said.

by RTT Staff Writer

For comments and feedback: editorial@rttnews.com

As the August 9
Wisconsin Senate recall election nears, Democrats and Republicans have filed
complaints with the Government Accountability Board, accusing each other of
engaging in illegal campaign coordination in Senate District 8. prefix = o ns = urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office
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Collusion
between state resources, political campaigns and independent groups is illegal
under Wisconsin law.

The Democratic
Party of Wisconsin filed complaints in multiple jurisdictions on Thursday
alleging that Republican state Sen. Alberta Darling committed multiple felonies
by trying to hide her collusion with Americans For Prosperity, Wisconsin Family
Action, Wisconsin Right to Life, and other conservative
groups.

Darling is
accused of blocking the release of documents relating to an open records request
seeking information about her collaboration with the groups, a potential felony
under Wisconsin law.

The Wisconsin
Republican Party has filed a complaint with the Government Accountability Board
that accuses Sen. Darlings challenger, Sandy Pasch, of engaging in illegal
election collusion for her involvement with Citizen Action, the liberal special
interest group of which Pasch is a board member.

The Democratic
Party of Wisconsin filed another complaint on Tuesday seeking to stop what it
called a Koch brothers-funded scheme to suppress Democratic votes the upcoming
elections. Raw Story