Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Youth Programs at Goodwill

Here is the latest notice from the eligibility specialist about Goodwill Youth Programs in Austin:



Good Afternoon, Everyone,

We are halfway through summer and it’s time for August orientations for the Goodwill WIA Youth program! We serve 14-21 year-olds in Travis county who need their GED and/or Job Readiness Training, internships, and paid certification trainings.  Don’t forget—this program is NOT for youth who are currently enrolled in high/middle school who are looking for summer employment.

We are pleased to add a sixth monthly orientation at the Goodwill Careers Academy on East 6th and Chicon. They will be ongoing and we hope to increase our impact on the East side.

I’d like to extend an invitation to anyone who would like a “refresher” on what our program can do for the youth you work with; we are doing quite a bit of outreach and would love to do a small presentation for yourself or your staff. Let me know if you’re interested and we will get something set up—don’t be shy!

Thanks for your continued support of WIA Youth and don’t hesitate to contact me with any questions.

Thanks,

Meridith Bardus
Eligibility Specialist
WIA Youth Services Program
Goodwill Industries of Central Texas
1015 Norwood Park Blvd Austin, TX
(512) 699-9469 (Cell)

Saturday, July 20, 2013

Open Letter of Resignation from former soldier, defense industry employee

I Hereby Resign in Protest Effective Immediately

I hereby resign in protest effective immediately.
I have served the post-911 Military Industrial complex for 10 years, first as a soldier in Baghdad, and now as a defense contractor.
I have always believed that if every foot soldier threw down his rifle war would end. I hereby throw mine down.At the time of my enlistment, I believed in the cause. I was ignorant, naïve, and misled. The narrative, professed by the state, and echoed by the mainstream press, has proven false and criminal. We have become what I thought we were fighting against.
Recent revelations by fearless journalists of war crimes including counterinsurgency “dirty” wars, drone terrorism, the suspension of due process, torture, mass surveillance, and widespread regulatory capture have shed light on the true nature of the current US Government. I encourage you to read more about these topics at the links I have provided below.
Some will say that I am being irresponsible, impractical, and irrational. Others will insist that I am crazy. I have come to believe that the true insanity is doing nothing. As long as we sit in comfort, turning a blind eye to the injustices of the world, nothing will change. It is even worse to play an active part, protesting all along that I am not the true criminal.
I was only a foot soldier, and am now a low level clerk. However, I have always believed that if every foot soldier threw down his rifle war would end. I hereby throw mine down.
Sincerely,
Brandon M. Toy
Stryker Engineering Project Management
General Dynamics Land Systems
Sterling Heights, Michigan
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