Yes, we knew that

Internet Trolls Are Psychopathic, Sadistic, And Sometimes Paid By Fox News

By Randa Morris, Addicting Info

Online trolls are sick, sadistic people. No really. 

A new personality study shows that internet trolls have psychopathic, Machiavellian, and sadistic traits. All traits which are found in what psychologists call the Dark Tetrad.

For the purpose of clarity, Wikipedia defines a troll as:

“a person who sows discord on the Internet by starting arguments or upsetting people, by posting inflammatory, extraneous, or off-topic messages in an online community (such as a forum, chat room, or blog), either accidentally or with the deliberate intent of provoking readers into an emotional response or of otherwise disrupting normal on-topic discussion.”

Here’s how the study was carried out.

Three researchers, Erin Buckels (University of Manitoba), Paul  D. Trapnell (University of Winnipeg) and Delroy L. Paulhus (University of British Columbia), carried out a study in order to assess the personality traits of online trolls.

"You don't need to pay poverty wages to succeed"

Low Minimum Wage is Bad for Women, Families and Business
By Sherry Stewart Deutschmann, American Forum

By Barry Deutsch. For more of his cartoons, click here

As a small business owner myself, I don't see the logic in business people arguing against increasing the minimum wage.

It's just not logical to pay people a wage that doesn't even cover basics like food, housing, utilities and transportation needed to get to work.

At $7.25 an hour, the minimum wage comes to just $15,080 a year for full-time employees. Think about cashiers or health aides, childcare workers or fast food servers trying to make ends meet on $15,080.

How can you keep people fully engaged in the success of your business when they are distracted with worry about how they are going to pay rent or keep the lights on? How can they provide the best customer service when they are struggling to feed their family?

I know firsthand, you don't need to pay poverty wages to succeed. In fact, paying higher wages is truly beneficial for business.

Cesspools in critical areas have got to go

State Tracks Down Illegal Cesspools

R.I. Cesspool Act of 2007 went into effect this year

By FRANK CARINI/ecoRI.org News staff

A cesspool is nothing more than a covered pit that receives
wastewater and allows it to drain into the surrounding soil.
Brick and concrete blocks do little to treat wastewater or protect
groundwater. (Town of Charlestown)

All cesspools within 200 feet of the Ocean State shoreline have been illegal for two months. The Rhode Island Cesspool Act of 2007 gave homeowners until Jan. 1 of this year to remove them.

About 40 percent of Rhode Islanders get their drinking water from groundwater sources or from small local reservoirs, and obsolete cesspools are a major source of pollution to these water supplies. Rhode Island banned cesspools in new construction in 1968, but there are an estimated 25,000 or so still actively in use, including nearly a thousand in high-risk areas, such as on the coast.

Art contest letters of intent are due Friday

Art Contest Now Open to More Students from Each School - get your letter in by March 7

Warwick, R.I. – For the 14^th consecutive year, Congressman Jim Langevin (D-RI) is hosting the Rhode Island Second Congressional District High School Art Competition. High school students who reside in the Second District are eligible to compete for a grand prize trip to Washington, DC, a scholarship offer and the honor of having their work hang in the U.S. Capitol for one year beginning in June.

This year, each art teacher can submit one piece of art per student in any of the following seven categories: paintings, drawings, collages, prints, mixed media, computer-generated art and photography. Submission guidelines can be found on Langevin’s website at Langevin.House.gov/serving-you/art-competition.

Money available for Earth Day clean-up projects

Grant Applications Must be Submitted to DEM by March 14

PROVIDENCE - In celebration of Earth Day - April 22, 2014 - the Department of Environmental Management is partnering with the Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation to offer grants to organizers of local Earth Day 2014 cleanup projects. The goal of this grant program is to highlight Earth Day 2014 and the value of the environment, and recognize the importance of people improving the quality of life in their communities.

"These Earth Day grants will give a big boost to members of community groups throughout Rhode Island who are willing to roll up their sleeves and perform the labor needed to cleanup and beautify their neighborhoods," said DEM Director Janet Coit. "Improving the appearance of our local communities and our scenic and recreation areas benefits Rhode Island's quality of life and our state's business climate as well."

CCA Party spokesperson Mike Chambers called out for false statements

“Make sure information is factual”

Former Town Council President
Deb Carney

By Deb Carney

EDITOR’S NOTE: The Westerly Sun ran a version of this letter which challenges misstatements in an earlier letter they published by CCA Party pundit Mike Chambers. Chambers’ letter dealt with his view of what the town should do with the land it bought to block the proposed Whalerock wind farm. As one of the Whalerock abutters, Chambers is also a direct beneficiary of the $2.1 million Charlestown cash outlay. Deb Carney was Charlestown Town Council President during the period when the open space/recreation bond funds referred to by Chambers was approved by the voters. - wc

This is in response to Michael Chambers’ February 25, 2014 Letter to the Editor.   Mr. Chambers’ letter was filled with so much misinformation, it’s disingenuous, and ridiculous.

Chambers’ is wrong on purpose of the 2004 bond money

First, no one proposed holding the Moraine Preserve hostage.  I’m not sure where Mike Chambers generated that conclusion from.  In fact, quite the contrary is true.  It is we, the taxpayers that paid $2.1 million for that property that should not be held hostage.   

The Moraine Preserve was purchased with $2 million in bond money that was approved in 2004.  The language for the bond stated, “Shall the Town Treasurer and the President of the Town Council be authorized…to issue and refund from time to time, bonds, notes…in an amount not to exceed $2,000,000 in order to finance the acquisition, preservation or protection of open space…for preservation, ground water protection OR THE DEVELOPMENT OF PUBLIC RECREATIONAL FACILITIES…” 

The Future of Employment in the Healthcare Industry

by Elizabeth Wallace

Healthcare represents one of the largest industries in the nation and world, one that pulls in just under $2 trillion per year in the United States alone. While both doctors and nurses remain in high demand, opportunities to pursue a career in healthcare with both material and career rewards abound. How has the landscape shifted?

Open your mouth and say "Arrrrr!" on Saturday

"How I Became a Pirate" at Ocean State Theater

Introduce your child to the magic of live theatre at the new state-of-the-art Ocean State Theatre!

Melinda Long's best-selling book comes to life when Ocean State Theatre Company presents the unforgettable musical adventure, How I Became a Pirate for one show only on Saturday, March 8, 2014 at 11:00 am. The production is part of Ocean State Theatre Company's Family Fun Fest, which is recommended for children 4 years and older.

Jeremy Jacobs' talent for building sand castles and digging moats has earned him an invitation to join the crew of Captain Braid Beard's ship. Living the high life at sea, Jeremy trades manners for mayhem as he rolls in stolen treasure, sings sea chanteys, and practices his pirate talk with all his new pirate friends. It's a grand adventure, until Jeremy remembers all the things he left behind such as bedtime stories and goodnight kisses. And, what about soccer practice tomorrow? Surely, the pirates can be convinced to take him home!

Dishonesty and creativity

Two sides of the same coin?

Science Daily

New research shows that lying about performance on one task may increase creativity on a subsequent task by making people feel less bound by conventional rules.

The findings are published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science.

"The common saying that 'rules are meant to be broken' is at the root of both creative performance and dishonest behavior," says lead researcher Francesca Gino of Harvard Business School. "Both creativity and dishonesty, in fact, involve rule breaking."

Boxing Us into Poor Job Prospects

A pilot program to create mini post offices at Staples stores is bad for workers.

By Jim Hightower

You know what America needs? More jobs, that’s what.

Not Walmart-style “jobettes,” but real jobs. We need more stable employment with a good salary and benefits, union jobs so workers have a say in what goes on, and jobs that have strong protections against discrimination.

This country needs more jobs that help launch workers into a career, in which you do useful work, take pride in it, earn promotions, and are respected for what you do.

Believe it or not, there’s at least one place where such jobs still exist. But — and you really aren’t going to believe this — those in charge are pushing like hell to eliminate them, turning positions that ought to be a model for American job growth into just another bunch of jobettes.

The place? Your local post office.

Rhode Island is fifth best state for the 1%

RI economy improved for 1%, but it got worse for 99%

By Bob Plain, Rhode Island’s Future 

Rhode Island’s economy is recovering. But not for the 99 percent it isn’t.

A new report by the Economic Analysis and Research Network shows that between 2009 and 2011, the 99 percent – those Rhode Island’s who make on average $41,958 a year – saw an average decline of 4.1 percent in their earnings.

On the other hand, the one percent in Rhode Island – those who make at least $287,311 a year – did quite well in the same two years. Their earnings increased by 17.3 percent from 2009 to 2011.

Transplants

The President Can Do More For Equal Pay

Sign An Executive Order

By Lilly Ledbetter 

Nearly five years ago, newly elected President Obama committed to equal pay for women by signing the bill that bears my name, the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. I joyfully joined the president for the occasion, my mind racing ahead to what this action would mean for American women everywhere.

The day that bill was signed into law marked the end of the hardest fight of my life. The bill directly addressed Ledbetter v. Goodyear, a U.S. Supreme Court decision that essentially said my employer had been paying me unfairly for long enough to make it legal. This law, the very first to receive Obamas signature, changed that. 

Bad news about chocolate

Chocolate alert!

From: Amy Carniol in ENN.com

The chocolate industry is in jeopardy, and if things don't change, there could be a worldwide cocoa deficit by the year 2020.

In a chocolate-obsessed society, it's hard to fathom ever running out of the sweet treat. How is it even possible that a staple crop like cocoa can be nearing depletion?

The answer is surprisingly simple: It’s just not profitable to be a cocoa farmer. According to Oxfam, less than 5 percent of the price of a typical chocolate bar goes back to the cocoa farmers; for many, this translates to an income of only a few dollars a day.

Should have chosen more carefully