The unmatched and comprehensive online meeting hall for Nevada workers since 1995
"Our republic and its press will rise or fall together." — Joseph Pulitzer
Je Suis Charlie
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Andrew Barbano Editor/Publisher
Photo: Debra Reid, Sparks Tribune


Labor is prior to, and independent of, capital. Capital is only the fruit of labor and could never have existed if labor had not first existed. Labor is the superior of capital and deserves much the higher consideration. Capital has its rights, which are as worthy of protection as any other rights.

— Abraham Lincolnm

First annual message to Congress 12-3-1861

UPDATED 12-21-2024 GMT

Site Map
Memo to modern short attention spaniels: This front page is chronological, the site map is categorical.
SITE NAVIGATION TIP: When all else fails, read the instructions
(A favorite John Hanks aphorism I've been using for decades)

Front Page Archive January-July 2024

Hope you and yours enjoy Happy High Holly Days
Christmas/Kwanzaa/Solstice/Festivus/Chanukah/Thanksgibleting
Feliz Navidad, próspero año y felicidad
HAPPY NEW YEAR / Feliz Año Nuevo / Felice Anno Nuovo
Frohe Weihnachten und beste Wuensche fuer 2025
Vaxx up, stay safe, pray for Ukraine and more than 160 other currently war-torn lands including ours.

Breaking News & then some—>

FROM THE PICKET LINE —> AFFILIATE ACTION ALERT

ALL HANDS ON DECK!

UPDATE 12-21-2024 GMT— Teamsters Local 533 needs strike support at the Lemmon Valley Amazon Distribution Center.

WHERE: Amazon Fulfillment RNO4, 8000 N Virginia St, Reno NV 89506
WHEN: Happening NOW and going 24/7 until called off

This is a national strike at numerous Amazon locations throughout the United States. It is an unfair labor practice strike, and all locations will be active primary picket lines.

We encourage our brothers and sisters from other unions to participate in solidarity by joining the Teamsters on the picket line. For more information, contact Ross Kinson at ross@teamsters533.org or 775-247-5673.

Español —> CesarChavezNevada.com

The Mickey Mouse conspiracy
Barbwire by Andrew Quarantino Barbáno / Expanded from the Sparks Tribune 12-18-2024

Betty J. Barbano
2-7-1941 / 12-27-2005
 Remember her laughter

Larry Barbano, Frater Mei
12-18-1947 / 10-18-2023

Don't mess with Mary Poppins
Barbwire by Andrew Quarantino Barbáno / Expanded from the Sparks Tribune 12-11-2024

The parable of the pasta water
Barbwire by Andrew Quarantino Barbáno / Expanded from the Sparks Tribune 12-4-2024

Chef Charlie Abowd: Renaissance Mensch
Barbwire by Andrew Quarantino Barbáno / Expanded from the Sparks Tribune 11-27-2024

Top 10 Cures at 14: Exorcist wanted
Barbwire by Andrew Quarantino Barbáno / Expanded from the Sparks Tribune 11-20-2024

BEWARE THE IDES OF NOVEMBER
STRIKE! Culinary and Bartenders unions strike Virgin Las Vegas Nov. 15 5:00 a.m. PST
Las Vegas, NV (Nov. 15 2024 5:00 a.m. PST) — For the first time in more than 22 years, the Culinary Union has taken workers out in an open-ended strike at a Las Vegas resort. Over 700 hospitality employees stopped work at the Virgin Las Vegas beginning Friday, November 15 at 5:00 a.m. PST. We will continue as long as it takes to win a new 5-year union contract. We formed picket lines around the property which will remain in place 24/7. Culinary Union Local 226 urges customers and community allies to *not* cross the strike line. We respectfully request that customers check out of the property, choose a union accommodation, dine at union restaurants and cancel reservations. Thanks for your support. Stay tuned.
¡Viva huelga!

Sindicato Culinario EN HUELGA en Virgin Las Vegas, trabajadores de la hostelería de la ciudad se unirán a la huelga en solidaridad el sábado

¡Sí se puede!

President Hoover, meet Smoot & Hawley
Barbwire by Andrew Quarantino Barbáno / Expanded from the Sparks Tribune 11-13-2024

The Saga of Sarah the Tranny Granny
Barbwire by Andrew Quarantino Barbáno / Expanded from the Sparks Tribune 11-6-2024

Shocking Ballot Boxing—>
US, TOO—>'Surprising' poll: Harris leads Trump by 3 points in Nevada, Rosen ahead of Brown by 12
By Mark Robison / Reno Gazette Journal 11-4-2024 9:04 a.m. PST
Heavyweight addition to Harris now up by 3% in Iowa according to authorititative Des Moines Register poll

FASCISM? That's a new face cream, right?
Barbwire by Andrew Quarantino Barbáno / Expanded from the Sparks Tribune 10-30-2024

Now playing in Las Vegas and greater Clark County, Reno-Sparks-Washoe, Carson City, Fallon, Douglas & Storey Counties. Imagine a day with no Trump in it.
Then VOTE!
On major highways, especially the Reno Spaghetti Bowl near the Grand Sierra. Contact me for locations.
Courtesy of Culinary Union 226/AFL-CIO

 

TIE GAME, BOTTOM OF THE 9th—>

FASCISM? That's a new face cream, right?
Barbwire by Andrew Quarantino Barbáno / Expanded from the Sparks Tribune 10-30-2024

TIE-BREAKER: New Congress might decide
In Case of Election Crisis Fire, BREAK GLASS
By Neal K. Katyal / The New York Times 10-16-2024

Nate Silver: Here’s What My Gut Says About the Election, but Don’t Trust Anyone’s Gut, Even Mine
By Nate Silver / The New York Times 10-23-2024
Silver: "It may not be a photo finish"

BARBANO 10-9: Landslide for Harris
STREET CRED UPDATE —> THE CYCLES OF HISTORY:
Barbwire correctly forecast 2016 GOP win in February with 17 candidates still in the race.

Trump on the Civil War, in His Own Words
Re-writing history means never having to say you're sorry
By Nobel Prize Winner Paul Krugman / The New York Times 10-21-2024

 

UNR Follyball in Mississippi West
Bigotry cloaked in womens' rights drag
Barbwire by Andrew Quarantino Barbáno / Expanded from the Sparks Tribune 10-23-2024 / Updated with breaking news

Piggy-backing to play leap-frog
Second in a series.
Barbwire by Andrew Quarantino Barbáno / Expanded from the Sparks Tribune 10-16-2024

Electing Judas Iscariot
First in a series.
Barbwire by Andrew Quarantino Barbáno / Expanded from the Sparks Tribune 10-9-2024
BARBWIRE CONFIDENTIAL—>
UPDATED 10-13-2024 GMT: Tracking Poll sez Question 3 fading. Stay tuned!

All the news you never knew you needed to know till now—>Subscribe to Barbwire Confidential

Margaret Dumont and Groucho Marx
Still crazy after all these years.

The Barbwire never forgets
Barbwire by Andrew Quarantino Barbáno / Expanded from the Sparks Tribune 10-2-2024

Seethe along with me
Barbwire by Andrew Quarantino Barbáno / Expanded from the Sparks Tribune 9-25-2024

The Used Car Presidential Campaign
Barbwire by Andrew Quarantino Barbáno / Expanded from the Sparks Tribune 9-18-2024

Stop the Steal—>for Real
Tune In / Turn On / Distribute / Donate / Kick Ass
Click for Free Streaming
More Information & Donations

Barbwire and Nevada Press Assn. Hall of Famer Guy Louis Rocha on PBS-Reno's "House with a History"
Livestream Sunday 9-15-2024 5:30 p.m. PDT KNPB TV-5/Northern Nevada
https://www.pbsreno.org/livestream/
Rocha inducted to Nevada Press Assn. Hall of Fame in Reno on Saturday 9/14/2024

2 more Barbano nominees elected to Nevada Press Association Hall of Fame
Prof . Jake Highton and Guy Louis Rocha win
Carson City Nevada Appeal / 8-15-2024

4 Barbwire nominees honored, 4 to go

State election officials warn Postal Service unready

PBS News Hour interview with state association spokesperson
PBS News Hour / 9-12-2024

Letter to Postmaster General from National Assn. of Secretaries of State & State Election Directors
9/11/2024 (Unintentional Irony?)

More reasons why Nevada loves Trump's postal service torpedo Louis the Clueless DeJoyless

To Win Nevada, Harris Must Turn Infrastructure Jobs Into Votes
By Gabriel Thompson / Capital and Main (Calif.) / 9-10-2024

Harris Debe Tornar Los Empleos En Infraestructura En Votos Para Ganar Nevada
By Gabriel Thompson / Capital and Main (Calif.) / 9-10-2024

9/11 Amnesia Lane
Barbwire by Andrew Quarantino Barbáno / Expanded from the Sparks Tribune 9-11-2024


Old Glory's red stripes have always represented the blood of America's patriots.

Last gasp of white-wigged white guys
Barbwire by Andrew Quarantino Barbáno / Expanded from the Sparks Tribune 9-4-2024

Joyfulness replaces Dejoylessness
Barbwire by Andrew Quarantino Barbáno / Expanded from the Sparks Tribune 8-28-2024

FLASH! (9:41am PDT 8-26) Barbwire First Break—>Postmaster General Louis the Clueless DeJoy is expected to speak at Reno's Peppermill Hotel-Casino on Tuesday, August 27 or before 8-30

The hit man assigned to destroy the US Postal Service is skulking around Reno Nevada this week. Postmaster General Louis the Clueless DeJoyless will address a letter carriers convention betwixt now and Friday, Aug. 30. Media and public blackouts have been announced. On Aug. 26, a large crowd of postal workers and other union members rallied in front of Reno City Hall. DeJoyless has targeted accelerated erosion of northwestern Nevada and eastern California service to begin this January. Public and politician protests have been ignored. He was appointed to make the service so bad that nationwide privatization for profit will look undeniable. The Postal Board of Governors needs to fire this yayhoo NOW! Watch the front page of NevadaLabor.com/ Unjoy.

USPS Postmaster General Louis DeJoy to speak in Reno at postal convention
PUBLIC & MEDIA BLACKOUT / KRNV TV-4 / KRXI TV-11 / 8-26-2024

Letter carriers rally in Downtown Reno pushing for better safety measures
By Anthony Ramos / KRNV TV-4 / KRXI TV-11 / 8-26-2024

PROTECT OUR LETTER CARRIERS RALLY
Reno City Hall BELIEVE PLAZA/ Monday August 26 / 6:30p.m.-8:00p.m.
Be there or be square!

USPS announces move of Reno mail-processing operations to California despite opposition
By Mark Robison / RGJ.com 4-23-2024

Thank you, Defendant T-Rump. Your postmaster general Rasputin DeJoyless is doing one helluva job. So what's next, moving up the assassination date to kill voting by mail this November? Whassamatta with Biden's new appointees to the Postal Service Board of Governors? Fire the sumbitch, already.

Revenge of T-Rump's postmaster general:
Proposed northern Nevada/eastern California mail shunt to Sacramento slows down mail, endangers voting
Washoe voter registrar warns of destruction of voting by mail
By Mark Robison / Reno Gazette-Journal 2-25-2024

MORE Going Postal Updates & BULLETINS

SAVE THE DATE—>RENO LABORFEST '24
LABOR DAY / Monday 9-2-2024
Union-Proud Show 'n' Shine.pdf
Event information.pdf
Be there or be square!

Across the Universe
Barbwire by Andrew Quarantino Barbáno / Expanded from the Sparks Tribune 8-21-2024

Nonpartisan advocate for seniors prevented from running for county commission seat
By Bob Conrad / ThisIsReno.com / The Ides of August 2024
Stay tuned to the 8-28-2024 Sparks Tribune: Who really benefits
[More]

Prophets and Profits
"Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read."— Groucho Marx
Barbwire by Andrew Quarantino Barbáno / Expanded from the Sparks Tribune 8-14-2024

Hot August VD
Barbwire by Andrew Quarantino Barbáno / Expanded from the Sparks Tribune 8-7-2024

A STORY SO HOT OFF THE PRESS
THAT IT MAY REQUIRE OPENING THE WATER GATES

8-2-2024 —> Today, Aaron C. Davis and Carol D. Leonnig of the Washington Post reported that there is reason to believe that when Trump’s 2016 campaign was running low on funds, Trump accepted a $10 million injection of cash from Egypt’s authoritarian leader Abdel Fatah al-Sisi. It is against the law to accept direct or indirect financial support from foreign nationals or foreign governments for a political campaign in the United States. Stay tuned.

T-Rump took money from Egypt
By Heather Cox Richardson 8-2-2024

Washington Post Exclusive
$10M cash withdrawal drove secret probe
into whether Trump took money from Egypt
Political appointees rejected efforts to search for additional evidence investigators believed might provide answers, then closed the case.

"Five days before Donald Trump became president in January 2017, a manager at a bank branch in Cairo received an unusual letter from an organization linked to the Egyptian intelligence service. It asked the bank to 'kindly withdraw' nearly $10 million from the organization’s account — all in cash."

MORE

 

State houses, courthouses & cat houses
Barbwire by Andrew Quarantino Barbáno / Expanded from the Sparks Tribune 7-31-2024
UPDATED 8-1-2024 GMT

Dirt cheap and cheap shots
Barbwire by Andrew Quarantino Barbáno / Expanded from the Sparks Tribune 7-24-2024

We've seen this movie many times
Commissar Donaldov is a closet sado-masochist:
"Hurt me, JD; tell me you love me, then bend over."
Barbwire by Andrew Quarantino Barbáno / Expanded from the Sparks Tribune 7-17-2024

 

As ye sow, so shall ye reap.

"What profiteth it a man if he would gain the whole world but lose his own soul?" — GOD

"So, we have a deal, right?" — Donald Trump

Margaret Dumont and Groucho Marx
Still crazy after all these years.

"Thou shalt not kill." — God

Don't say I didn't warn you as far back as 1992

The naked truth about war

"Thou shalt not kill." — God

War in moderation?
Barbwire by Andrew Quarantino Barbáno / Expanded from the Sparks Tribune 4-13-2022

Political Animal Crackers & Crackups

      "I think it is dangerous to confuse the idea of democracy with elections. Just because you have elections doesn't mean you are a democracy...I'm still taken aback at the extent of indoctrination and propaganda in the United States. It is as if people there are being reared in a sort of altered reality, like broiler chickens or pigs in a pen."

— Indian novelist Arundhati Roy
in the Barbwire of 9-12-2004

Cancelling Arundhati Roy in today's fascist India
By Salil Tripathi / Guardian of London UK 4-21-2024


      The American electorate is a dumb cow that follows the herd, is easily stampeded, gets milked for all she's worth and produces offspring for meat, muscle or cannon fodder to benefit the few. When all used up, she is sent to the slaughterhouse so that she may give her overlords the last full measure of devotion, bones for Jello and hide for belts. No stars and stripes for her grave because she doesn't merit one, having been totally consumed by our consumptive system. — Barbwire 9-12-2010

"If elections mattered, they wouldn't let us do it."
Travus T. Hipp, 1982

Alas and alack, where it all leads (tol'jaso, long time ago)

Get ahead of corporate-influenced news—>Subscribe to Barbwire Confidential
The Underbelly of the News—>TOP SECRET, HUSH HUSH!

Hope you and yours enjoy Happy High Holly Days
Christmas/Kwanzaa/Solstice/Festivus/Chanukah/Thanksgibleting
Feliz Navidad, próspero año y felicidad
HAPPY NEW YEAR / Feliz Año Nuevo / Felice Anno Nuovo
Frohe Weihnachten und beste Wuensche fuer 2025
Vaxx up, stay safe, pray for Ukraine and almost 100 more currently war-torn lands.

a

Betty J. Barbano
2-7-1941 / 12-27-2005
 Remember her laughter

Larry Barbano, Frater Mei
1947-2023


Eee-yo-leven!
Barbwire wins 11th Nevada Press Association award
6 of 11 gold
Tribune editorial page voted 2020 best

Dennis Myers 2nd Barbwire nominee elected to NPA Hall of Fame

BREAKING NEWS—>New Barbwire Winners!

Jake Highton & Guy Louis Rocha 2024 Barbwire winning nominees
BUENO!
4 down, 4 to go

Support Don Dondero and David Toll and Foster Church and Norman Cardoza next
Please send endorsements

The Dean's List

   The Dean of Reno Bloggers could very well be Andrew Barbano, self-described "fighter of public demons," who started putting his "Barbwire" columns online in 1996 and now runs 10 sites.

RENO NEWS & REVIEW, 11-9-2006

 

The Lady in the Red Dress
The Barbwire's classic Nevada Day column written in 1983
The compleat history of the Silver State in 500 words
SO WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?
DAILY SPARKS TRIBUNE 1-3-2011

Je Suis Charlie

30+ years of Barbwire Archives thru today

SITE MAP

SITE NAVIGATION TIP: When all else fails, read the instructions
(A favorite John Hanks aphorism I've been using for decades)

Get ahead of corporate-influenced news—>Subscribe to Barbwire Confidential
The Underbelly of the News—>TOP SECRET, HUSH HUSH!

All the news you never knew you needed to know—>Subscribe to Barbwire Confidential
The Underbelly of the News—>TOP SECRET, HUSH HUSH!

Navigating the flagship—>Making quick work of NevadaLabor.com

WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS DEPT.—> A year or so back, I got my first criticism in more than two decades that this site is a bit confusing to navigate. I take that as a compliment. Confusing people is one of my few talents.
    I thought I had anticipated any such problems years ago by liberally sprinkling links to the front page site map. (These days, am I supposed to say that I sprinkled progressively rather than liberally?)
    The front page of NevadaLabor.com acts as a chronological listing of recent workplace news with the latest at the top. I archive annually to create a continuous permanent record fully accessible via the site map or any garden-variety websearch.
    "We Don't Need No Education" is now approaching its 100th installment and long ago earned its own section inside. Say hi to Don Quixote.
    Current Barbwires plus more than 20 years of columaniacal archives, the Statewide News Roundup and Breaking News/Bull'tins/Almanac are all available via the site map—>as well as the usual general or specific ongoing madness and historical inflammation. (Once something's posted here or to any of my other sites, it's up forever.)
    While the front page is chronological, the Statewide News Roundup is categorical, e.g., construction, hospitality, legislation, health care and many others. Breaking News/Bull'tins/Almanac often publishes original U-News as well as links to items at other sites that are not hot enough for the front page chronology. The NevadaLabor.com search engine acts as a short-cut to everything, depending on what you seek. So simply seek and ye shall find.
    As my old friend Wise John the Lake Havasu Cropduster Pilot often says, "when all else fails, read the instructions." So when all else fails, re-read the above, then go to the nearest site map link and/or "search." The NevadaLabor.com search engine is really amazing. It's also union-signatory and thus quite efficient.
    Thanks for your inputs and support over lo, these many years. Keep up the good work and the good fight.
    Esté bien. Haga infierno. / Be well. Raise hell.

—> Andrew the Barbwire Man


Editor's Note: Many of the news links on this site are from Nevada dailies. In late 2006, the Reno Gannett-Journal began nuking much of its archive. If you encounter any broken links, I encourage you to contact them and send me a copy. On the one hand, they want to build their web traffic in order to increase the price of ads. On the other hand, they are killing that very traffic. Far be it from me to reconcile the Dilbert-style motivations of an outfit for which a 38 percent net profit is not enough. If you can explain it, please enlighten me. (Before you e-mail me, please read this bulletin — AB) UPDATE: In early 2008, the Las Vegas Sun "upgraded " its website, nuking more than a dozen years of links. If you find an orphaned Sun story, search their site for the title.



NevadaLabor.com Site Directory

Navigating the flagship—>Making quick work of NevadaLabor.com

Latest Breaking News & Bulletins + Almanac + Archives 1999-present

2023 U-News Front Page Headlines

2022 U-News Front Page Headlines

2021 U-News Front Page Headlines

2000-2021 U-News Front Page Archives

U-News Statewide Archives 1996-2018

In Search Of...

Right to Work for Less | Nevada Labor History | Sparks Centennial
Building Energy  | 100 Years of Union Apprenticeship

DoctorLawyerWatch.com | Barbwire Oilogopoly Archive| BallotBoxing.US

War Rooms: Banks, Cabbies, Cable TV, Cabela's, Cancer Kids/Mining, Consumer Rights/safety, Civil Rights: MississippiWestNV.org, Corporate Welfare, Energy, Health Care, Renters Rights, ReSurge.TV, Starbucks, Wal-Mart

NEW —> WE DON'T NEED NO EDUCATION
The Neverending Series
The Barbwire Molly Ivins Memorial Columniator Hall of Flames

Un-dissing the Dead—>The campaign against forcibly-paid newspaper obituaries

Labor Links | Nevada Writers | About the Editor | Deciding Factors


Get ahead of corporate-influenced news—>Subscribe to Barbwire Confidential
The Underbelly of the News—>TOP SECRET, HUSH HUSH!

MEMORIES OF MEmorial

 


The unmatched and comprehensive online meeting hall
for Nevada workers since 1995



The tale of our gorgeous union-created graphics

In 2002, we were honored to produce the Centennial Book for the 100th anniversary of the founding of northern Nevada Painters and Allied Trades Local 567/AFL-CIO. Working on a short time frame, we cast a nationwide net for appropriate cover art and succeeded beyond our wildest dreams thanks to muralists Kathleen Scarboro and Kathleen Farrell. The above illustration ("Papering the World: Joliet's Wallpaper Industry") appeared on the cover and interior of Local 567's Centennial Book, copies of which have been submitted to Nevada libraries and historical organizations. The mural, painted on a wall in Joliet, Illinois, depicts Painters Union members manufacturing wallpaper the old fashioned way, long about the time of Local 567's founding. Ms. Farrell is a member of United Scenic Artists Local 829, an affiliate of the International Union of Painters & Allied Trades/AFL-CIO. Ms. Scarboro is a member of the Maison des Artists in Paris, the association which represents artists in France.

Ms. Farrell executes murals, mosaics and figurative sculptures for the labor movement. Her work and that of others may be viewed at the Friends of Community Public Art web site. "We have added new table top size sculptures for sale as well as additions of our life size sculptures," she says. "A number of the sculptures feature union members including the Baseball Player (The Catch) and The Firefighter. I have also finished the rad workers sculpture I mentioned awhile back. I welcome work from unions that would like to buy the existing sculptures or hire me to create awards, tabletop size sculptures and life size sculptures."

Sister Farrell may be contacted at terri@fcpaonline.org; phone (815) 722-4140; fax (815) 722-9007. You may view more of her work and obtain additional contact information at http://fcpaonline.org/artist.asp?a=farrelka

Rotating at the top of this site as well as in pastel form in the background of this page is a mural produced for the Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers Union/AFL-CIO. The others were acrylics on canvas done for the United Food and Commercial Workers and to memorialize the plight of U.S. chicken processing workers (si podemos). Enjoy.

Be well. Raise hell.

Murals/montages copyright © Kathleen Farrell


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Comments and suggestions appreciated. Click here and ask for inclusion on our mailing list.
But before you do so, please read this bulletin — AB

Entire contents copyright © 1982-2024 Andrew Barbano

[CWA 9413/AFL-CIO]