Original Post: Lakeland Times
Gregg Walker
There's an old union slogan, Labor is entitled to all it creates.
These days, we might say, Labor is entitled to all it can extort. At least that's what they apparently believe. They force workers to pay union dues so they can lavish campaign money on crony politicians who will in return richly reward them come contract time.
In tougher times, well, they just threaten to shut everybody down. That's what they have done to state government these past few weeks; that's what we now know they are trying to do to many local businesses in the Northwoods and around the state.
It's a good time to bring Jimmy Hoffa The Younger But No Less Thuggier into the column. C'mon in, Jimmy!
We have mentioned in these pages the recent appearance of America's top union boss to help lead the Madison protests. Ah, the face of American unionism.
How apt that Hoffa showed up as union bullies labored in the streets to take us all hostage and put on one of the more remarkable displays of greed and corruption in American history, a throwback to the good old days when union goons would just as soon shoot you than negotiate with you.
Of course, Hoffa didn't have to use inflammatory language to help incite the crowd. Just his appearance would do the trick. Thuggery is as thuggery does, and thuggery looked pretty active in the streets of Madison last week.
There they were, the teachers who theoretically educate our children, carrying signs portraying the governor as Hitler or Mubarak, and at one point chasing down and surrounding Sen. Glenn Grothman at a Capitol entrance.
It was an ugly scene and alarmed some people to the point that they chanted "Peaceful, peaceful," to remind their fellow protesters to keep things under control. They did, and Grothman escaped with the help of liberal leftist Demotator Brett Hulsey of Madison.
But while that crowd kept its control, union thuggery has not been so controlled elsewhere. Now businesses who publicly decline to declare their open support for the unions are being threatened with boycotts, even those who want simply to stay neutral.
That's something the public-sector unions don't want to tolerate. These days, it's display the union label, buddy - or swim with the fishes.
In Two Rivers, as has been widely reported, a stir was created when a print shop printed a pro-Walker T-shirt for a high school student ("Scott Walker My Hero" it read on the front; "He's got Nads," on the back). When the student wore the shirt to school, the head of the local teachers' union promptly threatened the print shop owners.
Wes Glenna, the union president, sent an email to owners David and Bridget VanGinkel, asking, "...have you taken the time to figure out how your recent decision could result in the loss of profits to your business?"
The owners told local papers they felt threatened by a boycott.
Glenna backed away from his written remarks, saying he was only objecting to the word 'Nads' on the back of the shirt though he later apologized for the email. The school continued to let the student wear the shirt with the offensive word covered.
Then, right in our back yard, in Rhinelander, more thuggery yet.
As Northwoods River News editor Joe VanDeLaarschot wrote , a pro-union protester threatened to put a local restaurant "out of business" because the business owner refused to put a pro-union sign in the window.
The incident took place as union members demonstrated against an Americans for Prosperity rally for Walker at Wolff's Log Cabin Restaurant in Rhinelander.
One of the owners asked if they were being blackmailed and, as we reported, was told, "you can call it what you want, but we're putting you out of business."
Four other people confirmed the incident.
In all this we see demonstrated the union's height of hypocrisy and stupidity. Union members say they are fighting for their livelihoods, but they do so by threatening the livelihoods of others - there's the hypocrisy - and, if they do manage to bankrupt local business owners, there will be less money flowing into the public trough for union bosses to slurp down. That's the stupid part.
The beat goes on. At Wausau West High School, teachers reportedly posted letters urging boycotts of local businesses supporting Walker, while teachers in Green Bay considered staying away from a major Chamber of Commerce event.
It is all a form of extortion. Either give us what we want politically, or we'll shut the state down and kidnap senators. Either express public support for us, and do what we tell you, or we'll put you out of business.
It is very important to understand the mentality behind this kind of thinking. It reeks of an old-fashioned mob mentality, as organized labor veers very close to the edge of organized crime. Too often, in the past, their paths have already intersected, which is why it's so chilling to see Hoffa mount the stage to adoring cheers from Wisconsin's teachers.
With his arrival, the union establishment, particularly the public-sector union establishment, has gone full circle, right back to the days of the real mob and of Jimmy Hoffa the Elder.
It's worth remembering how the mob really worked. In the old days especially, the mob ran local businesses with an iron fist, much like the unions are trying to do now. We'll protect you for a fee. In return, you'll get a safe neighborhood and preferential treatment. If any businesses moved in and refused to pay, they would be burned out, if the owner was lucky.
Does this remind us of anything? How about mandatory union dues? It's the same thing: Pay us whether you like us or not and we'll represent you at the bargaining table whether you want us to or not. And if you don't want to pay up, oh by the way, you're fired.
Burned out.
And it's the same tactic going with local businesses. There's no place for such union thuggery, but it is the nature of that institutional beast.
If the union's goal is to put hardworking people and private businesses out of business, then that's one more reason why this bill needs to pass - for, in the end, it is the people who are entitled to the wealth they create, not the union bosses who want to take it through lavish collective bargaining schemes or forced union dues.
It's time to put the union label away in state government once and for all.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Search Wisconsin teacher's salaries for yourself
Teacher's Salaries
Here you can search Wisconsin teacher's salaries and fringe benefits for yourself.
Here you can search Wisconsin teacher's salaries and fringe benefits for yourself.
read the email I just received..shame on these teachers.
Original Post: Vicki McKenna
by Vicki McKenna on Monday, March 21, 2011 at 9:51am
I have asked for the letter, and will post it here as an update when I receive it. ALSO, if you have something like this happen, PLEASE call Sen. Grothman's office. He's cataloging these inane teachers politicizing their classrooms. AND contact the principal of your school IMMEDIATELY and demand a meeting with the principal AND the teacher. Demand that your child not be exposed to one sided political indoctrination. Get that assurance in writing, and an assurance your child will not be punished because of mom and dad's politics. That you all even HAVE to deal with this is outrageous.
You can all send me any info YOU have on teachers doing this in class. But please contact Sen. Grothman AND your child's princpal and teacher.
Here is the mail (and yes, I've edited out identifying info--too bad unionistas!):
I had a good friend call me last night upset over an issue that I believe is wrong and so will you.
Here daughter attends a school in the MPS system.
Last week, they were given an assignment to write an essay on How the Budget Repair Bill effects Teachers and students. Her teacher stood up in front of the class and of course ripped into Governor Walker and all disadvantages that this bill will have against their teacher and classroom. She did finish stating of course, this is just my opinion.
Yesterday, my friends 4th grader asked her Mother to read what she had started and she had written how the budget was going to be bad because of more students in the classroom and the students will not be able to learn properly, etc. My friend asked her daughter if she actually know what the bill was about and to explain it to her. Of course, she could only repeat the talking points of the teacher and my friend said that she Mommy and Daddy don't believe this way and you need to write an essay on a different subject since you don't know all the facts. Her daughter started crying and said that this was the only subject they could write their essay on, they would be graded and the essays would be sent to Governor Walker to ready.
My friend told her daughter that she could write the essay, but it would be how your mother and father believe it should be written. More tears as she's afraid of receiving a failed grade as that is not what she was taught in the classroom. I did suggest that she goes to the school and talk to the councilor, but also told her that if we can, this needs to get out into the public and of course, that is where you come in.
My friend is willing to give more details and even share the letter, just so her daughters name is not made public.
I also have a niece who was needing a ride to school. Her Mother grabbed the keys to the Van and my niece asked if they could use a different car because she was afraid to have her teachers see her in the Van that had a Scott Walker sticker on it. She's not embarrassed by Scott Walker, she's afraid she will get poor grades because she supports Scott Walker. This is also the same niece that was told by her teacher, "don't waste the staples because of Scott Walker, we won't have anymore staples when these are gone". By the way, no worries about the Scott Walker sticker anymore, someone actually ripped it off the car, although my sister is trying to find a new one to replace it.
by Vicki McKenna on Monday, March 21, 2011 at 9:51am
I have asked for the letter, and will post it here as an update when I receive it. ALSO, if you have something like this happen, PLEASE call Sen. Grothman's office. He's cataloging these inane teachers politicizing their classrooms. AND contact the principal of your school IMMEDIATELY and demand a meeting with the principal AND the teacher. Demand that your child not be exposed to one sided political indoctrination. Get that assurance in writing, and an assurance your child will not be punished because of mom and dad's politics. That you all even HAVE to deal with this is outrageous.
You can all send me any info YOU have on teachers doing this in class. But please contact Sen. Grothman AND your child's princpal and teacher.
Here is the mail (and yes, I've edited out identifying info--too bad unionistas!):
I had a good friend call me last night upset over an issue that I believe is wrong and so will you.
Here daughter attends a school in the MPS system.
Last week, they were given an assignment to write an essay on How the Budget Repair Bill effects Teachers and students. Her teacher stood up in front of the class and of course ripped into Governor Walker and all disadvantages that this bill will have against their teacher and classroom. She did finish stating of course, this is just my opinion.
Yesterday, my friends 4th grader asked her Mother to read what she had started and she had written how the budget was going to be bad because of more students in the classroom and the students will not be able to learn properly, etc. My friend asked her daughter if she actually know what the bill was about and to explain it to her. Of course, she could only repeat the talking points of the teacher and my friend said that she Mommy and Daddy don't believe this way and you need to write an essay on a different subject since you don't know all the facts. Her daughter started crying and said that this was the only subject they could write their essay on, they would be graded and the essays would be sent to Governor Walker to ready.
My friend told her daughter that she could write the essay, but it would be how your mother and father believe it should be written. More tears as she's afraid of receiving a failed grade as that is not what she was taught in the classroom. I did suggest that she goes to the school and talk to the councilor, but also told her that if we can, this needs to get out into the public and of course, that is where you come in.
My friend is willing to give more details and even share the letter, just so her daughters name is not made public.
I also have a niece who was needing a ride to school. Her Mother grabbed the keys to the Van and my niece asked if they could use a different car because she was afraid to have her teachers see her in the Van that had a Scott Walker sticker on it. She's not embarrassed by Scott Walker, she's afraid she will get poor grades because she supports Scott Walker. This is also the same niece that was told by her teacher, "don't waste the staples because of Scott Walker, we won't have anymore staples when these are gone". By the way, no worries about the Scott Walker sticker anymore, someone actually ripped it off the car, although my sister is trying to find a new one to replace it.
And the Intimidation of Private Businesses in WI by Unions Begins
Original Post: Redstate
by lineholder
This letter was written by Director of the Wisconsin Professional Police Association, Jim Palmer. Sounds quite a bit like extortion, doesn’t it?
The following is an excerpt from a letter to the owner of a convenience store, the Kwik Trip, in LaCrosse, WI. The content of this letter speaks for itself:
“The undersigned groups would like your company to publicly oppose Governor Walker’s efforts to virtually eliminate collective bargaining for public employees in Wisconsin. While we appreciate that you may need some time to consider this request, we ask for your response by March 17.
In the event that you do not respond to this request by that date, we will assume that you stand with Governor Walker and against the teachers, nurses, police officers, fire fighters, and other dedicated public employees who serve our communities.
In the event that you cannot support this effort to save collective bargaining, please be advised that the undersigned will publicly and formally boycott the goods and services provided by your company. However, if you join us, we will do everything in our power to publicly celebrate your partnership in the fight to preserve the right of public employees to be heard at the bargaining table.
Also be advised that we are concerned about your company’s participation in Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce and its continued effort to support candidates who oppose collective bargaining. It makes no difference to us how much or little money you put into that effort. Your participation in that organization provides you an opportunity to halt this practice. We would also request that Kwik Trip disclose whether it makes contributions to any other organizations, such as Americans for Prosperity or the Club for Growth or the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
We recognize your right to form political associations but we also believe the public has a right to know what kind of contributions or payments you make that impact the political process. As labor organizations we and our members do not care to provide profits to companies that are working directly or indirectly to threaten the livelihood of our members.
So they will “cut off” these businesses that don’t toe the line? They see themselves as being in the position to “punish” those businesses that don’t toe the line, do they? They will now proceed to “put their foot down” and “lay down the law” to the private sector businesses that they, the Unions, will control the future of the state of Wisconsin, come what may come, is that it????
The gloves are off now, folks. They aren’t going to let this be resolved in a reasonable manner.
I knew that public sector unions saw themselves as being “entitled”. I also knew that they take private sector business profits for granted as a “gimme”.
Now, they are revealing, for all of the world to see, just how vindictive, malicious, and unscrupulous they truly !!!
I used to think that unions broke collusion laws. After all, business can't get together and set the price of goods and services but unions can? Labor is a service to their respective employers. I now think unions break Rico statutes.
They are an organized entity that are organizing illegal strikes and having their police members turn their backs on felonies happening right in front of them. Now they want you to "pay" for their "protection" or else something bad might happen to you and we wouldn't want that now would we? You can just hear the Godfather music playing in the background of this letter.
The time of the Unions sticking up for the little guy and doing actual good things has long past. Now they're nothing more than extortionists and thugs. End unions and prosecute the ones who are guilty of crimes.
by lineholder
This letter was written by Director of the Wisconsin Professional Police Association, Jim Palmer. Sounds quite a bit like extortion, doesn’t it?
The following is an excerpt from a letter to the owner of a convenience store, the Kwik Trip, in LaCrosse, WI. The content of this letter speaks for itself:
“The undersigned groups would like your company to publicly oppose Governor Walker’s efforts to virtually eliminate collective bargaining for public employees in Wisconsin. While we appreciate that you may need some time to consider this request, we ask for your response by March 17.
In the event that you do not respond to this request by that date, we will assume that you stand with Governor Walker and against the teachers, nurses, police officers, fire fighters, and other dedicated public employees who serve our communities.
In the event that you cannot support this effort to save collective bargaining, please be advised that the undersigned will publicly and formally boycott the goods and services provided by your company. However, if you join us, we will do everything in our power to publicly celebrate your partnership in the fight to preserve the right of public employees to be heard at the bargaining table.
Also be advised that we are concerned about your company’s participation in Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce and its continued effort to support candidates who oppose collective bargaining. It makes no difference to us how much or little money you put into that effort. Your participation in that organization provides you an opportunity to halt this practice. We would also request that Kwik Trip disclose whether it makes contributions to any other organizations, such as Americans for Prosperity or the Club for Growth or the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
We recognize your right to form political associations but we also believe the public has a right to know what kind of contributions or payments you make that impact the political process. As labor organizations we and our members do not care to provide profits to companies that are working directly or indirectly to threaten the livelihood of our members.
So they will “cut off” these businesses that don’t toe the line? They see themselves as being in the position to “punish” those businesses that don’t toe the line, do they? They will now proceed to “put their foot down” and “lay down the law” to the private sector businesses that they, the Unions, will control the future of the state of Wisconsin, come what may come, is that it????
The gloves are off now, folks. They aren’t going to let this be resolved in a reasonable manner.
I knew that public sector unions saw themselves as being “entitled”. I also knew that they take private sector business profits for granted as a “gimme”.
Now, they are revealing, for all of the world to see, just how vindictive, malicious, and unscrupulous they truly !!!
I used to think that unions broke collusion laws. After all, business can't get together and set the price of goods and services but unions can? Labor is a service to their respective employers. I now think unions break Rico statutes.
They are an organized entity that are organizing illegal strikes and having their police members turn their backs on felonies happening right in front of them. Now they want you to "pay" for their "protection" or else something bad might happen to you and we wouldn't want that now would we? You can just hear the Godfather music playing in the background of this letter.
The time of the Unions sticking up for the little guy and doing actual good things has long past. Now they're nothing more than extortionists and thugs. End unions and prosecute the ones who are guilty of crimes.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Ralph Nader: Impeach Obama for Libya, Crimes
Original Post: newsmax
Consumer advocate Ralph Nader is calling for President Barack Obama's impeachment, saying he is responsible for war crimes in the Ralph Nader, Barack Obama, Impeach, War Crimes, Middle East,Middle East, The Hill reports.
In an interview with the anti-war group Democracy Now!, Nader said Obama was as much a war criminal as former President George W. Bush.
"Why don't we say what's on the minds of many legal experts; that the Obama administration is committing war crimes; and if Bush should have been impeached, Obama should be impeached," Nader said.
"[Bush officials] were considered war criminals by many people. Now, Barack Obama is committing the same crimes," the former presidential candidate said. "In fact, worse ones in Afghanistan. Innocents are being slaughtered, we are creating more enemies, he is violating international law."
The difference is Bush got Congressional approval. Obama told them as an after thought. Yet he has to wait for the U.N. to take action? I didn't realize that the U.N. was duly elected by us and had legislative authority where Congress does not. Learn something new every day.
Consumer advocate Ralph Nader is calling for President Barack Obama's impeachment, saying he is responsible for war crimes in the Ralph Nader, Barack Obama, Impeach, War Crimes, Middle East,Middle East, The Hill reports.
In an interview with the anti-war group Democracy Now!, Nader said Obama was as much a war criminal as former President George W. Bush.
"Why don't we say what's on the minds of many legal experts; that the Obama administration is committing war crimes; and if Bush should have been impeached, Obama should be impeached," Nader said.
"[Bush officials] were considered war criminals by many people. Now, Barack Obama is committing the same crimes," the former presidential candidate said. "In fact, worse ones in Afghanistan. Innocents are being slaughtered, we are creating more enemies, he is violating international law."
The difference is Bush got Congressional approval. Obama told them as an after thought. Yet he has to wait for the U.N. to take action? I didn't realize that the U.N. was duly elected by us and had legislative authority where Congress does not. Learn something new every day.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Wisconsin cop does nothing to stop felony happening right in front of him
Original Post: Maggies Notebook
Wisconsin Union Thugs Destroy Recall Petition of Democrat Jim Holperin: Police Union Members Watch
By Maggie
First the Wisconsin Union rowdies completely trashed the Wisconsin Capitol lawn. No. I mean they really, really trashed it. Only mud where grass once was. Now they’ve destroyed a Republican recall petition for Democrat state Senator Jim Holperin, one of the 14 AWOL Wisconsin senators, and the police are looking into it – but – aren’t the police amont the Union thugs? I think so, in this case. Police were on the scene, but the Police Chief says they were “investigating other complaints,” and just missed this one (see second video below). In the meantime, all the signatures gathered are now void. Please don’t miss the letter Holperin wrote (see below) where he lied to the residents of Wisconsin in a major way.
WausauDailyHerald:
Recall Jim Holperin Committee leader Kim Simac told reporters Tuesday at the Lincoln County Courthouse that up to 100 pro-union protesters encircled committee members Thursday in Merrill as they sought signatures for a petition to oust Holperin, D-Conover.
A female pro-union protester pretended to be interested in signing a petition, wrote a profanity across a partially completed petition form, and ripped up completed petitions, Simac said.
Now get this, apparently there is a chance that it is NOT illegal to let people thwart other people’s right to protest their government, or destroy personal property.
Seubert [Police Chief] said Tuesday that his department still is trying to determine what law the woman might have violated. Investigators plan to review footage of the event from a Wausau television station in an attempt to identify the woman, he said.
Seubert also said that his department will forward to the Lincoln County District Attorney’s office any reports from people who claim pro-union protesters prevented them from signing petitions. So far no complaints have been made, Seubert said.
So where are those who were attempting to sign? Please come forward and tell police your story.
Armed with a bullhorn, thuggery, and the most annoying chants ever, union thugs continued their streak of ‘solidarity’.
The following took place at a recall Jim Holperin Rally in Merill, WI. As you can see, “F*ck you” is written on the ripped up petitions. The video was shot after the incident took place.
According to an eyewitness account:
This video was shot minutes after a union advocate destroyed several petitions at a recall Jim Holperin Rally in Merill, WI. The event was moved to the court house grounds because the private location originally slated to host the event was threatened with arson. It should be noted that police were present when the protestor destroyed these recall petitions, but stated to us that there was nothing they could do about it. The female protestor, who had a young child with her, approached the recall table pretending to be interested in signing the petition, then proceeded to write F— You! She then ripped up other completed petitions before being stopped. Her actions were met with great approval from the rest of the crowd, who took up the chant heard in the video.
From 620WTMJ NewsRadio:
The policemen who were there, and who were standing in close proximity to these events as they unfolded, did nothing to assist those collecting the petitions as they were being destroyed, despite such an action being a Felony under Wisconsin law. Police also did nothing to clear the walk way for citizens that wanted to sign the petitions. Recall Committee members received many phone calls the following day from Merill area citizens who stated that they showed up to sign the petition, but were too afraid to get out of their vehicles and approach the recall table.
I found this story about Holperin published on the Vilas County GOP site by Kerry Thomas:
I recalled a letter Senator Holperin wrote to the Lakeland Times on July 24, 2009.
In the letter, Senator Holperin bragged how the Democrats (who at that time controlled both houses of the State Legislature and the Governorship) had not only eliminated a $6.6 billion deficit in the State’s 2010-11 budget, but had actually left the State with a $270 million surplus.
Of course, in order to claim the budget was balanced, the Democrats had to borrow money from segregated funds (including the 911 emergency dispatch fund), raise taxes, and use $2.2 billion in federal “stimulus” funds to pay the State’s bills instead of using that money to “stimulating” Wisconsin’s economy.
Wisconsin Union Thugs Destroy Recall Petition of Democrat Jim Holperin: Police Union Members Watch
By Maggie
First the Wisconsin Union rowdies completely trashed the Wisconsin Capitol lawn. No. I mean they really, really trashed it. Only mud where grass once was. Now they’ve destroyed a Republican recall petition for Democrat state Senator Jim Holperin, one of the 14 AWOL Wisconsin senators, and the police are looking into it – but – aren’t the police amont the Union thugs? I think so, in this case. Police were on the scene, but the Police Chief says they were “investigating other complaints,” and just missed this one (see second video below). In the meantime, all the signatures gathered are now void. Please don’t miss the letter Holperin wrote (see below) where he lied to the residents of Wisconsin in a major way.
WausauDailyHerald:
Recall Jim Holperin Committee leader Kim Simac told reporters Tuesday at the Lincoln County Courthouse that up to 100 pro-union protesters encircled committee members Thursday in Merrill as they sought signatures for a petition to oust Holperin, D-Conover.
A female pro-union protester pretended to be interested in signing a petition, wrote a profanity across a partially completed petition form, and ripped up completed petitions, Simac said.
Now get this, apparently there is a chance that it is NOT illegal to let people thwart other people’s right to protest their government, or destroy personal property.
Seubert [Police Chief] said Tuesday that his department still is trying to determine what law the woman might have violated. Investigators plan to review footage of the event from a Wausau television station in an attempt to identify the woman, he said.
Seubert also said that his department will forward to the Lincoln County District Attorney’s office any reports from people who claim pro-union protesters prevented them from signing petitions. So far no complaints have been made, Seubert said.
So where are those who were attempting to sign? Please come forward and tell police your story.
Armed with a bullhorn, thuggery, and the most annoying chants ever, union thugs continued their streak of ‘solidarity’.
The following took place at a recall Jim Holperin Rally in Merill, WI. As you can see, “F*ck you” is written on the ripped up petitions. The video was shot after the incident took place.
According to an eyewitness account:
This video was shot minutes after a union advocate destroyed several petitions at a recall Jim Holperin Rally in Merill, WI. The event was moved to the court house grounds because the private location originally slated to host the event was threatened with arson. It should be noted that police were present when the protestor destroyed these recall petitions, but stated to us that there was nothing they could do about it. The female protestor, who had a young child with her, approached the recall table pretending to be interested in signing the petition, then proceeded to write F— You! She then ripped up other completed petitions before being stopped. Her actions were met with great approval from the rest of the crowd, who took up the chant heard in the video.
From 620WTMJ NewsRadio:
The policemen who were there, and who were standing in close proximity to these events as they unfolded, did nothing to assist those collecting the petitions as they were being destroyed, despite such an action being a Felony under Wisconsin law. Police also did nothing to clear the walk way for citizens that wanted to sign the petitions. Recall Committee members received many phone calls the following day from Merill area citizens who stated that they showed up to sign the petition, but were too afraid to get out of their vehicles and approach the recall table.
I found this story about Holperin published on the Vilas County GOP site by Kerry Thomas:
I recalled a letter Senator Holperin wrote to the Lakeland Times on July 24, 2009.
In the letter, Senator Holperin bragged how the Democrats (who at that time controlled both houses of the State Legislature and the Governorship) had not only eliminated a $6.6 billion deficit in the State’s 2010-11 budget, but had actually left the State with a $270 million surplus.
Of course, in order to claim the budget was balanced, the Democrats had to borrow money from segregated funds (including the 911 emergency dispatch fund), raise taxes, and use $2.2 billion in federal “stimulus” funds to pay the State’s bills instead of using that money to “stimulating” Wisconsin’s economy.
Monday, March 21, 2011
Civilized peaceful union supporter threatens blogger with opposing view
Original Post: Maggies Notebook
Wisconsin Law Prof and Blogger, Ann Althouse, Threatened in Madison by Cyberstalker
By Maggie
There’s a Wisconsin story that I’ve not had a chance to cover this week, and everyone should know about it
Ann Althouse
because a blogger has been publicly threatened with violence for supporting Republican Governor Scott Walker. Ann Althouse is a law professor at the University of Wisconsin Madison. She and her husband Laurence Meade were present inside the Madison Capitol building and document some unsavory and uncivil behavior at The People’s House.
Althouse dared to write about it, and film it. It didn’t take long before they both became public targets. According to the Wall Street Journal, one Jim Shankman posted the following on Scirbd.com:
“We will hang up wanted posters of you everywhere you like to go. We will picket on public property as close to your house as we can every day. We will harrass the ever loving sh–out of you all the time. . . . Because we aren’t anti-social, life-denying, world-sterilizing pieces of human garbage like the two of you. WE WILL F— YOU UP.”
That’s a small sample. There are threats with the cyberstalker asking “Who are you gonna call? Cops for Labor?” – In otherwords, cops are union and they won’t be helping you. There may be more than a little truth in that.
More from Shankman:
There is no calvary. It is us vs you on the streets of the city going as far as it has to go until A) We Win or B) Doomsday.
So the obscenity in Madison has spilled over onto a well-respected and brilliant blogger. And she has been warned that she will be ruined, her career will ruined and her “sense of safety and wellbeing will be ruined.”
When Shankman works, he’s apparently a dishwasher. And now he wants to bow out of the controversy; issue the threats to life, limb and job, and drop out. Do dishwashers usually live in “townie” houses in groups of 5-7 at a time, and …well, you don’t want to know that – what am I thinking.
The same WSJ article says another Wisconsin private citizen and supporter of Governor Scott Walker, received a threat posted from a Facebook page, that promised to leave him in pool of his own blood.
Browse through Althouse’s archives for the full story.
Then return to The Other McCain and the story on how Shankman is identified, and is quoted saying “I’m done with it,” to which McCain replies: “you’re done with it, Jim — just like a cockroach is done feeding on crumbs when somebody turns on the kitchen light.”
If you’ve been missing McCain’s Smitty, he’s writing from Afghanistan has been filling some pages with excellence. Smitty, What is a “Death-Porn Doorstop, anyway?
Wisconsin Law Prof and Blogger, Ann Althouse, Threatened in Madison by Cyberstalker
By Maggie
There’s a Wisconsin story that I’ve not had a chance to cover this week, and everyone should know about it
Ann Althouse
because a blogger has been publicly threatened with violence for supporting Republican Governor Scott Walker. Ann Althouse is a law professor at the University of Wisconsin Madison. She and her husband Laurence Meade were present inside the Madison Capitol building and document some unsavory and uncivil behavior at The People’s House.
Althouse dared to write about it, and film it. It didn’t take long before they both became public targets. According to the Wall Street Journal, one Jim Shankman posted the following on Scirbd.com:
“We will hang up wanted posters of you everywhere you like to go. We will picket on public property as close to your house as we can every day. We will harrass the ever loving sh–out of you all the time. . . . Because we aren’t anti-social, life-denying, world-sterilizing pieces of human garbage like the two of you. WE WILL F— YOU UP.”
That’s a small sample. There are threats with the cyberstalker asking “Who are you gonna call? Cops for Labor?” – In otherwords, cops are union and they won’t be helping you. There may be more than a little truth in that.
More from Shankman:
There is no calvary. It is us vs you on the streets of the city going as far as it has to go until A) We Win or B) Doomsday.
So the obscenity in Madison has spilled over onto a well-respected and brilliant blogger. And she has been warned that she will be ruined, her career will ruined and her “sense of safety and wellbeing will be ruined.”
When Shankman works, he’s apparently a dishwasher. And now he wants to bow out of the controversy; issue the threats to life, limb and job, and drop out. Do dishwashers usually live in “townie” houses in groups of 5-7 at a time, and …well, you don’t want to know that – what am I thinking.
The same WSJ article says another Wisconsin private citizen and supporter of Governor Scott Walker, received a threat posted from a Facebook page, that promised to leave him in pool of his own blood.
Browse through Althouse’s archives for the full story.
Then return to The Other McCain and the story on how Shankman is identified, and is quoted saying “I’m done with it,” to which McCain replies: “you’re done with it, Jim — just like a cockroach is done feeding on crumbs when somebody turns on the kitchen light.”
If you’ve been missing McCain’s Smitty, he’s writing from Afghanistan has been filling some pages with excellence. Smitty, What is a “Death-Porn Doorstop, anyway?
Civilized peaceful union supporter smashes Republican's car window
Original Post: Weekly Standard
Wisconsin Republican Senator's Car Window Smashed
By JOHN MCCORMACK
Please sign me up for The Weekly Standard weekly newsletter.
Wisconsin Republican state senator Dan Kapanke has been the subjecte of death threats and vandalism, the LaCrosse Tribune reports:
Sen. Dan Kapanke has canceled upcoming district meetings after being the target of threats and vandalism. Rose Smyrski, Kapanke's chief of staff, said the senator's car window was smashed in Madison, and his wife found nails scattered in the driveway of their French Island home.
He also received death threats.
Via Ace, a Huffington Post blogger asks, in the wake of the Giffords shooting, "Why isn't the mainstream media talking about the death threats against Republican politicians in Wisconsin?
Good question!
Wisconsin Republican Senator's Car Window Smashed
By JOHN MCCORMACK
Please sign me up for The Weekly Standard weekly newsletter.
Wisconsin Republican state senator Dan Kapanke has been the subjecte of death threats and vandalism, the LaCrosse Tribune reports:
Sen. Dan Kapanke has canceled upcoming district meetings after being the target of threats and vandalism. Rose Smyrski, Kapanke's chief of staff, said the senator's car window was smashed in Madison, and his wife found nails scattered in the driveway of their French Island home.
He also received death threats.
Via Ace, a Huffington Post blogger asks, in the wake of the Giffords shooting, "Why isn't the mainstream media talking about the death threats against Republican politicians in Wisconsin?
Good question!
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Obama: Gee, it would be easier to be President of China
Original Post: Hotair
posted at 11:30 am on March 11, 2011 by Ed Morrissey
printer-friendly
And you know who endorses that notion? Thomas Friedman. In a New York Times report giving a presidenting-is-so-hard spin to Barack Obama’s vacillating incoherence on the unrest sweeping the Arab world, reporters Mark Landler and Helene Cooper offer this nugget at the end:
Mr. Obama has told people that it would be so much easier to be the president of China. As one official put it, “No one is scrutinizing Hu Jintao’s words in Tahrir Square.”
Bill Kristol uses few words to savage Obama for this sentiment:
If you’re president of China, people around the world who are fighting for freedom don’t really expect you to help. If you’re president of China, you don’t have to put up with annoying off-year congressional elections, and then negotiate your budget with a bunch of gun-and-religion-clinging congressmen and senators. If you’re president of China, you can fund your national public radio to your heart’s content. And if you’re president of China, when you host a conference on bullying in schools, people take you seriously.
Well, Hu Jintao is technically “President” of China at the moment, but he has a lot of other titles that make the nature of that government more clear. Among them: “Paramount Leader,” “General Secretary of the Communist Party,” and “Chairman of the Central Military Commission.” Being “president” in China isn’t the same as being President of the United States; it’s a dictatorship, or at the very mildest, the strongest position in an autocratic and thoroughly entrenched and unaccountable political system.
As such, yes, it’s easier to wield power, which was exactly Friedman’s point and why he was an idiot for making the case for enlightened despotism over representative democracy. Making power easier for government to yield was the exact outcome that our founders feared, which is why they wrote the Constitution and ratified it 222 years ago. Enlightened despotism is still despotism, and the “enlightened” part depends entirely on whether the analysts fall in or out of favor with the despot.
And since the “president” of China doesn’t give a damn about the freedom and liberty of his own people, no one really gives a damn what he thinks about the freedom and liberty of others. Most see that as a feature of being President of the United States, not a bug.
Finally, Obama might think it would be easier to be President of China, but he’d have found it impossible to become President of China. Unlike Americans, who can vote for whomever they choose, the entrenched power structure in Beijing would never have allowed an untested back bencher with no experience in executive management to have come close to the top job. Obama should be thanking his lucky stars rather than lamenting his fate.
posted at 11:30 am on March 11, 2011 by Ed Morrissey
printer-friendly
And you know who endorses that notion? Thomas Friedman. In a New York Times report giving a presidenting-is-so-hard spin to Barack Obama’s vacillating incoherence on the unrest sweeping the Arab world, reporters Mark Landler and Helene Cooper offer this nugget at the end:
Mr. Obama has told people that it would be so much easier to be the president of China. As one official put it, “No one is scrutinizing Hu Jintao’s words in Tahrir Square.”
Bill Kristol uses few words to savage Obama for this sentiment:
If you’re president of China, people around the world who are fighting for freedom don’t really expect you to help. If you’re president of China, you don’t have to put up with annoying off-year congressional elections, and then negotiate your budget with a bunch of gun-and-religion-clinging congressmen and senators. If you’re president of China, you can fund your national public radio to your heart’s content. And if you’re president of China, when you host a conference on bullying in schools, people take you seriously.
Well, Hu Jintao is technically “President” of China at the moment, but he has a lot of other titles that make the nature of that government more clear. Among them: “Paramount Leader,” “General Secretary of the Communist Party,” and “Chairman of the Central Military Commission.” Being “president” in China isn’t the same as being President of the United States; it’s a dictatorship, or at the very mildest, the strongest position in an autocratic and thoroughly entrenched and unaccountable political system.
As such, yes, it’s easier to wield power, which was exactly Friedman’s point and why he was an idiot for making the case for enlightened despotism over representative democracy. Making power easier for government to yield was the exact outcome that our founders feared, which is why they wrote the Constitution and ratified it 222 years ago. Enlightened despotism is still despotism, and the “enlightened” part depends entirely on whether the analysts fall in or out of favor with the despot.
And since the “president” of China doesn’t give a damn about the freedom and liberty of his own people, no one really gives a damn what he thinks about the freedom and liberty of others. Most see that as a feature of being President of the United States, not a bug.
Finally, Obama might think it would be easier to be President of China, but he’d have found it impossible to become President of China. Unlike Americans, who can vote for whomever they choose, the entrenched power structure in Beijing would never have allowed an untested back bencher with no experience in executive management to have come close to the top job. Obama should be thanking his lucky stars rather than lamenting his fate.
Monday, March 14, 2011
Suspect Located In Wisconsin GOP Death Threats UPDATE: Female Suspect Has Confessed
Original Post: Gatewaypundit
Posted by Lady Liberty on Saturday, March 12, 2011, 1:14 PM
The Wisconsin authorities actually located one of the loons who sent the Wisconsin GOP members death threats. They found the violent crackpot who sent this email to 15 different Republican lawmakers.
The Port Washington-Saukville Patch reported:
News that the state Justice Department has identified one suspect in connection with death threats sent to Republican state senators comes as at least a minor relief to Sen. Glenn Grothman (R-West Bend).
“They caught someone? Good,” he said Friday night. “I am waiting to hear the background of the type of person who would do such a devious thing.”
“The Division of Criminal Investigation takes these kind of threats seriously and will follow through with the investigation and prosecution whenever possible,” DCI Administrator Ed Wall said in the release.
“I and the group of people that are working with me have decided that we’ve had enough,” one of the threatening e-mails read. “We feel that you and your Republican dictators have to die.”
The message then went on to say the “group” planned to shoot the senators, and plant bombs in various locations, such as their homes and cars.
“If you and your goonies feel that it’s necessary to strip the rights of 300,000 people and ruin their lives, making them unable to feed, clothe and provide the necessities to their families and themselves then we will ‘get rid of’ (in which I mean kill) the eight of you,” the e-mail continued. “Please understand that this does not include the heroic senator that risked everything to go aganist what you and your goonies wanted him to do.”
The second message was much shorter, and stated:
“(Expletive) you, (expletive). I am formally requesting to see the 30,000 e-mails you have gotten making you comply with the open records law. I assure you that none of them are in support of you or anything that you or your staff stand for. Your staff members have now been added to the hit list as well as those of the other Senate members we have threatened. Please advise them of the impending danger leading to their deaths.”
Grothman said the threats made in response to the budget repair bill, and the passing of the revised version, are something unseen before in his nearly 20 years in office.
“We have never — you could add up all of the nasty emails and phone calls I have gotten on the first 17 years on the job — and they would not begin to match the obscenities we have seen from opponents of Gov. Walker,” he said.
WHBL is reporting that the suspect is a female.
The Wisconsin Department of Justice says it has located one of the people who sent death threats to elected officials during the controversy at the state Capitol. The female suspect wasn’t named, but the state says she was located last Thursday.
WisPolitics.com is reporting that the suspect has confessed to authoring and sending two e-mails threatening to kill the Governor and members of the Senate.
Here is the text of the email.
I am reprinting verbatim an email that was sent to Republican senators. The email was signed, but I have deleted the name pending what I hope will be a thorough police investigation.
Posted by Lady Liberty on Saturday, March 12, 2011, 1:14 PM
The Wisconsin authorities actually located one of the loons who sent the Wisconsin GOP members death threats. They found the violent crackpot who sent this email to 15 different Republican lawmakers.
The Port Washington-Saukville Patch reported:
News that the state Justice Department has identified one suspect in connection with death threats sent to Republican state senators comes as at least a minor relief to Sen. Glenn Grothman (R-West Bend).
“They caught someone? Good,” he said Friday night. “I am waiting to hear the background of the type of person who would do such a devious thing.”
“The Division of Criminal Investigation takes these kind of threats seriously and will follow through with the investigation and prosecution whenever possible,” DCI Administrator Ed Wall said in the release.
“I and the group of people that are working with me have decided that we’ve had enough,” one of the threatening e-mails read. “We feel that you and your Republican dictators have to die.”
The message then went on to say the “group” planned to shoot the senators, and plant bombs in various locations, such as their homes and cars.
“If you and your goonies feel that it’s necessary to strip the rights of 300,000 people and ruin their lives, making them unable to feed, clothe and provide the necessities to their families and themselves then we will ‘get rid of’ (in which I mean kill) the eight of you,” the e-mail continued. “Please understand that this does not include the heroic senator that risked everything to go aganist what you and your goonies wanted him to do.”
The second message was much shorter, and stated:
“(Expletive) you, (expletive). I am formally requesting to see the 30,000 e-mails you have gotten making you comply with the open records law. I assure you that none of them are in support of you or anything that you or your staff stand for. Your staff members have now been added to the hit list as well as those of the other Senate members we have threatened. Please advise them of the impending danger leading to their deaths.”
Grothman said the threats made in response to the budget repair bill, and the passing of the revised version, are something unseen before in his nearly 20 years in office.
“We have never — you could add up all of the nasty emails and phone calls I have gotten on the first 17 years on the job — and they would not begin to match the obscenities we have seen from opponents of Gov. Walker,” he said.
WHBL is reporting that the suspect is a female.
The Wisconsin Department of Justice says it has located one of the people who sent death threats to elected officials during the controversy at the state Capitol. The female suspect wasn’t named, but the state says she was located last Thursday.
WisPolitics.com is reporting that the suspect has confessed to authoring and sending two e-mails threatening to kill the Governor and members of the Senate.
Here is the text of the email.
I am reprinting verbatim an email that was sent to Republican senators. The email was signed, but I have deleted the name pending what I hope will be a thorough police investigation.
Union police threaten businesses ala the Godfather
Original Post: Redstate
And the Intimidation of Private Businesses in WI by Unions Begins [Updated]
Posted by lineholder
This letter was written by Director of the Wisconsin Professional Police Association, Jim Palmer. Sounds quite a bit like extortion, doesn’t it?
The following is an excerpt from a letter to the owner of a convenience store, the Kwik Trip, in LaCrosse, WI. The content of this letter speaks for itself:
“The undersigned groups would like your company to publicly oppose Governor Walker’s efforts to virtually eliminate collective bargaining for public employees in Wisconsin. While we appreciate that you may need some time to consider this request, we ask for your response by March 17.
In the event that you do not respond to this request by that date, we will assume that you stand with Governor Walker and against the teachers, nurses, police officers, fire fighters, and other dedicated public employees who serve our communities.
In the event that you cannot support this effort to save collective bargaining, please be advised that the undersigned will publicly and formally boycott the goods and services provided by your company. However, if you join us, we will do everything in our power to publicly celebrate your partnership in the fight to preserve the right of public employees to be heard at the bargaining table.If you don't pay us for protection, we can't come by and make sure no one throws a brick through this nice window...
Also be advised that we are concerned about your company’s participation in Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce and its continued effort to support candidates who oppose collective bargaining. It makes no difference to us how much or little money you put into that effort. Your participation in that organization provides you an opportunity to halt this practice. We would also request that Kwik Trip disclose whether it makes contributions to any other organizations, such as Americans for Prosperity or the Club for Growth or the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
We recognize your right to form political associations but we also believe the public has a right to know what kind of contributions or payments you make that impact the political process. As labor organizations we and our members do not care to provide profits to companies that are working directly or indirectly to threaten the livelihood of our members.
So they will “cut off” these businesses that don’t toe the line? They see themselves as being in the position to “punish” those businesses that don’t toe the line, do they? They will now proceed to “put their foot down” and “lay down the law” to the private sector businesses that they, the Unions, will control the future of the state of Wisconsin, come what may come, is that it????
The gloves are off now, folks. They aren’t going to let this be resolved in a reasonable manner.
I knew that public sector unions saw themselves as being “entitled”. I also knew that they take private sector business profits for granted as a “gimme”.
Now, they are revealing, for all of the world to see, just how vindictive, malicious, and unscrupulous they truly !!!
And the Intimidation of Private Businesses in WI by Unions Begins [Updated]
Posted by lineholder
This letter was written by Director of the Wisconsin Professional Police Association, Jim Palmer. Sounds quite a bit like extortion, doesn’t it?
The following is an excerpt from a letter to the owner of a convenience store, the Kwik Trip, in LaCrosse, WI. The content of this letter speaks for itself:
“The undersigned groups would like your company to publicly oppose Governor Walker’s efforts to virtually eliminate collective bargaining for public employees in Wisconsin. While we appreciate that you may need some time to consider this request, we ask for your response by March 17.
In the event that you do not respond to this request by that date, we will assume that you stand with Governor Walker and against the teachers, nurses, police officers, fire fighters, and other dedicated public employees who serve our communities.
In the event that you cannot support this effort to save collective bargaining, please be advised that the undersigned will publicly and formally boycott the goods and services provided by your company. However, if you join us, we will do everything in our power to publicly celebrate your partnership in the fight to preserve the right of public employees to be heard at the bargaining table.If you don't pay us for protection, we can't come by and make sure no one throws a brick through this nice window...
Also be advised that we are concerned about your company’s participation in Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce and its continued effort to support candidates who oppose collective bargaining. It makes no difference to us how much or little money you put into that effort. Your participation in that organization provides you an opportunity to halt this practice. We would also request that Kwik Trip disclose whether it makes contributions to any other organizations, such as Americans for Prosperity or the Club for Growth or the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
We recognize your right to form political associations but we also believe the public has a right to know what kind of contributions or payments you make that impact the political process. As labor organizations we and our members do not care to provide profits to companies that are working directly or indirectly to threaten the livelihood of our members.
So they will “cut off” these businesses that don’t toe the line? They see themselves as being in the position to “punish” those businesses that don’t toe the line, do they? They will now proceed to “put their foot down” and “lay down the law” to the private sector businesses that they, the Unions, will control the future of the state of Wisconsin, come what may come, is that it????
The gloves are off now, folks. They aren’t going to let this be resolved in a reasonable manner.
I knew that public sector unions saw themselves as being “entitled”. I also knew that they take private sector business profits for granted as a “gimme”.
Now, they are revealing, for all of the world to see, just how vindictive, malicious, and unscrupulous they truly !!!
Violent Threats Against Wisconsin Republicans Increase
Original Post: Yahoo
Kim Linton Kim Linton – Sun Mar 13, 7:29 pm ET
Several suspects have been identified, while obscene phone calls, threatening e-mails and other "thug-like" intimidation tactics continue to be used by union supporters to incite violence and anger toward Republican senators.
One particularly threatening e-mail warned Republican lawmakers to "put your things in order because you will be killed and your families will also be killed due to your actions in the last 8 weeks."
Why all the hate?
The heated battle started when Walker introduced his budget repair bill, which originally contained fiscal language designed to cover a $137 million budget deficit. Most importantly, the bill also placed limits on collective bargaining rights for state union workers, excluding police and firefighters.
Protests and death threats against Republican legislators intensified after a modified version of the bill passed the Senate and ultimately the Assembly. To make the vote possible in the absence of 14 Democratic colleagues, all fiscal language was stripped from the legislation leaving only collective bargaining restrictions.
Wisconsin protests turn ugly
Since Walker signed the anti-union bill into law, protests in Madison, Wis. have been anything but peaceful.
After causing an estimated $7.5 million in property damage to the State Capitol, Wisconsin protesters are now the stars of amateur videos springing up on social networks like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
Earlier in the Wisconsin budget battle timeline, Massachusetts Rep. Michael Capauno told a group of Boston union members that collective bargaining battles were so important "every once and awhile you need to get out on the streets and get a little bloody."
On the other side of the fence, Sarah Palin told Fox News Wisconsin union bosses were "acting like thugs" and it's their responsibility to "turn down the rhetoric and start getting truth out there so that nobody gets hurt."
What happens now?
While recall efforts, lawsuits and political strategies are being discussed on both sides of the aisle, there's one thing Republican and Democratic lawmakers can agree on -- the battle over unions and collective bargaining has just begun.
Kim Linton Kim Linton – Sun Mar 13, 7:29 pm ET
Several suspects have been identified, while obscene phone calls, threatening e-mails and other "thug-like" intimidation tactics continue to be used by union supporters to incite violence and anger toward Republican senators.
One particularly threatening e-mail warned Republican lawmakers to "put your things in order because you will be killed and your families will also be killed due to your actions in the last 8 weeks."
Why all the hate?
The heated battle started when Walker introduced his budget repair bill, which originally contained fiscal language designed to cover a $137 million budget deficit. Most importantly, the bill also placed limits on collective bargaining rights for state union workers, excluding police and firefighters.
Protests and death threats against Republican legislators intensified after a modified version of the bill passed the Senate and ultimately the Assembly. To make the vote possible in the absence of 14 Democratic colleagues, all fiscal language was stripped from the legislation leaving only collective bargaining restrictions.
Wisconsin protests turn ugly
Since Walker signed the anti-union bill into law, protests in Madison, Wis. have been anything but peaceful.
After causing an estimated $7.5 million in property damage to the State Capitol, Wisconsin protesters are now the stars of amateur videos springing up on social networks like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
Earlier in the Wisconsin budget battle timeline, Massachusetts Rep. Michael Capauno told a group of Boston union members that collective bargaining battles were so important "every once and awhile you need to get out on the streets and get a little bloody."
On the other side of the fence, Sarah Palin told Fox News Wisconsin union bosses were "acting like thugs" and it's their responsibility to "turn down the rhetoric and start getting truth out there so that nobody gets hurt."
What happens now?
While recall efforts, lawsuits and political strategies are being discussed on both sides of the aisle, there's one thing Republican and Democratic lawmakers can agree on -- the battle over unions and collective bargaining has just begun.
Scott Walker's budget repair bill
Here is Scott Walker's Budget Repair Bill. It's search able and you can find whatever you want to know about it there.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Strange But True Provisions of Collective Bargaining
Original Post: Walker.gov
Go ahead, verify them for yourself. I encourage you to.
For Immediate Release
Tuesday, March 08, 2011
Strange But True Provisions of Collective Bargaining
Madison—Today Governor Walker’s office released additional examples of how collective bargaining impacts government and how reforming collective bargaining can improve government. The following are some of the items contained in collective bargaining provisions:
1. Employer must provide bulletin boards to post information about union social and recreational activities. The size and location of the board is subject to collective bargaining.
2. When a local union meets the following conditions are subject to bargaining:
1. lighting,
2. vision care and examinations,
3. noise,
4. chairs,
5. desks,
6. footrests,
7. adjustable terminals and keyboards,
8. work environment design (wall cover, carpet, windows),
9. room temperature,
3. Starting of vehicles during cold weather is subject to collective bargaining.
4. Paid time off to donate blood.
Earlier today, Governor Walker’s office released some specific examples and new details to show how collective bargaining fiscally impacts government and how reforming collective bargaining can improve government.
A Year’s Worth of Pay for 30 Days of Work
Under the Green Bay School District’s collectively bargained Emeritus Program, teaches can retire and receive a year’s worth of salary for working only 30 days over a three year period. This is paid in addition to their already guaranteed pension and health care payouts.
At the average annual salary for a Green Bay teacher of $51,355, this amounts to a daily rate of pay of $1,711.83, or an hourly rate of $213.98. Since most retiring teachers receive higher than average salary, these amounts are, in practice, much higher.
Source: WLUK-TV, 3/3/11
Teachers Receiving Two Pensions
Due to a 1982 provision of their collective bargaining agreement, Milwaukee Public School teachers actually receive two pensions upon retirement instead of one. The contribution to the second pension is equal to 4.2% of a teacher’s salary, with the school district making 100% of the contribution, just like they do for the first pension. This extra benefit costs taxpayers more than $16 million per year.
Source: February 17, 2010 Press Release, Process of developing FY11 budget begins Milwaukee Public Schools
Almost $10,000 Per Year for Doing Nothing
While the Green Bay Emeritus Program actually requires teachers to at least show up for work, the Madison Emeritus Program doesn’t even require that. In addition to their pension payouts, retired Madison public school teachers receive annual payments of at least $9,884.18 per year for enrolling in the Emeritus Program, which requires ZERO days of work.
When this program began, 20 days of work per year were required. Through collective bargaining, the union successfully negotiated this down to zero days.
Source: Madison Teachers Inc. Website
Yesterday the Governor’s office released these examples of the fiscal impact of collective bargaining
No Volunteer Crossing Guards Allowed
A Wausau public employee union filed a grievance to prohibit a local volunteer from serving as a school crossing guard. The 86-year-old lives just two blocks away and serves everyday free of charge.
Principal Steve Miller says, "He said, you know, this gives me a reason to get up in the morning to come and help these kids in the neighborhood."
But for a local union that represents crossing guards, it isn't that simple. Representatives didn't want to go on camera but say if a crossing guard is needed, then one should be officially hired by the city.
Source: WAOW-TV, 1/27/10
$6,000 Extra for Carrying a Pager
Some state employees, due to the nature of their positions, are required to carry pagers during off-duty hours in order to respond to emergency situations. Due to the collective bargaining agreements, these employees are compensated an extra five hours of pay each week, whether they are paged or not.
For an employee earning an average salary of $50,000 per year, this requirement can cost more than $6,000 in additional compensation.
Source: 2008-09 Agreement between the State of Wisconsin and AFSCME Council 24
Arbitrator Reinstates Porn-Watching Teacher
A Cedarburg school teacher was reinstated by an arbitrator after being fired for viewing pornography on a school computer. The school district ultimately succeeded in terminating the teacher only after taking the case to the Wisconsin Supreme Court at great cost to the taxpayers.
Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 8/23/08
‘Outstanding First Year Teacher’ Laid Off
Milwaukee Public Schools teacher Megan Sampson was laid off less than one week after being named Outstanding First Year Teacher by the Wisconsin Council of English Teachers. She lost her job because the collective bargaining agreement requires layoffs to be made based on seniority rather than merit.
Informed that her union had rejected a lower-cost health care plan, that still would have required zero contribution from teachers, Sampson said, “Given the opportunity, of course I would switch to a different plan to save my job, or the jobs of 10 other teachers.
Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 6/14/10
Union Opposes Cost-Saving Lawn Mowing Program
As a cost cutting measure, Racine County began using county inmates to cut the grass in medians and right-of-ways at no cost to the taxpayers. A county employee union filed a grievance indicating it was the right of government workers to cut the grass, even though it would cost the taxpayers dramatically more.
Source: Racine Journal Times, 5/12/10
The $150,000 Bus Driver
In 2009, the City of Madison’s highest paid employee was a bus driver who earned $159,258, including $109,892 in overtime, guaranteed by a collective bargaining agreement. In total, seven City of Madison bus drivers made more than $100,000 per year in 2009.
"That's the (drivers') contract," said Transit and Parking Commission Chairman Gary Poulson.
Source: Wisconsin State Journal, 2/7/10
$150,000 Correctional Officers
Correctional Officer collective bargaining agreements allow officers a practice known as “sick leave stacking.” Officers can call in sick for a shift, receiving 8 hours of sick pay, and then are allowed to work the very next shift, earning time-and-a-half for overtime. This results in the officer receiving 2.5 times his or her rate of pay, while still only working 8 hours.
In part because of these practices, 13 correctional officers made more than $100,000 in 2009, despite earning base wages of less than $60,000 per year. The officers received an average of $66,000 in overtime pay for an average annual salary of more than $123,000 with the highest paid receiving $151,181.
Source: Department of Corrections
Previously the Governor’s office released these examples of the fiscal impact of collective bargaining:
Paid-Time off for Union Activities
In Milwaukee County alone, because the union collectively bargained for paid time off, fourteen employees receive salary and benefits for doing union business. Of the fourteen, three are on full-time release for union business. Milwaukee County spent over $170,000 in salary alone for these employees to only participate in union activities such as collective bargaining.
Surrender of Management Rights
Because of collecting bargaining, unions have included provisions in employee contracts that have a direct fiscal impact such as not allowing management to schedule workers based on operational needs and requiring notice and approval by the union prior to scheduling changes. As County Executive Walker attempted to reduce work hours based on budget pressures and workload requirements by instituting a 35 hour work week to avoid layoffs, which the union opposed. Additionally, government cannot explore privatization of functions that could save taxpayers money.
WEA Trust
Currently many school districts participate in WEA trust because WEAC collectively bargains to get as many school districts across the state to participate in this union run health insurance plan as possible. Union leadership benefits from members participating in this plan. If school districts enrolled in the state employee health plan, it would save school districts up to $68 million per year. Beyond that if school districts had the flexibility to look for health insurance coverage outside of WEA trust or the state plan, additional savings would likely be realized.
Viagra for Teachers
The Milwaukee Teachers Education Association (MTEA) tried to use a policy established by collective bargaining to obtain health insurance coverage that specifically paid for Viagra. Cost to taxpayers is $786,000 a year.
Reference: http://abcnews.go.com/Health/milwaukee-schools-ban-viagra-teachers-union-sues-discrimination/story?id=11378595
Unrealistic Overtime Provisions
On a state level, the Department of Corrections allows correctional workers who call in sick to collect overtime if they work a shift on the exact same day. The specific provision that allows this to happen was collectively bargained for in their contract. Cost to taxpayers $4.8 million.
Go ahead, verify them for yourself. I encourage you to.
For Immediate Release
Tuesday, March 08, 2011
Strange But True Provisions of Collective Bargaining
Madison—Today Governor Walker’s office released additional examples of how collective bargaining impacts government and how reforming collective bargaining can improve government. The following are some of the items contained in collective bargaining provisions:
1. Employer must provide bulletin boards to post information about union social and recreational activities. The size and location of the board is subject to collective bargaining.
2. When a local union meets the following conditions are subject to bargaining:
1. lighting,
2. vision care and examinations,
3. noise,
4. chairs,
5. desks,
6. footrests,
7. adjustable terminals and keyboards,
8. work environment design (wall cover, carpet, windows),
9. room temperature,
3. Starting of vehicles during cold weather is subject to collective bargaining.
4. Paid time off to donate blood.
Earlier today, Governor Walker’s office released some specific examples and new details to show how collective bargaining fiscally impacts government and how reforming collective bargaining can improve government.
A Year’s Worth of Pay for 30 Days of Work
Under the Green Bay School District’s collectively bargained Emeritus Program, teaches can retire and receive a year’s worth of salary for working only 30 days over a three year period. This is paid in addition to their already guaranteed pension and health care payouts.
At the average annual salary for a Green Bay teacher of $51,355, this amounts to a daily rate of pay of $1,711.83, or an hourly rate of $213.98. Since most retiring teachers receive higher than average salary, these amounts are, in practice, much higher.
Source: WLUK-TV, 3/3/11
Teachers Receiving Two Pensions
Due to a 1982 provision of their collective bargaining agreement, Milwaukee Public School teachers actually receive two pensions upon retirement instead of one. The contribution to the second pension is equal to 4.2% of a teacher’s salary, with the school district making 100% of the contribution, just like they do for the first pension. This extra benefit costs taxpayers more than $16 million per year.
Source: February 17, 2010 Press Release, Process of developing FY11 budget begins Milwaukee Public Schools
Almost $10,000 Per Year for Doing Nothing
While the Green Bay Emeritus Program actually requires teachers to at least show up for work, the Madison Emeritus Program doesn’t even require that. In addition to their pension payouts, retired Madison public school teachers receive annual payments of at least $9,884.18 per year for enrolling in the Emeritus Program, which requires ZERO days of work.
When this program began, 20 days of work per year were required. Through collective bargaining, the union successfully negotiated this down to zero days.
Source: Madison Teachers Inc. Website
Yesterday the Governor’s office released these examples of the fiscal impact of collective bargaining
No Volunteer Crossing Guards Allowed
A Wausau public employee union filed a grievance to prohibit a local volunteer from serving as a school crossing guard. The 86-year-old lives just two blocks away and serves everyday free of charge.
Principal Steve Miller says, "He said, you know, this gives me a reason to get up in the morning to come and help these kids in the neighborhood."
But for a local union that represents crossing guards, it isn't that simple. Representatives didn't want to go on camera but say if a crossing guard is needed, then one should be officially hired by the city.
Source: WAOW-TV, 1/27/10
$6,000 Extra for Carrying a Pager
Some state employees, due to the nature of their positions, are required to carry pagers during off-duty hours in order to respond to emergency situations. Due to the collective bargaining agreements, these employees are compensated an extra five hours of pay each week, whether they are paged or not.
For an employee earning an average salary of $50,000 per year, this requirement can cost more than $6,000 in additional compensation.
Source: 2008-09 Agreement between the State of Wisconsin and AFSCME Council 24
Arbitrator Reinstates Porn-Watching Teacher
A Cedarburg school teacher was reinstated by an arbitrator after being fired for viewing pornography on a school computer. The school district ultimately succeeded in terminating the teacher only after taking the case to the Wisconsin Supreme Court at great cost to the taxpayers.
Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 8/23/08
‘Outstanding First Year Teacher’ Laid Off
Milwaukee Public Schools teacher Megan Sampson was laid off less than one week after being named Outstanding First Year Teacher by the Wisconsin Council of English Teachers. She lost her job because the collective bargaining agreement requires layoffs to be made based on seniority rather than merit.
Informed that her union had rejected a lower-cost health care plan, that still would have required zero contribution from teachers, Sampson said, “Given the opportunity, of course I would switch to a different plan to save my job, or the jobs of 10 other teachers.
Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 6/14/10
Union Opposes Cost-Saving Lawn Mowing Program
As a cost cutting measure, Racine County began using county inmates to cut the grass in medians and right-of-ways at no cost to the taxpayers. A county employee union filed a grievance indicating it was the right of government workers to cut the grass, even though it would cost the taxpayers dramatically more.
Source: Racine Journal Times, 5/12/10
The $150,000 Bus Driver
In 2009, the City of Madison’s highest paid employee was a bus driver who earned $159,258, including $109,892 in overtime, guaranteed by a collective bargaining agreement. In total, seven City of Madison bus drivers made more than $100,000 per year in 2009.
"That's the (drivers') contract," said Transit and Parking Commission Chairman Gary Poulson.
Source: Wisconsin State Journal, 2/7/10
$150,000 Correctional Officers
Correctional Officer collective bargaining agreements allow officers a practice known as “sick leave stacking.” Officers can call in sick for a shift, receiving 8 hours of sick pay, and then are allowed to work the very next shift, earning time-and-a-half for overtime. This results in the officer receiving 2.5 times his or her rate of pay, while still only working 8 hours.
In part because of these practices, 13 correctional officers made more than $100,000 in 2009, despite earning base wages of less than $60,000 per year. The officers received an average of $66,000 in overtime pay for an average annual salary of more than $123,000 with the highest paid receiving $151,181.
Source: Department of Corrections
Previously the Governor’s office released these examples of the fiscal impact of collective bargaining:
Paid-Time off for Union Activities
In Milwaukee County alone, because the union collectively bargained for paid time off, fourteen employees receive salary and benefits for doing union business. Of the fourteen, three are on full-time release for union business. Milwaukee County spent over $170,000 in salary alone for these employees to only participate in union activities such as collective bargaining.
Surrender of Management Rights
Because of collecting bargaining, unions have included provisions in employee contracts that have a direct fiscal impact such as not allowing management to schedule workers based on operational needs and requiring notice and approval by the union prior to scheduling changes. As County Executive Walker attempted to reduce work hours based on budget pressures and workload requirements by instituting a 35 hour work week to avoid layoffs, which the union opposed. Additionally, government cannot explore privatization of functions that could save taxpayers money.
WEA Trust
Currently many school districts participate in WEA trust because WEAC collectively bargains to get as many school districts across the state to participate in this union run health insurance plan as possible. Union leadership benefits from members participating in this plan. If school districts enrolled in the state employee health plan, it would save school districts up to $68 million per year. Beyond that if school districts had the flexibility to look for health insurance coverage outside of WEA trust or the state plan, additional savings would likely be realized.
Viagra for Teachers
The Milwaukee Teachers Education Association (MTEA) tried to use a policy established by collective bargaining to obtain health insurance coverage that specifically paid for Viagra. Cost to taxpayers is $786,000 a year.
Reference: http://abcnews.go.com/Health/milwaukee-schools-ban-viagra-teachers-union-sues-discrimination/story?id=11378595
Unrealistic Overtime Provisions
On a state level, the Department of Corrections allows correctional workers who call in sick to collect overtime if they work a shift on the exact same day. The specific provision that allows this to happen was collectively bargained for in their contract. Cost to taxpayers $4.8 million.
Friday, March 11, 2011
Madison Firefighters Local 311 forming a STRIKE COMMITTEE
Original Post: Vicki McKenna
by Vicki McKenna on Friday, March 11, 2011 at 9:44am
Sent: Thursday, March 10, 2011 2:42 PM
To: FD GROUP
Subject: PRIVALEDGED UNION COMMUNICATIONS
Local 311 members,
Local 311 is looking for members to serve on three different Committees. The Committees are listed below. If you are interested in serving on any of the Committees, please e-mail (deleted) as soon as possible. We would like to schedule meeting dates starting possibly as soon as next week. Along with the participation on these commitees we would like all members to be ready and hopefully willing to assist these committees in helping them with the actions and assistance that may be needed in the near future.
Thank you.
Recall Elections Committee - This Committee will explore the logistics and assist others with the planning and infrastructure of running Recall Elections for certain Legislators, and to assist "labor friendly" legislators that are facing possible Recall Elections.
Job Actions Committee – Discuss and assemble a list of possible job actions. Also discuss the possible impact of such actions or that of a general strike.The Budget Repair Bill specifically excludes police and firemen for this very reason. FYI it's illegal in Wisconsin for them to strike. Apparently the firemen of Local 311 don't care if houses and people get burned up. Unbelievable.
Boycott Committee - This Committee would discuss sending questionnaires or calling on contributors to Walker's campaign asking whether they still support Walker's anti-labor agenda or whether they no longer support his over-stepping agenda. Compile a list of businesses who are Walker supporters that we, and other Unions, can use to boycott, and compile a list of "labor friendly" businesses.Nice. I'm pretty sure I just saw this on an episode of "The Sopranos".
Sincerely,
Local 311 sec./tres.
I no longer believe that unions only violate monopoly laws by their very nature. I now belive they should be brought up on RICO statutes.
by Vicki McKenna on Friday, March 11, 2011 at 9:44am
Sent: Thursday, March 10, 2011 2:42 PM
To: FD GROUP
Subject: PRIVALEDGED UNION COMMUNICATIONS
Local 311 members,
Local 311 is looking for members to serve on three different Committees. The Committees are listed below. If you are interested in serving on any of the Committees, please e-mail (deleted) as soon as possible. We would like to schedule meeting dates starting possibly as soon as next week. Along with the participation on these commitees we would like all members to be ready and hopefully willing to assist these committees in helping them with the actions and assistance that may be needed in the near future.
Thank you.
Recall Elections Committee - This Committee will explore the logistics and assist others with the planning and infrastructure of running Recall Elections for certain Legislators, and to assist "labor friendly" legislators that are facing possible Recall Elections.
Job Actions Committee – Discuss and assemble a list of possible job actions. Also discuss the possible impact of such actions or that of a general strike.The Budget Repair Bill specifically excludes police and firemen for this very reason. FYI it's illegal in Wisconsin for them to strike. Apparently the firemen of Local 311 don't care if houses and people get burned up. Unbelievable.
Boycott Committee - This Committee would discuss sending questionnaires or calling on contributors to Walker's campaign asking whether they still support Walker's anti-labor agenda or whether they no longer support his over-stepping agenda. Compile a list of businesses who are Walker supporters that we, and other Unions, can use to boycott, and compile a list of "labor friendly" businesses.Nice. I'm pretty sure I just saw this on an episode of "The Sopranos".
Sincerely,
Local 311 sec./tres.
I no longer believe that unions only violate monopoly laws by their very nature. I now belive they should be brought up on RICO statutes.
White House to monitor children's conversations under guise of anti-bully policy
Original Post: Daily Caller
White House seeks child-speech oversight
By Neil Munro
President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama speak at a conference on bullying prevention in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Thursday, March 10, 2011.
Roughly 150 various advocates — lobbyists for gays and lesbians, legislators, White House officials, at least one cabinet secretary and the first lady — gathered around President’s Obama’s bully pulpit in the White House Thursday to cheer for increased government monitoring and intervention in Facebook conversations, in playgrounds and in schoolrooms around the country.
No officials at the televised East Room roll-out of the White House’s anti-bullying initiative suggested any limits to government intervention against juvenile physical violence, social exclusion or unwanted speech. None mentioned the usefulness to children of unsupervised play. None suggested there were any risks created by a government program to enforce children’s approval of other children who are unpopular, overweight, or who declare themselves to be gay, lesbians or transgender.
“It breaks our hearts to think that any child feels afraid every day in the classroom, on the playground, or even online,” first lady Michelle Obama said.
“We’re going to prevent bullying and create an environment where every single one of our children can thrive,” the president said, as he announced a series of government actions intended to fund, guide and pressure state and local officials to adopt regulations and programs that would shield children from insults or social-exclusion as well as from physical harm.
But the lethal risks of additional federal school-yard regulation will be underlined May 2 in a California courtroom. Brandon McInerney was 19 days past his 14th birthday, and living with his divorced father, when he murdered Larry King, by shooting him dead in a classroom, said McInerney’s lawyer, Scott Wippert.
In the pending trial, “the evidence we will introduce is that [King] was bullying and sexually-harassing” McInerney, with the tacit approval of school officials who excused the harassment as legitimate expression of a female “gender identity,” Wippert said. The approved sexual-harassment took place on the schoolyard, in front of other kids, and it included offers of sexual favors and precipitated taunts from other boys. “It was outrageous,” said Wippert. When school officials refused to discipline King, McInerney shot him in front of a teacher who had given him the dress he was wearing, he said.
If the situation turned out differently and McInerney had killed himself, the “focus would have been on the school [officials] for allowing the [sexually themed] bullying,” Wippert argued. But that’s not what happened, and the local district attorney is now trying McInerney as an adult and charging him with first-degree murder for shooting and killing King, which could put him away for the rest of his life, Wippert said.
Gay advocacy groups, principally the New York-based Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, argue that kids who may be gay or lesbian need protection from taunts and insults, as well as from already-illegal violence, and that schools should promote acceptance of homosexuality. “GLSEN envisions a world in which every child learns to respect and accept all people, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity/expression [and it] seeks to develop school climates where difference is valued for the positive contribution it makes to creating a more vibrant and diverse community,” according to a statement from GLSEN, whose founder, Kevin Jennings, now heads the anti-bullying program at the Department of Education.
GLSEN and Jennings are anathema to D.C.-based Family Research Council, which argues that children, parents, local governments and clerics are best able to counter episodes of bullying. “Bullying violates the Christian’s obligation to love our neighbor as we love ourselves [but] some homosexual activists are using this issue as a way to silence legitimate and respectful moral disagreement with homosexual conduct,” according to a statement from the Family Research Council. “Using the bureaucratic machinery of the federal government to promote homosexuality in the schools is precisely what Family Research Council and many others warned about when GLSEN founder Kevin Jennings was appointed to the Department of Education,” continued the statement.
Congressional opposition from social-conservatives and libertarians will likely bottle up several GLSEN-backed bills pending in Congress. To promote their cases, both factions showcase speakers, as well as dead children, including those who committed suicide after bullying, or after expulsion from school for minor offenses.
But federal officials can push the initiative forward with many other tools, including agency employees, federal grants to advocacy groups, agency regulations, cooperation from companies such as Facebook, and the White House’s bully pulpit. In the next few weeks, Facebook is set to announce new steps that could allow kids to highlight online conversations and insults for subsequent inspection by adults, school officials and regulators.
This expanded adult oversight of juvenile interactions was welcomed by invited speakers at the White House event.
A “greater effort to monitor [kids’ interactions] is a good thing,” said George Sugai, at the University of Connecticut’s Neag School of Education in 2005. “We have to encourage the children not to fight back” against insults and online harassment, but instead to call for help from adults, said Catherine Bradshaw, a professor at the Johns Hopkins Center for the Prevention of Youth Violence.
Joel Burns, councilman in a Fort Worth, Texas, applauded the president’s focus on kids who say they are gay or lesbian. “The president did not shy away from LGBT as a topic,” he said. Also, the president endorsed “enumeration,” which is especially important, he said. Enumeration is the specific inclusion of gay, lesbian and transgender categories as deserving of regulatory protection.
GLSEN’s spokesman Ryan Schwarz declined to comment about the initiative, saying “the sensitivities abut lobbying on this issue are deep.” However, he added, White House officials “have been really great on taking full leadership.”
The White House’s East Room meeting did not include any children who spoke out for or against federal oversight. Two grade-school kids who attended, however, were Ryan Thompson and Eric Kanchuger, who have established Channel 6 News. Federal policies intended to help parents tracks their kids’ Facebook conversations is “a bit too much,” said Kanchuger. “It would intrude on our privacy.”
It appears that at least one of the president’s daughters may agree with this criticism. “Barack and I also know that sometimes, maybe even a lot of the time, it’s really hard for parents to know what’s going on in our kids’ lives,” the first lady told the East Room audience. “We don’t always know, because they don’t always tell us every little detail. We know that from Sasha. Sasha’s response [to our question] ‘What happened at school today?’ [is] ‘Nothing.’ That’s it.”
White House seeks child-speech oversight
By Neil Munro
President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama speak at a conference on bullying prevention in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Thursday, March 10, 2011.
Roughly 150 various advocates — lobbyists for gays and lesbians, legislators, White House officials, at least one cabinet secretary and the first lady — gathered around President’s Obama’s bully pulpit in the White House Thursday to cheer for increased government monitoring and intervention in Facebook conversations, in playgrounds and in schoolrooms around the country.
No officials at the televised East Room roll-out of the White House’s anti-bullying initiative suggested any limits to government intervention against juvenile physical violence, social exclusion or unwanted speech. None mentioned the usefulness to children of unsupervised play. None suggested there were any risks created by a government program to enforce children’s approval of other children who are unpopular, overweight, or who declare themselves to be gay, lesbians or transgender.
“It breaks our hearts to think that any child feels afraid every day in the classroom, on the playground, or even online,” first lady Michelle Obama said.
“We’re going to prevent bullying and create an environment where every single one of our children can thrive,” the president said, as he announced a series of government actions intended to fund, guide and pressure state and local officials to adopt regulations and programs that would shield children from insults or social-exclusion as well as from physical harm.
But the lethal risks of additional federal school-yard regulation will be underlined May 2 in a California courtroom. Brandon McInerney was 19 days past his 14th birthday, and living with his divorced father, when he murdered Larry King, by shooting him dead in a classroom, said McInerney’s lawyer, Scott Wippert.
In the pending trial, “the evidence we will introduce is that [King] was bullying and sexually-harassing” McInerney, with the tacit approval of school officials who excused the harassment as legitimate expression of a female “gender identity,” Wippert said. The approved sexual-harassment took place on the schoolyard, in front of other kids, and it included offers of sexual favors and precipitated taunts from other boys. “It was outrageous,” said Wippert. When school officials refused to discipline King, McInerney shot him in front of a teacher who had given him the dress he was wearing, he said.
If the situation turned out differently and McInerney had killed himself, the “focus would have been on the school [officials] for allowing the [sexually themed] bullying,” Wippert argued. But that’s not what happened, and the local district attorney is now trying McInerney as an adult and charging him with first-degree murder for shooting and killing King, which could put him away for the rest of his life, Wippert said.
Gay advocacy groups, principally the New York-based Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, argue that kids who may be gay or lesbian need protection from taunts and insults, as well as from already-illegal violence, and that schools should promote acceptance of homosexuality. “GLSEN envisions a world in which every child learns to respect and accept all people, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity/expression [and it] seeks to develop school climates where difference is valued for the positive contribution it makes to creating a more vibrant and diverse community,” according to a statement from GLSEN, whose founder, Kevin Jennings, now heads the anti-bullying program at the Department of Education.
GLSEN and Jennings are anathema to D.C.-based Family Research Council, which argues that children, parents, local governments and clerics are best able to counter episodes of bullying. “Bullying violates the Christian’s obligation to love our neighbor as we love ourselves [but] some homosexual activists are using this issue as a way to silence legitimate and respectful moral disagreement with homosexual conduct,” according to a statement from the Family Research Council. “Using the bureaucratic machinery of the federal government to promote homosexuality in the schools is precisely what Family Research Council and many others warned about when GLSEN founder Kevin Jennings was appointed to the Department of Education,” continued the statement.
Congressional opposition from social-conservatives and libertarians will likely bottle up several GLSEN-backed bills pending in Congress. To promote their cases, both factions showcase speakers, as well as dead children, including those who committed suicide after bullying, or after expulsion from school for minor offenses.
But federal officials can push the initiative forward with many other tools, including agency employees, federal grants to advocacy groups, agency regulations, cooperation from companies such as Facebook, and the White House’s bully pulpit. In the next few weeks, Facebook is set to announce new steps that could allow kids to highlight online conversations and insults for subsequent inspection by adults, school officials and regulators.
This expanded adult oversight of juvenile interactions was welcomed by invited speakers at the White House event.
A “greater effort to monitor [kids’ interactions] is a good thing,” said George Sugai, at the University of Connecticut’s Neag School of Education in 2005. “We have to encourage the children not to fight back” against insults and online harassment, but instead to call for help from adults, said Catherine Bradshaw, a professor at the Johns Hopkins Center for the Prevention of Youth Violence.
Joel Burns, councilman in a Fort Worth, Texas, applauded the president’s focus on kids who say they are gay or lesbian. “The president did not shy away from LGBT as a topic,” he said. Also, the president endorsed “enumeration,” which is especially important, he said. Enumeration is the specific inclusion of gay, lesbian and transgender categories as deserving of regulatory protection.
GLSEN’s spokesman Ryan Schwarz declined to comment about the initiative, saying “the sensitivities abut lobbying on this issue are deep.” However, he added, White House officials “have been really great on taking full leadership.”
The White House’s East Room meeting did not include any children who spoke out for or against federal oversight. Two grade-school kids who attended, however, were Ryan Thompson and Eric Kanchuger, who have established Channel 6 News. Federal policies intended to help parents tracks their kids’ Facebook conversations is “a bit too much,” said Kanchuger. “It would intrude on our privacy.”
It appears that at least one of the president’s daughters may agree with this criticism. “Barack and I also know that sometimes, maybe even a lot of the time, it’s really hard for parents to know what’s going on in our kids’ lives,” the first lady told the East Room audience. “We don’t always know, because they don’t always tell us every little detail. We know that from Sasha. Sasha’s response [to our question] ‘What happened at school today?’ [is] ‘Nothing.’ That’s it.”
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Welfare State: Handouts Make Up One-Third of U.S. Wages
Original Post: CNBC
By: John Melloy
Government payouts—including Social Security, Medicare and unemployment insurance—make up more than a third of total wages and salaries of the U.S. population, a record figure that will only increase if action isn’t taken before the majority of Baby Boomers enter retirement.
Even as the economy has recovered, social welfare benefits make up 35 percent of wages and salaries this year, up from 21 percent in 2000 and 10 percent in 1960, according to TrimTabs Investment Research using Bureau of Economic Analysis data.
“The U.S. economy has become alarmingly dependent on government stimulus,” said Madeline Schnapp, director of Macroeconomic Research at TrimTabs, in a note to clients. “Consumption supported by wages and salaries is a much stronger foundation for economic growth than consumption based on social welfare benefits.”
The economist gives the country two stark choices. In order to get welfare back to its pre-recession ratio of 26 percent of pay, “either wages and salaries would have to increase $2.3 trillion, or 35 percent, to $8.8 trillion, or social welfare benefits would have to decline $500 billion, or 23 percent, to $1.7 trillion,” she said.
Last month, the Republican-led House of Representatives passed a $61 billion federal spending cut, but Senate Democratic leaders and the White House made it clear that had no chance of becoming law. Short-term resolutions passed have averted a government shutdown that could have occurred this month, as Vice President Biden leads negotiations with Republican leaders on some sort of long-term compromise.
“You’ve got to cut back government spending and the Republicans will run on this platform leading up to next year’s election,” said Joe Terranova, Chief Market Strategist for Virtus Investment Partners and a “Fast Money” trader.
Terranova noted some sort of opt out for social security or even raising the retirement age.
But the country may not be ready for these tough choices, even though economists like Schnapp say something will have to be done to avoid a significant economic crisis.
A Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll released last week showed that less than a quarter of Americans supported making cuts to Social Security or Medicare in order to reign in the mounting budget deficit.
Those poll numbers may be skewed by a demographic shift the likes of which the nation has never seen. Only this year has the first round of baby boomers begun collecting Medicare benefits—and here comes 78 million more.
Social welfare benefits have increased by $514 billion over the last two years, according to TrimTabs figures, in part because of measures implemented to fight the financial crisis. Government spending normally takes on a larger part of the spending pie during economic calamities but how can the country change this make-up with the root of the crisis (housing) still on shaky ground, benchmark interest rates already cut to zero, and a demographic shift that calls for an increase in subsidies?
At the very least, we can take solace in the fact that we’re not quite at the state welfare levels of Europe. In the U.K., social welfare benefits make up 44 percent of wages and salaries, according to TrimTabs’ Schnapp.
“No matter how bad the situation is in the US, we stand far better on these issues (debt, demographics, entrepreneurship) than other countries,” said Steve Cortes of Veracruz Research. “On a relative basis, America remains the world leader and, as such, will also remain the world's reserve currency.”
By: John Melloy
Government payouts—including Social Security, Medicare and unemployment insurance—make up more than a third of total wages and salaries of the U.S. population, a record figure that will only increase if action isn’t taken before the majority of Baby Boomers enter retirement.
Even as the economy has recovered, social welfare benefits make up 35 percent of wages and salaries this year, up from 21 percent in 2000 and 10 percent in 1960, according to TrimTabs Investment Research using Bureau of Economic Analysis data.
“The U.S. economy has become alarmingly dependent on government stimulus,” said Madeline Schnapp, director of Macroeconomic Research at TrimTabs, in a note to clients. “Consumption supported by wages and salaries is a much stronger foundation for economic growth than consumption based on social welfare benefits.”
The economist gives the country two stark choices. In order to get welfare back to its pre-recession ratio of 26 percent of pay, “either wages and salaries would have to increase $2.3 trillion, or 35 percent, to $8.8 trillion, or social welfare benefits would have to decline $500 billion, or 23 percent, to $1.7 trillion,” she said.
Last month, the Republican-led House of Representatives passed a $61 billion federal spending cut, but Senate Democratic leaders and the White House made it clear that had no chance of becoming law. Short-term resolutions passed have averted a government shutdown that could have occurred this month, as Vice President Biden leads negotiations with Republican leaders on some sort of long-term compromise.
“You’ve got to cut back government spending and the Republicans will run on this platform leading up to next year’s election,” said Joe Terranova, Chief Market Strategist for Virtus Investment Partners and a “Fast Money” trader.
Terranova noted some sort of opt out for social security or even raising the retirement age.
But the country may not be ready for these tough choices, even though economists like Schnapp say something will have to be done to avoid a significant economic crisis.
A Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll released last week showed that less than a quarter of Americans supported making cuts to Social Security or Medicare in order to reign in the mounting budget deficit.
Those poll numbers may be skewed by a demographic shift the likes of which the nation has never seen. Only this year has the first round of baby boomers begun collecting Medicare benefits—and here comes 78 million more.
Social welfare benefits have increased by $514 billion over the last two years, according to TrimTabs figures, in part because of measures implemented to fight the financial crisis. Government spending normally takes on a larger part of the spending pie during economic calamities but how can the country change this make-up with the root of the crisis (housing) still on shaky ground, benchmark interest rates already cut to zero, and a demographic shift that calls for an increase in subsidies?
At the very least, we can take solace in the fact that we’re not quite at the state welfare levels of Europe. In the U.K., social welfare benefits make up 44 percent of wages and salaries, according to TrimTabs’ Schnapp.
“No matter how bad the situation is in the US, we stand far better on these issues (debt, demographics, entrepreneurship) than other countries,” said Steve Cortes of Veracruz Research. “On a relative basis, America remains the world leader and, as such, will also remain the world's reserve currency.”
Fired NPR analyst Juan Williams responds to NPR video: They are the ‘anti-intellectual’
Original Post: Daily Caller
By Jeff Poor - The Daily Caller
The fallout from the video conservative filmmaker James O’Keefe released Tuesday morning has been devastating for NPR. However, Juan Williams, a former NPR analyst who was fired unjustly even according to NPR President Vivian Schiller, finally had his turn to sound off about the video, which apparently showed an NPR senior executive, Ron Schiller, making some disparaging remarks about the Tea Party, the Jewish people and Williams himself.
In an appearance on “America’s Nightly Scoreboard” on the Fox Business Network, Williams described the video as an inside look at how the power structure inside of NPR really thinks.
“I think it is a look inside what NPR executives really think, and for me this is a revelation in the sense that here they are saying exactly how they view the world,” Williams said. “And what’s incredible to me is here they are doing business with people who identify themselves as members of the Muslim Brotherhood.”
Reflecting upon his firing at the embattled taxpayer-subsidized radio network, Williams, now a full-time Fox News contributor, had some harsh words to describe his former colleagues.
“To me, this is so bitter,” he said. “These are people who are saying they are intellectuals. They are elitist and they understand the rest of us, especially somehow if you’re in the Tea Party, you’re a racist and me sitting here, David, I’m a bigot. Remember that? He says in another part of the tape they were right to get rid of me because I have no credibility.”
Williams added this was par for the course at NPR, a place where different views are frowned upon.
“I’m just saying, you listen to this guy and the way everybody who has a non-liberal orthodox point of view is somehow a bad person and you say, you know what, these are people who are anti-intellectual. They do not want to hear and engage in an honest debate.”
The bigotry in the video directed towards Jews seemed to alarm Williams the most.
“This is unbelievable,” Williams said. “I mean, it is just so awful. Imagine he is sitting there having dinner or lunch and he is saying this to a man who says he is a member of the Muslim Brotherhood and on the website wanting to the advance Sharia law and buying into libel against Jewish people who have had success in the newspaper business but nothing illegitimate, nothing wrong about it, and he buys into the stereotyping and bigotry and then points the finger at others to say people like me are bigots. This is unbelievable.”
According to Williams, both Ron Schiller and Vivian Schiller (no relation) need to leave NPR. (According to Slate’s Dave Weigel, Ron Schiller was let go by NPR earlier today.)
“Look, this guy Schiller, this guy Ron Schiller, you know the president of NPR is Vivian Schiller [and they] are not related, but in my book, they got one too many Schillers remaining,” he said. “Because what you see here is — I think this is a window inside the way they really think. When it came to public funding, federal funding for NPR, just yesterday Vivian Schiller is at the National Press Club saying, ‘Oh, NPR desperately needs this federal funding.’ In this luncheon he’s saying we don’t need federal funding.”
And this latest revelation is the reason why NPR should no longer be a priority when it comes to federal money, he explained.
“This comes down to my opinion, but to me, there is no way that you would say NPR is a priority given our financial struggles in this country in terms of poor, in terms of any of the needs, health care or anything you want to put on the table,” Williams said. “It’s hard to make it out that NPR is a priority. What we can say is you know, if we look at The New York Times, The Washington Post and the Fox News Channel — these are institutions that gather news and rely on advertising to support a product that the consumer says is worthwhile.”
By Jeff Poor - The Daily Caller
The fallout from the video conservative filmmaker James O’Keefe released Tuesday morning has been devastating for NPR. However, Juan Williams, a former NPR analyst who was fired unjustly even according to NPR President Vivian Schiller, finally had his turn to sound off about the video, which apparently showed an NPR senior executive, Ron Schiller, making some disparaging remarks about the Tea Party, the Jewish people and Williams himself.
In an appearance on “America’s Nightly Scoreboard” on the Fox Business Network, Williams described the video as an inside look at how the power structure inside of NPR really thinks.
“I think it is a look inside what NPR executives really think, and for me this is a revelation in the sense that here they are saying exactly how they view the world,” Williams said. “And what’s incredible to me is here they are doing business with people who identify themselves as members of the Muslim Brotherhood.”
Reflecting upon his firing at the embattled taxpayer-subsidized radio network, Williams, now a full-time Fox News contributor, had some harsh words to describe his former colleagues.
“To me, this is so bitter,” he said. “These are people who are saying they are intellectuals. They are elitist and they understand the rest of us, especially somehow if you’re in the Tea Party, you’re a racist and me sitting here, David, I’m a bigot. Remember that? He says in another part of the tape they were right to get rid of me because I have no credibility.”
Williams added this was par for the course at NPR, a place where different views are frowned upon.
“I’m just saying, you listen to this guy and the way everybody who has a non-liberal orthodox point of view is somehow a bad person and you say, you know what, these are people who are anti-intellectual. They do not want to hear and engage in an honest debate.”
The bigotry in the video directed towards Jews seemed to alarm Williams the most.
“This is unbelievable,” Williams said. “I mean, it is just so awful. Imagine he is sitting there having dinner or lunch and he is saying this to a man who says he is a member of the Muslim Brotherhood and on the website wanting to the advance Sharia law and buying into libel against Jewish people who have had success in the newspaper business but nothing illegitimate, nothing wrong about it, and he buys into the stereotyping and bigotry and then points the finger at others to say people like me are bigots. This is unbelievable.”
According to Williams, both Ron Schiller and Vivian Schiller (no relation) need to leave NPR. (According to Slate’s Dave Weigel, Ron Schiller was let go by NPR earlier today.)
“Look, this guy Schiller, this guy Ron Schiller, you know the president of NPR is Vivian Schiller [and they] are not related, but in my book, they got one too many Schillers remaining,” he said. “Because what you see here is — I think this is a window inside the way they really think. When it came to public funding, federal funding for NPR, just yesterday Vivian Schiller is at the National Press Club saying, ‘Oh, NPR desperately needs this federal funding.’ In this luncheon he’s saying we don’t need federal funding.”
And this latest revelation is the reason why NPR should no longer be a priority when it comes to federal money, he explained.
“This comes down to my opinion, but to me, there is no way that you would say NPR is a priority given our financial struggles in this country in terms of poor, in terms of any of the needs, health care or anything you want to put on the table,” Williams said. “It’s hard to make it out that NPR is a priority. What we can say is you know, if we look at The New York Times, The Washington Post and the Fox News Channel — these are institutions that gather news and rely on advertising to support a product that the consumer says is worthwhile.”
Black community debates possible menthol ban
Original Post: Daily Caller
By Caroline May - The Daily Caller
A potential ban on menthol cigarettes has sparked a debate within the African American community over whether a government ban should be welcomed for health reasons or considered a condescending demonstration of paternalism.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is considering implementing a ban on menthol cigarettes believing that the additive is more appealing to young people as it “has cooling and anesthetic effects that reduce the harshness of cigarette smoke.” According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), based on data from 2006, 75 percent of African American adult smokers and 23 percent of white adult smokers use menthol cigarettes.
Niger Innis, national spokesperson for the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE), told The Daily Caller that while he is not a smoker and loathes the habit, he is frustrated to see his community targeted and condescended to in this way.
“It is so much more abhorrent to think that some government entity is going to come in and say, ‘well, because blacks tend to disproportionately smoke this type we are going to ban it to protect them from themselves,’” Innis said. “That is the utmost in paternalism and contempt for a community. We should be allowed to regulate our own lives. Part of freedom is having the freedom to make choices and deal with the consequences of those choices.”I agree with Innis. How is it at all not racist to say blacks make poor decisions with smoking and we have to protect them by banning menthol cigarettes?
For the president of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, John Payton, it is a health issue. Payton told NPR host Michal Martin in November that the issue at hand is keeping African Americans from smoking, specifically African American children.
“What I’m saying is that there is a tremendous number of kids, underage, unlawfully starting to smoke,” Payton said. “And one of the things that lures them into it, especially the African-American kids, is the flavoring of menthol.”
The African American community, however, is doing much better than other races in keeping their children away from cigarettes. In 2009, the University of Michigan and Monitoring the Future conducted a survey of 12th graders which found that African American youth smoking rates tend to be much lower than other races. Just 9.8 percent of African American youth said they smoked, compared to 23.9 percent of white youth and 15.7 percent of Hispanic youth.
While the NAACP and others push for a menthol cigarette ban, Innis said he is concerned about the potential for a black market developing in menthol cigarettes which could land more African Americans in prison for something that was not illegal at the outset.
“I find the NAACP to be extremely hypocritical in this question…While simultaneously promoting the criminalization of a legal product, and creating a new class of criminals within our community, was it not they who were pushing for the legalization of marijuana — which is illegal?” Innis asked. “The gross hypocrisy of this is the reason they were pushing for legalization is because of the number of African Americans that get caught distributing or possessing.”
By Caroline May - The Daily Caller
A potential ban on menthol cigarettes has sparked a debate within the African American community over whether a government ban should be welcomed for health reasons or considered a condescending demonstration of paternalism.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is considering implementing a ban on menthol cigarettes believing that the additive is more appealing to young people as it “has cooling and anesthetic effects that reduce the harshness of cigarette smoke.” According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), based on data from 2006, 75 percent of African American adult smokers and 23 percent of white adult smokers use menthol cigarettes.
Niger Innis, national spokesperson for the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE), told The Daily Caller that while he is not a smoker and loathes the habit, he is frustrated to see his community targeted and condescended to in this way.
“It is so much more abhorrent to think that some government entity is going to come in and say, ‘well, because blacks tend to disproportionately smoke this type we are going to ban it to protect them from themselves,’” Innis said. “That is the utmost in paternalism and contempt for a community. We should be allowed to regulate our own lives. Part of freedom is having the freedom to make choices and deal with the consequences of those choices.”I agree with Innis. How is it at all not racist to say blacks make poor decisions with smoking and we have to protect them by banning menthol cigarettes?
For the president of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, John Payton, it is a health issue. Payton told NPR host Michal Martin in November that the issue at hand is keeping African Americans from smoking, specifically African American children.
“What I’m saying is that there is a tremendous number of kids, underage, unlawfully starting to smoke,” Payton said. “And one of the things that lures them into it, especially the African-American kids, is the flavoring of menthol.”
The African American community, however, is doing much better than other races in keeping their children away from cigarettes. In 2009, the University of Michigan and Monitoring the Future conducted a survey of 12th graders which found that African American youth smoking rates tend to be much lower than other races. Just 9.8 percent of African American youth said they smoked, compared to 23.9 percent of white youth and 15.7 percent of Hispanic youth.
While the NAACP and others push for a menthol cigarette ban, Innis said he is concerned about the potential for a black market developing in menthol cigarettes which could land more African Americans in prison for something that was not illegal at the outset.
“I find the NAACP to be extremely hypocritical in this question…While simultaneously promoting the criminalization of a legal product, and creating a new class of criminals within our community, was it not they who were pushing for the legalization of marijuana — which is illegal?” Innis asked. “The gross hypocrisy of this is the reason they were pushing for legalization is because of the number of African Americans that get caught distributing or possessing.”
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Wes Glenna threatens business over politics
Two Rivers student wearing a Pro-Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker T-shirt causes stir
Original Post: Post Crecent
Written by
Suzanne Weiss
TWO RIVERS — When a Two Rivers High School student wore a green T-shirt supporting Gov. Scott Walker to school in late February, it set off a dispute involving a local business and the president of the Two Rivers Education Association.
B&D Embroidery & Screen Printing in Two Rivers made the shirt for the student on request, said Bridget VanGinkel, owner of the business with her husband, David.
The shirt says “Scott Walker My Hero!” on the front and “He’s Got Nads!” on the back.
On Feb. 24, VanGinkel said the business received what they perceived as a veiled threat of a boycott in an e-mail from Wes Glenna, president of the TREA and chairman of the technical education department at the high school.
Bridget VanGinkel forwarded to the Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter Glenna’s e-mail, sent from his school e-mail address after 10 p.m. It said:
“I was recently informed that you have plans to print pro-Walker shirts for some of the students in the Two Rivers School system. After checking out your website, I noticed that a great deal of your business comes from providing apparel to the Two Rivers, Manitowoc, and Mishicot school systems. I, really, don’t know what you’re thinking of.
“We, all, greatly appreciate the fact that you established your business in our community. However, have you taken the time to figure out how your recent decision could result in the loss of profits to your business?”
It was signed Wes Glenna, President, Two Rivers Education Association.
Glenna also sent the e-mail to all members of the teachers union in the Two Rivers district, VanGinkel said.
The store has been getting mostly negative phone calls and comments on Facebook since Glenna sent the e-mail, she said.
“It’s spreading like wildfire,” she said. “It was inappropriate. It’s not right.”
The e-mail wasn’t meant to encourage a boycott of the business, but merely questioned whether the owners thought about the consequences, Glenna said.
The objection to the shirt wasn’t that it displayed a political statement, but because it contained inappropriate language on the back, he said.
Original Post: Post Crecent
Written by
Suzanne Weiss
TWO RIVERS — When a Two Rivers High School student wore a green T-shirt supporting Gov. Scott Walker to school in late February, it set off a dispute involving a local business and the president of the Two Rivers Education Association.
B&D Embroidery & Screen Printing in Two Rivers made the shirt for the student on request, said Bridget VanGinkel, owner of the business with her husband, David.
The shirt says “Scott Walker My Hero!” on the front and “He’s Got Nads!” on the back.
On Feb. 24, VanGinkel said the business received what they perceived as a veiled threat of a boycott in an e-mail from Wes Glenna, president of the TREA and chairman of the technical education department at the high school.
Bridget VanGinkel forwarded to the Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter Glenna’s e-mail, sent from his school e-mail address after 10 p.m. It said:
“I was recently informed that you have plans to print pro-Walker shirts for some of the students in the Two Rivers School system. After checking out your website, I noticed that a great deal of your business comes from providing apparel to the Two Rivers, Manitowoc, and Mishicot school systems. I, really, don’t know what you’re thinking of.
“We, all, greatly appreciate the fact that you established your business in our community. However, have you taken the time to figure out how your recent decision could result in the loss of profits to your business?”
It was signed Wes Glenna, President, Two Rivers Education Association.
Glenna also sent the e-mail to all members of the teachers union in the Two Rivers district, VanGinkel said.
The store has been getting mostly negative phone calls and comments on Facebook since Glenna sent the e-mail, she said.
“It’s spreading like wildfire,” she said. “It was inappropriate. It’s not right.”
The e-mail wasn’t meant to encourage a boycott of the business, but merely questioned whether the owners thought about the consequences, Glenna said.
The objection to the shirt wasn’t that it displayed a political statement, but because it contained inappropriate language on the back, he said.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
NPR ‘appalled’ by former exec’s comments
Original Post: Yahoo
By Michael Calderone
Former NPR executive Ron Schiller slams Republicans and the tea party movement and suggests that NPR would be better off without any federal funding in a hidden-camera video released Tuesday by conservative filmmaker James O'Keefe.
Schiller, president of the NPR Foundation and a senior vice president for development until just last week, appears on the tape at Georgetown's Café Milano with NPR director of institutional giving Betsy Liley and two men posing as executives from a fake Islamic organization considering a $5 million donation to the network.
The Daily Caller posted the 11-minute video Tuesday, as did O'Keefe's Project Veritas—a site that also includes hidden-camera investigations of other conservative targets, including teacher's unions and ACORN. (A full two-hour version is available here).
In the video, Schiller said that the current Republican Party has been "hijacked" by a group that's "not just Islamophobic, but really xenophobic" and suggests the tea party movement is comprised of some "seriously racist, racist people."
Schiller said that he's proud of NPR's firing of Juan Williams for expressing fear of flying with people in "Muslim garb," because it showed that "NPR stood for is a non-racist, non-bigoted, straightforward telling of the news." (Just yesterday, NPR chief executive Vivian Schiller--no relation--talked publicly about how the network "badly" handled the Williams situation).
Also, Ron Schiller doesn't appear to interject when the two men make outlandish comments about Jews controlling the media and laughs when they jokingly refer to NPR as "National Palestinian Radio."
"We are appalled by the comments made by Ron Schiller in the video, which are contrary to what NPR stands for," said NPR spokeswoman Dana Davis Rehm in a statement. "Mr. Schiller announced last week that he is leaving NPR for another job."
On the set-up, Rehm said: "The fraudulent organization represented in this video repeatedly pressed us to accept a $5 million check, with no strings attached, which we repeatedly refused to accept."
O'Keefe did not immediately respond to a request for comment about NPR's statement on refusing the check.
The conservative filmmaker first drew media attention for his undercover "pimp and prostitute" videos in Sept. 2009. But O'Keefe has also attracted criticism over how the ACORN videos were edited. For instance, the edited videos suggest that O'Keefe pretended to be a young woman's "pimp" inside and wore the outlandish costume he donned outside ACORN's offices in the videos (and on Fox News after their release). However, O'Keefe actually told ACORN staffers he was the "prostitute's" boyfriend or friend inside and didn't wear the pimp garb.
Since then, O'Keefe has been involved in other headline-grabbing stunts, including entering the Louisiana office of Democratic Senator Mary Landrieu under false pretenses and allegedly trying to seduce a CNN correspondent on camera.
Once again, O'Keefe targeted an issue near and dear to conservatives, who have long talked of "defunding" NPR, arguing that federal dollars shouldn't go to stations they claim expresses a liberal viewpoint. Several Republican lawmakers stepped up that effort following the Williams firing.
Contrary to the perception that NPR is primarily funded by the government, the network only receives about 1 to 2 percent of its funds from federal grants. Individual NPR member stations, located around the country, rely on state and federal sources for about 10 percent of their funding.
Schiller, on tape, points out "that very little of our funding comes from the government" despite claims to the contrary. He adds that "in the long run we would be better off without federal funding."
The video has already been making the rounds on conservative sites this morning. And even though Schiller is no longer with NPR, the video is sure to give ammunition to NPR critics who already claim the network is too liberal and doesn't deserve federal funds.
By Michael Calderone
Former NPR executive Ron Schiller slams Republicans and the tea party movement and suggests that NPR would be better off without any federal funding in a hidden-camera video released Tuesday by conservative filmmaker James O'Keefe.
Schiller, president of the NPR Foundation and a senior vice president for development until just last week, appears on the tape at Georgetown's Café Milano with NPR director of institutional giving Betsy Liley and two men posing as executives from a fake Islamic organization considering a $5 million donation to the network.
The Daily Caller posted the 11-minute video Tuesday, as did O'Keefe's Project Veritas—a site that also includes hidden-camera investigations of other conservative targets, including teacher's unions and ACORN. (A full two-hour version is available here).
In the video, Schiller said that the current Republican Party has been "hijacked" by a group that's "not just Islamophobic, but really xenophobic" and suggests the tea party movement is comprised of some "seriously racist, racist people."
Schiller said that he's proud of NPR's firing of Juan Williams for expressing fear of flying with people in "Muslim garb," because it showed that "NPR stood for is a non-racist, non-bigoted, straightforward telling of the news." (Just yesterday, NPR chief executive Vivian Schiller--no relation--talked publicly about how the network "badly" handled the Williams situation).
Also, Ron Schiller doesn't appear to interject when the two men make outlandish comments about Jews controlling the media and laughs when they jokingly refer to NPR as "National Palestinian Radio."
"We are appalled by the comments made by Ron Schiller in the video, which are contrary to what NPR stands for," said NPR spokeswoman Dana Davis Rehm in a statement. "Mr. Schiller announced last week that he is leaving NPR for another job."
On the set-up, Rehm said: "The fraudulent organization represented in this video repeatedly pressed us to accept a $5 million check, with no strings attached, which we repeatedly refused to accept."
O'Keefe did not immediately respond to a request for comment about NPR's statement on refusing the check.
The conservative filmmaker first drew media attention for his undercover "pimp and prostitute" videos in Sept. 2009. But O'Keefe has also attracted criticism over how the ACORN videos were edited. For instance, the edited videos suggest that O'Keefe pretended to be a young woman's "pimp" inside and wore the outlandish costume he donned outside ACORN's offices in the videos (and on Fox News after their release). However, O'Keefe actually told ACORN staffers he was the "prostitute's" boyfriend or friend inside and didn't wear the pimp garb.
Since then, O'Keefe has been involved in other headline-grabbing stunts, including entering the Louisiana office of Democratic Senator Mary Landrieu under false pretenses and allegedly trying to seduce a CNN correspondent on camera.
Once again, O'Keefe targeted an issue near and dear to conservatives, who have long talked of "defunding" NPR, arguing that federal dollars shouldn't go to stations they claim expresses a liberal viewpoint. Several Republican lawmakers stepped up that effort following the Williams firing.
Contrary to the perception that NPR is primarily funded by the government, the network only receives about 1 to 2 percent of its funds from federal grants. Individual NPR member stations, located around the country, rely on state and federal sources for about 10 percent of their funding.
Schiller, on tape, points out "that very little of our funding comes from the government" despite claims to the contrary. He adds that "in the long run we would be better off without federal funding."
The video has already been making the rounds on conservative sites this morning. And even though Schiller is no longer with NPR, the video is sure to give ammunition to NPR critics who already claim the network is too liberal and doesn't deserve federal funds.
Monday, March 7, 2011
Resturant refuses to serve republicans
Political rally rescheduled for Seabird Restaurant in Sheboygan
Original Post: Sheboygan Press
Why did the “Stand Against spending — Stand with Walker” bus tour and rally change locations several times in the hours before its 4:30 p.m. kickoff Thursday?
The answer depends on who you ask.
If you ask Linda Gabrielse, owner of Nino’s Steak and Seafood — the original site of the rally — it’s because what she actually booked was a dinner reservation for 45 people in the restaurant’s banquet room. It wasn’t until the next day that Gabrielse found out the dinner was to be accompanied by a pro-Walker rally sponsored by Americans for Prosperity and the Sheboygan Liberty Coalition.
Not wanting her restaurant to become the site of a partisan political rally, Gabrielse cancelled the group’s reservation and sent them looking for another site.
Several hours and at least one false start later, the group announced the rally would be held at the Seabird Restaurant at Blue Harbor Resort and Conference Center.
However, rally organizers gave a completely different reason for the change
According to a press release sent out by the Sheboygan Liberty Coalition, it’s because “The union thugs are hard at work in our own county. They threatened Ninos, where SLC and AFP had planned on holding their event today. The owner received so many calls including threats to shut their business down, that she canceled our event.”
Not so, Gabrielse said.
Though she did receive many calls Thursday from people on both sides of the political aisle, and some of them did threaten to never patronize Nino’s again, no one threatened her or restaurant, she said.
“I never got a call specifically at all from someone in a union saying they were going to shut me down,” she said. “We do not want to be seen as taking sides in political debate at all and that is what it appeared to be. If you want to have a rally, say that. If you want to have a dinner, say that.”
Oriannah Paul, one of the organizers of the Sheboygan Liberty Coalition, said the rally was moved because of the phone calls Nino’s management received, but “I don’t know if it was union people.”
Original Post: Sheboygan Press
Why did the “Stand Against spending — Stand with Walker” bus tour and rally change locations several times in the hours before its 4:30 p.m. kickoff Thursday?
The answer depends on who you ask.
If you ask Linda Gabrielse, owner of Nino’s Steak and Seafood — the original site of the rally — it’s because what she actually booked was a dinner reservation for 45 people in the restaurant’s banquet room. It wasn’t until the next day that Gabrielse found out the dinner was to be accompanied by a pro-Walker rally sponsored by Americans for Prosperity and the Sheboygan Liberty Coalition.
Not wanting her restaurant to become the site of a partisan political rally, Gabrielse cancelled the group’s reservation and sent them looking for another site.
Several hours and at least one false start later, the group announced the rally would be held at the Seabird Restaurant at Blue Harbor Resort and Conference Center.
However, rally organizers gave a completely different reason for the change
According to a press release sent out by the Sheboygan Liberty Coalition, it’s because “The union thugs are hard at work in our own county. They threatened Ninos, where SLC and AFP had planned on holding their event today. The owner received so many calls including threats to shut their business down, that she canceled our event.”
Not so, Gabrielse said.
Though she did receive many calls Thursday from people on both sides of the political aisle, and some of them did threaten to never patronize Nino’s again, no one threatened her or restaurant, she said.
“I never got a call specifically at all from someone in a union saying they were going to shut me down,” she said. “We do not want to be seen as taking sides in political debate at all and that is what it appeared to be. If you want to have a rally, say that. If you want to have a dinner, say that.”
Oriannah Paul, one of the organizers of the Sheboygan Liberty Coalition, said the rally was moved because of the phone calls Nino’s management received, but “I don’t know if it was union people.”
Five things you never knew about Pac-Man
Original Post: Yahoo
by: Chris Morris
Pac-Man Having been a part of the pop-culture landscape for over 30 years now, Pac-Man is a pretty familiar character.
He has adorned cereal boxes, been the star of a Saturday morning cartoon program and appeared on virtually every gaming platform to have ever been released.
That's not just systems from Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo. It also includes essentially every cell phone that has a screen, long-dead portable systems and plug-and-play devices for your TV. Along the way, the little pellet-muncher has built an empire that has allowed publisher Namco-Bandai to survive the worst the economy could throw at it.
Hottest Games of 2011
But even the most well known icons have their secrets. This week, at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, Toru Iwatani, creator of the game, offered a postmortem on the industry's biggest franchise-and told a few tales most fans have probably never heard.
Here are the five most surprising:
The point of the game was to attract girls
While today's player is slightly more likely to be male, gaming in the late 1970s was pretty much exclusively a men's club. Iwatani wanted to change this, creating something that could appeal to both women and families, he says.
"The reason I created Pac-Man was because we wanted to attract female gamers," he says. "Back then, there were no home games. People had to go to the arcade center to play games. That was a playground for boys. It was dirty and smelly. So we wanted to include female players, so it would become cleaner and brighter."
Each ghost had specific orders
When you play the game, it might seem as if the four ghosts are actively chasing you. That's not exactly true. Iwatani intentionally avoided programming them with that purpose, since that would have resulted in Pac-Man zipping around the screen with four ghosts always right behind him.
Instead, it's only Blinky, the red ghost, who doggedly pursues you throughout the game. Pinky, the pink ghost (naturally), simply wants to position itself at a point that's 32 pixels in front of Pac-Man's mouth. The blue ghost, Inky, is seeking to position itself at a similar fixed spot. And Clyde, the orange ghost, moves completely at random.
Because the player constantly has Pac-Man on the go, however, the ghosts are always changing direction and trying to achieve their goal, which adds to the challenge of the game.
What, exactly, does Pac-Man mean?
You may have heard the story about how a pizza with a missing slice inspired Pac-Man's design. But it turns out the game was designed entirely around food.
"I thought about something that may attract girls," says Iwatani. "Maybe boy stories or something to do with fashion. However, girls love to eat desserts. My wife often does! So the verb ‘eat' gave me a hint to create this game."
That theme continued with the game's name. In Japanese, "puck puck" is akin to the U.S. saying "munch munch". So the original name - Puck-Man - translated as "Munch man". (A savvy Midway Games official changed it to Pac-Man when the game hit the U.S. to discourage vandals from shaving off part of the "P," thereby creating an obscene word.)This is for you Scott Pilgrim fans
The missing puzzle piece
Pac-Man was designed to be as simple as possible, to attract a wide audience. The limits of technology in 1980 made this a little easier to achieve. Iwatani says he's happy about this now, but at the time, there was one more thing he wanted to add to the game.
"I wanted to have a shelter and it would move up and down," he says. "When the ghost comes, the ghost would be pinched by the shelter which would disfigure the ghost."
The ghosts were almost just one color
It's kind of hard to picture Pac-Man without the brightly colored ghosts today, but when the game was being developed, Iwatani says he was pressured hard to change that.
The president of Namco ordered him to make the ghosts a single color - red, to be precise - since she believed players would be confused that some ghosts, perhaps, were Pac-Man's ally.
Iwatani refused the order and on questionnaires to the game's testers, asked if they would prefer a single color ghost or four. Not a single person wanted the single-color option. That ultimately convinced the president she was wrong.
© 2011 CNBC, Inc. All Rights Reserved
by: Chris Morris
Pac-Man Having been a part of the pop-culture landscape for over 30 years now, Pac-Man is a pretty familiar character.
He has adorned cereal boxes, been the star of a Saturday morning cartoon program and appeared on virtually every gaming platform to have ever been released.
That's not just systems from Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo. It also includes essentially every cell phone that has a screen, long-dead portable systems and plug-and-play devices for your TV. Along the way, the little pellet-muncher has built an empire that has allowed publisher Namco-Bandai to survive the worst the economy could throw at it.
Hottest Games of 2011
But even the most well known icons have their secrets. This week, at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, Toru Iwatani, creator of the game, offered a postmortem on the industry's biggest franchise-and told a few tales most fans have probably never heard.
Here are the five most surprising:
The point of the game was to attract girls
While today's player is slightly more likely to be male, gaming in the late 1970s was pretty much exclusively a men's club. Iwatani wanted to change this, creating something that could appeal to both women and families, he says.
"The reason I created Pac-Man was because we wanted to attract female gamers," he says. "Back then, there were no home games. People had to go to the arcade center to play games. That was a playground for boys. It was dirty and smelly. So we wanted to include female players, so it would become cleaner and brighter."
Each ghost had specific orders
When you play the game, it might seem as if the four ghosts are actively chasing you. That's not exactly true. Iwatani intentionally avoided programming them with that purpose, since that would have resulted in Pac-Man zipping around the screen with four ghosts always right behind him.
Instead, it's only Blinky, the red ghost, who doggedly pursues you throughout the game. Pinky, the pink ghost (naturally), simply wants to position itself at a point that's 32 pixels in front of Pac-Man's mouth. The blue ghost, Inky, is seeking to position itself at a similar fixed spot. And Clyde, the orange ghost, moves completely at random.
Because the player constantly has Pac-Man on the go, however, the ghosts are always changing direction and trying to achieve their goal, which adds to the challenge of the game.
What, exactly, does Pac-Man mean?
You may have heard the story about how a pizza with a missing slice inspired Pac-Man's design. But it turns out the game was designed entirely around food.
"I thought about something that may attract girls," says Iwatani. "Maybe boy stories or something to do with fashion. However, girls love to eat desserts. My wife often does! So the verb ‘eat' gave me a hint to create this game."
That theme continued with the game's name. In Japanese, "puck puck" is akin to the U.S. saying "munch munch". So the original name - Puck-Man - translated as "Munch man". (A savvy Midway Games official changed it to Pac-Man when the game hit the U.S. to discourage vandals from shaving off part of the "P," thereby creating an obscene word.)This is for you Scott Pilgrim fans
The missing puzzle piece
Pac-Man was designed to be as simple as possible, to attract a wide audience. The limits of technology in 1980 made this a little easier to achieve. Iwatani says he's happy about this now, but at the time, there was one more thing he wanted to add to the game.
"I wanted to have a shelter and it would move up and down," he says. "When the ghost comes, the ghost would be pinched by the shelter which would disfigure the ghost."
The ghosts were almost just one color
It's kind of hard to picture Pac-Man without the brightly colored ghosts today, but when the game was being developed, Iwatani says he was pressured hard to change that.
The president of Namco ordered him to make the ghosts a single color - red, to be precise - since she believed players would be confused that some ghosts, perhaps, were Pac-Man's ally.
Iwatani refused the order and on questionnaires to the game's testers, asked if they would prefer a single color ghost or four. Not a single person wanted the single-color option. That ultimately convinced the president she was wrong.
© 2011 CNBC, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Union teacher thinks pedophile joke will endear Wisconsin voters to their side
About an inch to the right of the reporter's head is a sign with a cartoon bear known as "pedo bear". This is an iconic image from /b. You can figure out why pedo bear got his name. I'm not sure why a teacher who claims to be a professional, would think that just a joke is at all appropriate. Are they going to bolster the moral of teachers, who work with children, with pedophilia jokes? Are they going to turn Walker supporters to their cause with memes from /b? If I had thought as lefties do, I would say it's a call for child rape against Scott Walker's children. But I do not suspect that is actually the case since I'm a rational individual. No, I suspect it just goes to show the crudeness and the lack of forethought that these teachers are exhibiting.
Mob of Angry Protesters Corners Wisconsin GOP Senator
Original Post: The Blaze
Wisconsin state Republican Sen. Glenn Grothman found himself in a frightening situation at the Wisconsin State Capitol after being tailed and cornered by a large group of angry protesters who screamed and hurled curses at him as he tried to enter the building. Fortunately, a Democratic state assemblyman — Rep. Brett Hulsey — stepped in to help.
I'd like to thank Brett Hulsey. There are very few Democrats representing their constituents and it's good to see that there are those across the isle who still care about law and Democracy.
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Matthews Ignores Democrat's 'You're F***ing Dead!' Threat of Republican Woman, But Slams Boehner for Talking Like Glenn Beck
Original Post: MRC
By: Geoffrey Dickens
Tuesday, March 01, 2011 7:37 PM EST
Chris Matthews has yet to condemn Democratic Wisconsin State Representative Gordon Hintz for yelling "You're f–ing dead!" at Republican State Representative Michelle Litjens during a legislative session on Friday, but the Hardball host did find the time, on Tuesday's show, to slam Speaker of the House John Boehner for engaging in "Glenn Beck talk" about guns.
Matthews, initially teasing a guest for using the word "lethal" in a discussion about recent poll numbers on the Wisconsin budget battle, chided: "In the media world, I think we all agreed...after the horror in Arizona that we weren't gonna...use ballistic terms." The MSNBC host then segued into a clip of Boehner making a gun reference, after which he railed: "What is this Glenn Beck talk?...That's how Glenn talks. 'I'm gonna put a gun to your head' and all this!" This led Huffington Post's Howard Fineman to tag in: "Well when John Boehner back slides, he really back slides."
However, according to Newbusters' own Noel Sheppard, Matthews, Fineman and most mainstream media outlets, other than Fox News, have been largely silent about the Hintz threat.
To review, a Democrat man cursing at a Republican woman "You're f--ing dead" isn't worth mentioning in Matthews' mind, but if you dare make a political metaphor referring to weapons (something Matthews himself has done) that's objectionable.
(MP3 audio)
The following is the relevant exchange that was aired on the March 1 Hardball:
JOSH MARSHALL, TALKING POINTS MEMO: They see that the Republicans, Walker, et cetera, sees that, that collective bargaining argument which is really what's being discussed right now is a loser for them and when you have these poll numbers that are 60/30, you know those are lethal for anybody in politics.
CHRIS MATTHEWS: Lethal? Did you say lethal? Because let me tell you who is using the word lethal. You know how we all agreed, in the media world, I think we all agreed a couple of weeks ago after the horror in Arizona that we weren't gonna talk about, you know, "shoot 'em up." We weren't gonna use terms, ballistic terms in the way we talk. We're gonna, we're not gonna say, "Mow down our opponents" or all that. We're gonna stop talking about guns in regular political discourse. Somebody didn't get the message!
MARSHALL: I don't think, I don't think that's in, I don't think that's in, I don't think that's in the same category. I think those, I think those kinds of numbers can be politically lethal.
MATTHEWS: Well no you're missing. Here's Boehner! I'm just teasing. I used you to tease into Boehner. I'm sorry.
HOWARD FINEMAN, HUFFINGTON POST: You got in the way, you got in the way of one of his set-up jobs.
MATTHEWS: You were part of my set-up sir. Let's take look. Here is John Boehner who didn't get the – you of course have always gotten the message – here is John Boehner on unions. And let's look at his metaphor. Let's listen.
(Begin clip)
REP. JOHN BOEHNER: In some of these states you've got collective bargaining laws that are so weighted in favor of the public employees that there is almost no bargaining. You know we've given them a machine gun and put it at the, at the heads of the, of the local officials and they really have been, had their hands tied.
(End clip)
MATTHEWS: What is this Glenn Beck talk? Guns at the heads of - that's how Glenn talks. "I'm gonna put a gun to your head" and all this!
FINEMAN: Well when John Boehner back slides, he really back slides.
By: Geoffrey Dickens
Tuesday, March 01, 2011 7:37 PM EST
Chris Matthews has yet to condemn Democratic Wisconsin State Representative Gordon Hintz for yelling "You're f–ing dead!" at Republican State Representative Michelle Litjens during a legislative session on Friday, but the Hardball host did find the time, on Tuesday's show, to slam Speaker of the House John Boehner for engaging in "Glenn Beck talk" about guns.
Matthews, initially teasing a guest for using the word "lethal" in a discussion about recent poll numbers on the Wisconsin budget battle, chided: "In the media world, I think we all agreed...after the horror in Arizona that we weren't gonna...use ballistic terms." The MSNBC host then segued into a clip of Boehner making a gun reference, after which he railed: "What is this Glenn Beck talk?...That's how Glenn talks. 'I'm gonna put a gun to your head' and all this!" This led Huffington Post's Howard Fineman to tag in: "Well when John Boehner back slides, he really back slides."
However, according to Newbusters' own Noel Sheppard, Matthews, Fineman and most mainstream media outlets, other than Fox News, have been largely silent about the Hintz threat.
To review, a Democrat man cursing at a Republican woman "You're f--ing dead" isn't worth mentioning in Matthews' mind, but if you dare make a political metaphor referring to weapons (something Matthews himself has done) that's objectionable.
(MP3 audio)
The following is the relevant exchange that was aired on the March 1 Hardball:
JOSH MARSHALL, TALKING POINTS MEMO: They see that the Republicans, Walker, et cetera, sees that, that collective bargaining argument which is really what's being discussed right now is a loser for them and when you have these poll numbers that are 60/30, you know those are lethal for anybody in politics.
CHRIS MATTHEWS: Lethal? Did you say lethal? Because let me tell you who is using the word lethal. You know how we all agreed, in the media world, I think we all agreed a couple of weeks ago after the horror in Arizona that we weren't gonna talk about, you know, "shoot 'em up." We weren't gonna use terms, ballistic terms in the way we talk. We're gonna, we're not gonna say, "Mow down our opponents" or all that. We're gonna stop talking about guns in regular political discourse. Somebody didn't get the message!
MARSHALL: I don't think, I don't think that's in, I don't think that's in, I don't think that's in the same category. I think those, I think those kinds of numbers can be politically lethal.
MATTHEWS: Well no you're missing. Here's Boehner! I'm just teasing. I used you to tease into Boehner. I'm sorry.
HOWARD FINEMAN, HUFFINGTON POST: You got in the way, you got in the way of one of his set-up jobs.
MATTHEWS: You were part of my set-up sir. Let's take look. Here is John Boehner who didn't get the – you of course have always gotten the message – here is John Boehner on unions. And let's look at his metaphor. Let's listen.
(Begin clip)
REP. JOHN BOEHNER: In some of these states you've got collective bargaining laws that are so weighted in favor of the public employees that there is almost no bargaining. You know we've given them a machine gun and put it at the, at the heads of the, of the local officials and they really have been, had their hands tied.
(End clip)
MATTHEWS: What is this Glenn Beck talk? Guns at the heads of - that's how Glenn talks. "I'm gonna put a gun to your head" and all this!
FINEMAN: Well when John Boehner back slides, he really back slides.
Friday, March 4, 2011
KOL strange leaflet
Original Post: zerokelvin
Strange Leaflet:
The strange leaflet is given to you by the Council Of Loathing when you reach level 9. The leafet is a text based adventure controlled by various commands like: "i, use, read, open, take, cut, light, climb, look at, kill, exit, etc.". To begin the quest, use the leaflet and type the following instructions in order:
open door, east, take sword, west, north, cut hedge, pick up stick, west, light stick, east, north,
kill serpent, open chest, look behind chest, look in hole
You should now possess a Frobozz Real-Estate Company Instant House (TM) (campground item, the best dwelling) and a grue egg (a familiar). You can continue the quest with these commands:
south, south, east, examine fireplace, examine tinder, examine parchment
This will allow you to later memorize a spell which you will be able to use in normal combat.
light fireplace, take boots, put on boots
At this point type: "
examine fireplace
". There will be one of five objects here. If you see a trophy, take it using "
take trophy
". This allow you to get the Brass Bowling Trophy Trophy. The other four objects have secret words tied to each of them that provide a large stat bonus. The commands are detailed at the end of this section.
west, south, south, south
You should now be in dense forest. Simply move in any direction about 5 times and you will leave the maze. Note that once inside the maze, you will not be able to return to the previous parts of this adventure.
climb tree, take egg, look at petunias, throw egg at roadrunner, down, look in leaves, up, throw ruby at petunias
If you have the parchment from inside the house, you can now type: "
gnusto cleesh
" to memorize the cleesh spell from the scroll you just found. This will allow you to cast this spell in combat for 10 MP. The spell turns creatures into a newt, a frog, or a salamander. The transformed creatures drop a eye of newt, a squashed frog or a salamander spleen, respectively. If you want this spell, you must memorize it before using it on the giant or the cleesh scroll will be lost.
up, cleesh giant, take ring
This will give you the giant pinky ring and end the quest.
There is a secret code that will give you a stat bonus. The code is one of:
xyzzy, plugh, plover, yoho.
Note that you can only try these codes once, so you must get it right the first try. The codes are tied to the items found after examining the fireplace.
plover is tied to finding the bird, plugh the brick wellhouse, yoho the ship and xyzzy the white house.
Strange Leaflet:
The strange leaflet is given to you by the Council Of Loathing when you reach level 9. The leafet is a text based adventure controlled by various commands like: "i, use, read, open, take, cut, light, climb, look at, kill, exit, etc.". To begin the quest, use the leaflet and type the following instructions in order:
open door, east, take sword, west, north, cut hedge, pick up stick, west, light stick, east, north,
kill serpent, open chest, look behind chest, look in hole
You should now possess a Frobozz Real-Estate Company Instant House (TM) (campground item, the best dwelling) and a grue egg (a familiar). You can continue the quest with these commands:
south, south, east, examine fireplace, examine tinder, examine parchment
This will allow you to later memorize a spell which you will be able to use in normal combat.
light fireplace, take boots, put on boots
At this point type: "
examine fireplace
". There will be one of five objects here. If you see a trophy, take it using "
take trophy
". This allow you to get the Brass Bowling Trophy Trophy. The other four objects have secret words tied to each of them that provide a large stat bonus. The commands are detailed at the end of this section.
west, south, south, south
You should now be in dense forest. Simply move in any direction about 5 times and you will leave the maze. Note that once inside the maze, you will not be able to return to the previous parts of this adventure.
climb tree, take egg, look at petunias, throw egg at roadrunner, down, look in leaves, up, throw ruby at petunias
If you have the parchment from inside the house, you can now type: "
gnusto cleesh
" to memorize the cleesh spell from the scroll you just found. This will allow you to cast this spell in combat for 10 MP. The spell turns creatures into a newt, a frog, or a salamander. The transformed creatures drop a eye of newt, a squashed frog or a salamander spleen, respectively. If you want this spell, you must memorize it before using it on the giant or the cleesh scroll will be lost.
up, cleesh giant, take ring
This will give you the giant pinky ring and end the quest.
There is a secret code that will give you a stat bonus. The code is one of:
xyzzy, plugh, plover, yoho.
Note that you can only try these codes once, so you must get it right the first try. The codes are tied to the items found after examining the fireplace.
plover is tied to finding the bird, plugh the brick wellhouse, yoho the ship and xyzzy the white house.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Alan Colmes thinks there's no such thing as radical Islam
I really, really want to be a liberal now. It must be so easy going through life and any time something bad happens, you just deny it's existence. That would be so unburdening! Islamic extremists don't exist! Wisconsin deficit, didn't happen! War in Afghanistan, wut war (wut intentionally misspelled for artistic reasons)?
The problem with this outlook is that you still need people grounded in reality because even if you deny these problems they do in fact exist. But still, it must be so nice.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Unions vs. the Right to Work
Original Post: WSJ
By ROBERT BARRO
How ironic that Wisconsin has become ground zero for the battle between taxpayers and public- employee labor unions. Wisconsin was the first state to allow collective bargaining for government workers (in 1959), following a tradition where it was the first to introduce a personal income tax (in 1911, before the introduction of the current form of individual income tax in 1913 by the federal government).
Labor unions like to portray collective bargaining as a basic civil liberty, akin to the freedoms of speech, press, assembly and religion. For a teachers union, collective bargaining means that suppliers of teacher services to all public school systems in a state—or even across states—can collude with regard to acceptable wages, benefits and working conditions. An analogy for business would be for all providers of airline transportation to assemble to fix ticket prices, capacity and so on. From this perspective, collective bargaining on a broad scale is more similar to an antitrust violation than to a civil liberty.
In fact, labor unions were subject to U.S. antitrust laws in the Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890, which was first applied in 1894 to the American Railway Union. However, organized labor managed to obtain exemption from federal antitrust laws in subsequent legislation, notably the Clayton Antitrust Act of 1914 and the National Labor Relations Act of 1935.
Remarkably, labor unions are not only immune from antitrust laws but can also negotiate a "union shop," which requires nonunion employees to join the union or pay nearly equivalent dues. Somehow, despite many attempts, organized labor has lacked the political power to repeal the key portion of the 1947 Taft Hartley Act that allowed states to pass right-to-work laws, which now prohibit the union shop in 22 states. From the standpoint of civil liberties, the individual right to work—without being forced to join a union or pay dues—has a much better claim than collective bargaining. (Not to mention that "right to work" has a much more pleasant, liberal sound than "collective bargaining.") The push for right-to-work laws, which haven't been enacted anywhere but Oklahoma over the last 20 years, seems about to take off.
The current pushback against labor-union power stems from the collision between overly generous benefits for public employees— notably for pensions and health care—and the fiscal crises of state and local governments. Teachers and other public-employee unions went too far in convincing weak or complicit state and local governments to agree to obligations, particularly defined-benefit pension plans, that created excessive burdens on taxpayers.
In recognition of this fiscal reality, even the unions and their Democratic allies in Wisconsin have agreed to Gov. Scott Walker's proposed cutbacks of benefits, as long as he drops the restrictions on collective bargaining. The problem is that this "compromise" leaves intact the structure of strong public-employee unions that helped to create the unsustainable fiscal situation; after all, the next governor may have less fiscal discipline. A long-run solution requires a change in structure, for example, by restricting collective bargaining for public employees and, to go further, by introducing a right-to-work law.
There is evidence that right-to-work laws—or, more broadly, the pro-business policies offered by right-to-work states—matter for economic growth. In research published in 2000, economist Thomas Holmes of the University of Minnesota compared counties close to the border between states with and without right-to-work laws (thereby holding constant an array of factors related to geography and climate). He found that the cumulative growth of employment in manufacturing (the traditional area of union strength prior to the rise of public-employee unions) in the right-to-work states was 26 percentage points greater than that in the non-right-to-work states.
Beyond Wisconsin, a key issue is which states are likely to be the next political battlegrounds on labor issues. In fact, one can interpret the extreme reactions by union demonstrators and absent Democratic legislators in Wisconsin not so much as attempts to influence that state—which may be a lost cause—but rather to deter politicians in other states from taking similar actions. This strategy may be working in Michigan, where Gov. Rick Snyder recently asserted that he would not "pick fights" with labor unions.
In general, the most likely arenas are states in which the governor and both houses of the state legislature are Republican (often because of the 2010 elections), and in which substantial rights for collective bargaining by public employees currently exist. This group includes Indiana, which has recently been as active as Wisconsin on labor issues; ironically, Indiana enacted a right-to-work law in 1957 but repealed it in 1965. Otherwise, my tentative list includes Michigan, Pennsylvania, Maine, Florida, Tennessee, Nebraska (with a nominally nonpartisan legislature), Kansas, Idaho, North Dakota and South Dakota.
The national fiscal crisis and recession that began in 2008 had many ill effects, including the ongoing crises of pension and health-care obligations in many states. But at least one positive consequence is that the required return to fiscal discipline has caused reexamination of the growth in economic and political power of public-employee unions. Hopefully, embattled politicians like Gov. Walker in Wisconsin will maintain their resolve and achieve a more sensible long-term structure for the taxpayers in their states.
By ROBERT BARRO
How ironic that Wisconsin has become ground zero for the battle between taxpayers and public- employee labor unions. Wisconsin was the first state to allow collective bargaining for government workers (in 1959), following a tradition where it was the first to introduce a personal income tax (in 1911, before the introduction of the current form of individual income tax in 1913 by the federal government).
Labor unions like to portray collective bargaining as a basic civil liberty, akin to the freedoms of speech, press, assembly and religion. For a teachers union, collective bargaining means that suppliers of teacher services to all public school systems in a state—or even across states—can collude with regard to acceptable wages, benefits and working conditions. An analogy for business would be for all providers of airline transportation to assemble to fix ticket prices, capacity and so on. From this perspective, collective bargaining on a broad scale is more similar to an antitrust violation than to a civil liberty.
In fact, labor unions were subject to U.S. antitrust laws in the Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890, which was first applied in 1894 to the American Railway Union. However, organized labor managed to obtain exemption from federal antitrust laws in subsequent legislation, notably the Clayton Antitrust Act of 1914 and the National Labor Relations Act of 1935.
Remarkably, labor unions are not only immune from antitrust laws but can also negotiate a "union shop," which requires nonunion employees to join the union or pay nearly equivalent dues. Somehow, despite many attempts, organized labor has lacked the political power to repeal the key portion of the 1947 Taft Hartley Act that allowed states to pass right-to-work laws, which now prohibit the union shop in 22 states. From the standpoint of civil liberties, the individual right to work—without being forced to join a union or pay dues—has a much better claim than collective bargaining. (Not to mention that "right to work" has a much more pleasant, liberal sound than "collective bargaining.") The push for right-to-work laws, which haven't been enacted anywhere but Oklahoma over the last 20 years, seems about to take off.
The current pushback against labor-union power stems from the collision between overly generous benefits for public employees— notably for pensions and health care—and the fiscal crises of state and local governments. Teachers and other public-employee unions went too far in convincing weak or complicit state and local governments to agree to obligations, particularly defined-benefit pension plans, that created excessive burdens on taxpayers.
In recognition of this fiscal reality, even the unions and their Democratic allies in Wisconsin have agreed to Gov. Scott Walker's proposed cutbacks of benefits, as long as he drops the restrictions on collective bargaining. The problem is that this "compromise" leaves intact the structure of strong public-employee unions that helped to create the unsustainable fiscal situation; after all, the next governor may have less fiscal discipline. A long-run solution requires a change in structure, for example, by restricting collective bargaining for public employees and, to go further, by introducing a right-to-work law.
There is evidence that right-to-work laws—or, more broadly, the pro-business policies offered by right-to-work states—matter for economic growth. In research published in 2000, economist Thomas Holmes of the University of Minnesota compared counties close to the border between states with and without right-to-work laws (thereby holding constant an array of factors related to geography and climate). He found that the cumulative growth of employment in manufacturing (the traditional area of union strength prior to the rise of public-employee unions) in the right-to-work states was 26 percentage points greater than that in the non-right-to-work states.
Beyond Wisconsin, a key issue is which states are likely to be the next political battlegrounds on labor issues. In fact, one can interpret the extreme reactions by union demonstrators and absent Democratic legislators in Wisconsin not so much as attempts to influence that state—which may be a lost cause—but rather to deter politicians in other states from taking similar actions. This strategy may be working in Michigan, where Gov. Rick Snyder recently asserted that he would not "pick fights" with labor unions.
In general, the most likely arenas are states in which the governor and both houses of the state legislature are Republican (often because of the 2010 elections), and in which substantial rights for collective bargaining by public employees currently exist. This group includes Indiana, which has recently been as active as Wisconsin on labor issues; ironically, Indiana enacted a right-to-work law in 1957 but repealed it in 1965. Otherwise, my tentative list includes Michigan, Pennsylvania, Maine, Florida, Tennessee, Nebraska (with a nominally nonpartisan legislature), Kansas, Idaho, North Dakota and South Dakota.
The national fiscal crisis and recession that began in 2008 had many ill effects, including the ongoing crises of pension and health-care obligations in many states. But at least one positive consequence is that the required return to fiscal discipline has caused reexamination of the growth in economic and political power of public-employee unions. Hopefully, embattled politicians like Gov. Walker in Wisconsin will maintain their resolve and achieve a more sensible long-term structure for the taxpayers in their states.
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