The Showdown Over Public Union Power

By fleeing the state and their jobs, the Democrats of Wisconsin have shown the nation how seriously they are indebted to the unions, which support only Democrats. This shows the primary reason we should not have government workers unionized. It corrupts the government with payola, favoritism, cronyism, influence and in the case of teachers, it doesn't do much for the education of children to have the union bosses more concerned about their own power rather than education, which the state has decided is one of its jobs. Businesses do it too, you say? No. They split their donations, and in recent years, especially on environmental issues, the Democrats are the biggest recipients of big business donors because more regulation drives out their competition, and Democrats just love regulation.

"Public unions are also among the biggest players in national politics. According to the Center for Responsive Politics, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (Afscme) has been the third-biggest contributor to federal campaigns over the past 20 years, having given $43 million. The National Education Association is number eight with $31 million in contributions, while the SEIU—half of whose 2.2 million members are government workers—is No. 10, with $29 million in campaign donations.

Unlike businesses and industry groups that are also big givers but tend to split their donations between the parties, some 95% of government workers' donations has gone to the Democratic Party, whose members are far more likely to favor raising taxes and boosting spending than are members of the Republican Party.

Steven Malanga: The Showdown Over Public Union Power - WSJ.com

Doctors signing "sick" notes in Wisconsin for mental health

If doctors really were signing notes for absences for those at the union riots in Wisconsin, that would be an ethics violation and probably HIPAA too, so I'm sure Obama's Justice Department will want to investigate. . . yeah, that'll happen. On the other hand, if those were imposters (aka actors) playing "doctor" for the TV cameras and the demonstrators, they are probably in violation of the Screen Actors Guild code.

Quite a demonstration for school children, who now see how it is done and can copy. If you don't like what's going on, then lie, cheat, or steal (from the other taxpayers who are paying your bills). Also, be rude, loud and hostile to prevent others from speaking.

One recipient said she wasn't advised about mental health issues by the "doctor" but about her civil rights and what to say to her employer. When is the last time a doctor discussed that with you--on a street corner?

Story by McIver News Service

Still in Hiding. Could Union Bill Be Passed Separately Tuesday?

Illinois is enjoying a brief influx of tourist dollars as the Wisconsin Democrats hole up in the Best Western Clock Tower Inn in Rockford. They have abdicated. Should be replaced, in my opinion. An AP report at WTMJ says:

"Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald says his chamber of the Wisconsin legislature will convene to pass non-spending bills and act on appointments on Tuesday even if minority Democrats remain out of state in an effort to block a vote on Governor Scott Walker's budget repair bill. Could one of those bills be the union aspect of the budget bill, in a separate vote on Tuesday? Democratic state Sen. Jon Erpenbach told The Associated Press on Monday that Republicans could attempt to attach the part of the proposal taking away collective bargaining rights to an unrelated bill and pass it Tuesday."

Read the rest here. Capitol Chaos: Could Union Bill Be Passed Separately Tuesday? | Today's TMJ4 - Milwaukee, Wisconsin News, Weather, Sports, WTMJ | Local News

Boomers Find 401(k) Plans Come Up Short

You have to read to the midsection or botton to see why: many boomers started too late with too little. Vanguard now recommends 15% be set aside for retirement.

Boomers Find 401(k) Plans Come Up Short - WSJ.com

Also, I'm not sure who came up with that idea that retirement requires less than your working life. It's very expensive to do the things you waited all your life to do--or in my case, didn't know you wanted to do until you got there. And no, you can't retire early if you are paying off your kids' college loans (or your own), got a divorce in mid-life, still have a mortgage, want a second home, or you want to go out to eat a lot and travel more.

Gen-Xers will have to learn from the Boomers' mistakes: Increase your savings, decrease your want list. Also, real estate is only an investment if you buy it to rent it. If you live in it, it is your home. If it is your home, all those nice things or decor are something to enjoy now, instead of later when you are 65 or 70. If that matters to you, don't complain when the bill collector (disguised as Father Time) comes around.

Night of the Orange Moon

There was an amazing sight on Friday night, February 18, just as the daylight was dimming in the west. The moon began to rise in the east, and it glowed bright orange. I'd never seen anything like it. We were returning from a dinner out with Corbett family members at Arthur's Deli in Dixon, Illinois. The orange moon wasn't quite as bright as my brother's sweater, but it was close!

Me, my brother, and my sister.

Management styles

Pastor Drumel said this morning that there are three types of management styles (he was a manager of chaplaincy services at a Baptist Hospital in Memphis before coming to UALC): Risk taker, care taker and undertaker. Churches need to be risk takers and not do things the way they did 10 years ago, or even five. So do individual Christians.

Wisconsin Democrats hide out in Illinois

We've just returned from northern Illinois where the Wisconsin Democrats are hiding out. Actually, if they'd just travel a little south of the state line and visit Mt. Morris, where we were staying, they could get a good look at how a striking union can bring down a viable, vibrant town that used to have industries and schools. Wisconsin seems to have a wise governor who wants the public unions to give back some to the state. But that might take some power and bucks from their bosses.

Why the World is Better Off Without the USSR

The world is a much better place without the USSR. Some professors and academics (and particularly American Communists) think it's a close call. Not someone like Ilya Somin who grew up there who answers philosophy professor, Brian Leiter.

The Volokh Conspiracy » Why the World is Better Off Without the USSR

Poverty Measures in the United States

Recently I was discussing poverty statistics and guidelines with several friends. We all were using a different figure. Well, that's not surprising, so do all the government agencies. USDA, HHS, Labor, the military, DoE, Dept. of Educ.--all use a different figure, and programs are usually not figured on the base, but on calulations like 120% of poverty, or 135% of poverty, etc. The 2009 weighted average poverty threshold of $21,954 for a family of four represents the same purchasing power as the corresponding 1963 threshold of $3,128, which is when the figure was first developed by Mollie Orshansky, an economist and statistician at the Social Security Administration (SSA). Back in the 1980s, when I was researching this a bit more carefully, I calculated that I was able to feed my family of four (2 teenagers) for less than the figure the government used for the "Economy food plan" on which poverty statistics were based. That's because I contributed my own labor, and was able to drive to a supermarket to purchase food, which many poor cannot do. The highest figures I've seen have been posted at the Lutheran Food Pantry which gives a base income by number in the family for qualifying for 3 days of food donations.

Although most poor families don't actually have 2 adults and 2 children (if there were 2 adults, the family usually isn't poor), that is the figure that is used in calculating the needs.

Johnson's War on Poverty, begun in the early 1960s, ended up being a war on the poor. We employ millions of people at the state, local and federal level with the money to defeat poverty, but actually, it simply provides a nice middle class living for those who service the truly poor. Occasionally, there are families who get a boost or are tied over during a rough patch, and those are the stories you'll read about in the paper. But for the most part, the poor are penalized by these programs. If they get married, they lose a benefit. If they get a raise, they might be disqualified for an important medical benefit for a handicapped child, or education benefit, so it's better not to move ahead.

Poverty statistics are used by politicians to keep certain cities firmly in the Democratic camp, while Republicans, who have never been stingy with tax dollars, are called pikers and meanies. Until Obama, President Bush was the all-time big spender on social programs. How's that working for you, America?

HHS Poverty Guidelines Family of 4, $22,250

Low Income Levels Dept. of Ed. Family of 4, $33,075

Lifeline, telecommunications benefits for low income You're on your own figuring this one out--I couldn't

Ohio HEAP (Energy): 200% of poverty level, Family of 4, $44,100

Fashion--it's not for everyone

Tennis shoes with banded hosiery that make a woman's legs look 50 lbs heavier. Other than an anorexic 12 year old, not sure who could wear this (from WSJ, Feb. 14).

Good Governance Jargon

This is a paragraph from JAMA--no need to tell you the topic, you'll see the problem just by reading it and trying to imagine where in the world or this globe does such a governing vehicle exist? (I've parsed it a bit for spacing, but have copied it word for word.)

"International principles of good governance
require
policy makers to act transparently,
engage relevant stakeholders,
and be held accountable.
Policy makers must make clear
the reasons for,
and provide evidence supporting,
their decisions.
Stakeholder engagement ensures that
the voices of affected communities are heard.
Additionally,
policy makers should
be held accountable for
fair deliberation and
ultimately success.Take Obamacare (PPACA) as an example. Was its passage transparent? Were the stakeholders (that's citizens) engaged? Has Congress or the President or the staff who drafted it been held accountable? Were the reasons for this takeover made clear to your liking? Was there supporting evidence for their decisions? Were the stakeholders heard, but ignored, shouted down, demeaned or ridiculed? Were the policy makers held accountable, or did they just leave office to draw a government pension leaving it to the rest to figure it out?

This paragraph was not about Obamacare, but it does say it is about "international principles," and we know how the present administration swoons over that.

Date of baptism

Last week Pastor John Stozenbach talked about his baptism in the sermon (on baptism), and mentioned the date, and then asked us if we knew the date of our baptism. I didn't. I was pretty sure it was 1950, but didn't have a clue about the day. So I' e-mailed a friend, Sylvia, who still attends that church and is my age and asked her if her mother might have recorded it (she had great scrapbooks since she was the oldest child--I was lucky to have a photograph being third). Sylvia went to the church archives and found out our class was baptized on April 2, 1950 at the Mt. Morris Church of the Brethren. I looked up the date and that was Palm Sunday. I didn't have a "confirmation" verse, but John told us to select one if we didn't. So I've chosen Acts 2:42, which describes the early church group of the baptized 3,000 converted after Peter's sermon. There were four elements of their life as a church, 1) teaching of the apostles, 2) their fellowship together, 3) sharing a meal (eucharist/love feast) and 4) prayer. Isn't that a nice model, even for old timers in the 21st century?

Then it occurred to me today that when we joined UALC in 1976 it was on Palm Sunday also, and that we were confirmed, whereas those who were Lutherans were received by letter of transfer. So Palm Sunday was a big day.

Aunt Muriel, 1917-2011

My mother's sister, Muriel, died last night. In 2009 my grandmother's youngest sister, Ada, died. Now they are all gone, but safe in the arms of Jesus.

Muriel, a teen-ager, at my parents wedding, 1934, far left front.

Two years ago at her birthday party.

The Young and Restleft--a Soap Opera for our Times

Sometimes these people just leave me speechless--and that's hard to do.

"Shame on those who got their education for free telling today's young they must start their working lives mired in debt.

Shame on the generation that got everything, took everything and bought everything and left latter generations with nothing.

Shame on the cowards who sneer that those standing up for their interests, when every day the cowards reap the benefits of those who took a stand in years past."

You dolt with no sense of life before 1970. I left college with zero debt because I didn't borrow money. I worked and saved during high school, earned it working part time in college, and spent it on tuition, books, housing, and NO WILD LIVING, and when it didn't meet my needs I borrowed from my parents. It's called "being a grown-up."

And the rest is just drivel I can't address since I don't hang out with people who are takers and not givers.

Sorry I forgot to copy the website--probably isn't worth visiting. Called himself Sleezy or Snippy or Sleepy, something like that.

The Bucket List

A high school friend has told me that Lakeside is on her "bucket list." So I've sent her the schedule for this coming summer, which is now just 4 months away. Here's the schedule, but it couldn't possibly tell you all there is to do there--art classes, lectures, movies, live entertainment, bird walks, shuffleboard, tennis, swimming, boating, people watching and lake enjoying.

Danny and Phil

August sunrise

Shuffleboard in Central Park

Why no comments about the Obama interview with O'Reilly?

I don't like the way O'Reilly conducts his interviews and I don't like the way the interviewees, whether Obama or some other government official, never answer the questions. Each has his own agenda. Also, Obama's mannerisms, words and stammering bother me. Like the White House comments right now on Egypt. The WH has waffled more than John Kerry on this, and flip flopped more than an Egyptian sandal. For a guy who doesn't even like or respect our military, of which he is the commander and chief, he sure is expecting a lot from theirs. He sounds like he's campaigning.

Got gas?

Gasoline prices in Columbus, Ohio for the last 6 years.

Will Egypt's army take control?

"CAIRO (AP) — Egypt's military announced on national television that it stepped in to “safeguard the country” and assured protesters that President Hosni Mubarak will meet their demands in the strongest indication yet that the longtime leader has lost power. In Washington, the CIA chief said there was a “strong likelihood” Mr. Mubarak will step down Thursday.

State TV said Mr. Mubarak will speak to the nation Thursday night from his palace in Cairo.

The military‘s dramatic announcement showed that the military was taking control after 17 days of protests demanding Mr. Mubarak‘s immediate ouster spiraled out of control.

Footage on state TV showed Defense Minster Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi chairing the military‘s supreme council, with around two dozen top stern-faced army officers, seated around a table. Not at the meeting were Mr. Mubarak, the military commander in chief, or his vice president Omar Suleiman, a former army general and intelligence chief named to his post after the protests erupted Jan. 25.

That could be a sign that Mr. Suleiman, as well, was being pushed out of power."

Egypt army takes control, signals Mubarak on way out - Washington Times

History of Prostitution

Before I pass along this interesting reprint (1937, Eugenics Society) of a 19th c. book, I'll copy a few sentences.

"It has been well observed that a people's virtue or vice does not consist in the arithmetical increase or decrease of immoral actions, but in the prevailing sentiment of an age or people, which condemns or approves them." Russia, p. 262

The author had just summarized how late Russia had entered the modern era, and how in the Elizabethan age of England the Czar of Muscovy was considered a barbarian. Maybe he's not saying we get the government and culture and values we deserve, but I think that sentence could apply to our current age.

"The Watul, or Gipsy tribe of Kashmir is remarkable for many lovely women, who are taught to please the taste of the voluptuary. They sing licentious songs in an amorous tone, dance in a lascivious measure, dress in a peculaiarly fascinating manner, and seduce by the very expression of their countenances. . . and have been known to amass large sums of money." Semi-civilized nations, p. 420

My, doesn't that sound like the movie star gossip rags I browsed while waiting in the grocery store line yesterday. When the author gets to New York in his survey, he divides its prostitution into five grades, the first being the wealthy kept women of wealthy men; then those in comfortable brothels run by former prostitutes; then on to the immigrant women with poor English, the Irish below the German; and the fourth group he calls repulsive refuse, diseased and drunk with vagrants for clients. The last group are even more wretched, and have no shelter, are starving, drunk, and begging for a glass of gin. The author describes them as the outcasts of society, and the direction those in the higher classes are moving.

Good Samaritan saves a tire

At church Sunday, someone took the time to write out a note and slip it under the windshield wiper of my husband's car, "low tire." This nice person wasn't counting on the way my husband processes information. All he saw was a restaurant check (other side) and he put it in the car thinking it was from me (this baffles me, since this isn't how we communicate). Last evening he brings the "restaurant check" to me and asks what I want done with it. I looked at it and didn't recognize the name of the restaurant, so I asked him where it came from, and he said it was on his windshield. So, being a clever investigative librarian, I turned it over and saw the note. "Someone has left you a note. Do you have a low tire?" "Don't think so, but I'll go look." He came back in the house and confirmed that yes, one tire was very low. He'd already made a number of errands that day. So today he took his SUV to our son at Jack Maxton, who found all four were low, but one was really low.

Thanks, who ever you are, for saving a tire or preventing an accident.