Leaving Mass this evening, my husband noticed a young lady wearing a Gryffindor t-shirt. This began a discussion about which House we might each have been assigned to, if we were actually young witches/wizards. He joked that he'd be Slytherin. So, when we got to the car, I googled it (he was driving). I found a page that listed the primary characteristics of those in each of the four Houses. He guessed I'd be in Ravenclaw. I told him there were quizzes online you could take to determine in which House you belonged. I picked the one that was first on the search results. I read him a question and the multiple choice answers. When he gave me his answer, I picked that option, until we'd gone through the entire quiz. Sure enough, I'm married to a Slytherin :-P I started the quiz over, answering for myself. He was right: I'm a Ravenclaw....
I love how we're both nerds this way, where "which Hogwarts House are you?" is a semi-serious discussion....
Saturday, August 27, 2016
Thursday, July 28, 2016
Breaking radio silence
Wow! It's been more than three years since last I posted something here. Things have certainly changed... I guess you could say I'm now Mrs. Ladybug (3 years this week!), Got laid off coming on two years ago from my job (never did get a teaching job), but that lead to finding a job that I love, one I'd never sought if my previous job hadn't gone away. Trying to start a family. Recently involved in Toastmasters (along with the husband), which is why I am here today. I'm supposed to give a speech on Tuesday (been procrastinating), and I needed some inspiration for my third speech. Picked out an old post that I'll rework (it is dated in some respects and needs a refresh). Maybe I'll find the time to pick up writing here from time to time? Though I think I'll steer clear of the current presidential election - I'm just so disgusted by the whole thing this time 'round....
Monday, November 5, 2012
Who's Who in the Green
Dad asked me if I could scan something for him. After reading it, I asked where he got it. He's apparently been holding onto it for years. And years. He retired from the Army more than 21 years ago...
I think he may want this for something he's doing at church for Veterans' Day :-P
Saturday, July 7, 2012
Contributed by South Park Diva
Well, it is just a few weeks until I head off to Restoring Love in Dallas, and I can't wait! Meanwhile, I've been busy teaching my summer online class - and recently I had an opportunity to introduce my students to the music of Kalai, a fantastic artist that is being produced by Glenn Beck. I'm looking forward to seeing Kalai live at Restoring Love!
As a teacher of course I have to be very careful that I am not indoctrinating my students into my political beliefs, but the great thing about the songs I chose is that they really display the power of music and words to reach out and take a stand. Here is the complete discussion that was posted (the music clips are streaming, which means you can listen to them, but you cannot download them! If you enjoy Kalai's music, please go and purchase these tracks!) I've already seen some of the students posts, and they make me proud!!!
Discussion Board - WK 5 - Song Study
How do you feel that the music itself supports the lyrics? What kind of instrumentation is he using to support his message? What are the dynamics doing to support it? Give specific examples.
What do you think he is trying to say with this song? What kind of comparison do you think he is making in the beginning strains of the song? Do you recognize what he is referencing in the opening bars (the sort of moaning/singing)? What kind of comparison is he trying to make with this?
Think back on the idea of being a “peacetime freedom fighter” with an army “of words and music". Do you feel that this song is fighting another battle? What kind of battle? For whom do you think this song is written? Do you feel that it can be successful? Why or why not?
Can you think of any other songs (besides overtly Christian music, which generally has a very clear message) that wages a battle of words and music? Have you perhaps listened to a song more closely and realized that you don't actually like the message? Or the reverse? Perhaps listened to a song and decided that you liked the message, and therefore liked the song more? What do you think this says about the power of lyrics in music?
Remember that in the 19th Century, programmatic generally referred to instrumental music only, NOT vocal music. Today, we have music videos that take vocal music to a different level of understanding, adding a layer of meaning that we would have not otherwise have had. For this reason, I refer to music videos as "programmatic".
Referring back to the original two songs, do you feel that you could come up with different music videos for each of them that would make these songs mean very different things? Do you feel that the music video might add another weapon to the "army of words and music"?
If the singer/songwriter has come up with a specific music video, do you feel that others should be allowed to create their own videos (using computer software) to post it on YouTube with perhaps a very different meaning? Why or why not?
Well, it is just a few weeks until I head off to Restoring Love in Dallas, and I can't wait! Meanwhile, I've been busy teaching my summer online class - and recently I had an opportunity to introduce my students to the music of Kalai, a fantastic artist that is being produced by Glenn Beck. I'm looking forward to seeing Kalai live at Restoring Love!
As a teacher of course I have to be very careful that I am not indoctrinating my students into my political beliefs, but the great thing about the songs I chose is that they really display the power of music and words to reach out and take a stand. Here is the complete discussion that was posted (the music clips are streaming, which means you can listen to them, but you cannot download them! If you enjoy Kalai's music, please go and purchase these tracks!) I've already seen some of the students posts, and they make me proud!!!
Discussion Board - WK 5 - Song Study
In our Middle Ages discussion board we spent some time talking about the power music holds over us, both good and bad. This week we are going to very closely study two songs from the same singer/song-writer and break them down. Be sure to answer every question and go into detail on each one! We will then discuss the same kinds of ideas in modern programmatic music.
Listen carefully to the following song, paying special attention to the lyrics (it may take a minute or two for the music clips to load):
What do you think the message of this song is? What do you think the goal of this songwriter was in writing this song? What makes you think that? Cite specific examples from the lyrics.
What do you think this song says about the power of music? It speaks of “raising an army out of words and music.” What do you think that means? How does this relate to it being sung by a “peacetime freedom fighter”?
Now listen to this second song by this same songwriter:
Think back on the idea of being a “peacetime freedom fighter” with an army “of words and music". Do you feel that this song is fighting another battle? What kind of battle? For whom do you think this song is written? Do you feel that it can be successful? Why or why not?
Can you think of any other songs (besides overtly Christian music, which generally has a very clear message) that wages a battle of words and music? Have you perhaps listened to a song more closely and realized that you don't actually like the message? Or the reverse? Perhaps listened to a song and decided that you liked the message, and therefore liked the song more? What do you think this says about the power of lyrics in music?
Now take a moment to look at this cartoon:
This makes a strong statement about music videos. What do you think that is? In today's world, music videos are a very popular form of programmatic music. This "program" can either positively or negatively affect our reception of the music. Can you think of an instance where you have completely changed your opinion of a song based solely on the music video? Do you think that a song should be able to completely stand alone from its video? Why or why not?
Remember that in the 19th Century, programmatic generally referred to instrumental music only, NOT vocal music. Today, we have music videos that take vocal music to a different level of understanding, adding a layer of meaning that we would have not otherwise have had. For this reason, I refer to music videos as "programmatic".
Referring back to the original two songs, do you feel that you could come up with different music videos for each of them that would make these songs mean very different things? Do you feel that the music video might add another weapon to the "army of words and music"?
If the singer/songwriter has come up with a specific music video, do you feel that others should be allowed to create their own videos (using computer software) to post it on YouTube with perhaps a very different meaning? Why or why not?
To wrap up, share any thoughts you have about this discussion and how your reception of music/videos has changed or stayed the same as you have worked through this lengthy assignment!
Monday, May 28, 2012
The meaning of Memorial Day
Today marks five years - to the day, Memorial Day - since 1Lt Kile G. West gave his life for this country. I remember.
Previous posts about Kile here.
Previous posts about Kile here.
Friday, November 4, 2011
Prove it!
This sound clip is for all of those who cling to the idea that we are just making all of this "socialist" stuff up. People want proof that those in power have socialist and/or Marxist beliefs and are doing their best to make those beliefs into policy.
Well, if that crap heap of socialist healthcare that was forced on us isn't enough proof, how about this?
Well, if that crap heap of socialist healthcare that was forced on us isn't enough proof, how about this?
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Tea Party vs. Occupy Wall Street
Posted by South Park Diva
I sent this email to my family and some of my friends last night:
My friends and family - as you go through your busy days, I hope you will take the time to read this email and follow the links I have provided. This is not a time to be uninformed about what is going on in our country. Period. It is a time of prayer and preparation. Kierstin
Protesters Stage Performance Against the Police?
It seems pretty clear that the police are being set up. We've had situations recently where people are taunting the police and chanting a countdown to charge them, as others are ready with their cameras to record every move. And now this latest - obviously a setup, hoping to pit these "good, moral people" (who are anything but) against our nation's police officers. Pray for our men and women in uniform around the country and the globe.
So who are these "young, enthusiastic" people "occupying" our major cities. Most in the media would have you believe that they are "everyman" - that they are like the Tea Party only much, much better, nicer, friendlier, whatever. Not quite.
The next time someone tells you that the Tea Party is a violent and racist movement, while those who Occupy Wall Street, Atlanta and other cities are "just like you and me", think on this - not one Tea Partier has been arrested in any protests or gatherings. Tea Partiers clean up after themselves. They get the proper permits to be in an area. They respect the police. They do not urinate or defecate in public - especially not on police cars. They do not distribute condoms, so that they can have sex on public streets and in parks. They do not march with someone's "head" on pike. They do not call for cannibalism, nor do they encourage gay teens to "kill your parents." They do not destroy private or public property.
If someone shows up at a Tea Party event with a racist attitude, they are CHASED OFF!!!! It's that simple. They are told that no one agrees with that disgusting display and asked/told to LEAVE. When the Occupy Wall Street protestors start yelling anti-Semitic slurs and insulting Jewish people in the streets, people generally look on and do nothing. Or worse, they agree. In fact, the American Nazi Party has just given these lovely people their endorsement.
Of course, there is the alleged "spitting" and N-word incident back when the Health Care bill was passed. And Andrew Breitbart offered $100K to ANYONE who could come up with a shred of evidence to support that claim. In fact, the entire incident was up on the news wire in 90 minutes - claiming that the N-word was chanted 15 times - and no one got it on film? And that story was put together, edited and run in 90 minutes! No one was arrested? Indicted? No one came forward to get their reward money?! And if you're thinking "but I saw this on a video," well, think again. Videos can be edited.
I hope when you think on the Tea Party you do not fall victim to the media hype. I am a proud Tea Party member, and you know me. Who do you think I am? Do you trust me? Do you think I am a good person? While you may not agree with the beliefs of the Tea Party (small government, fiscal conservatism and the Constitution being the trifecta), don't ever believe we are ANYTHING like these "useful idiots" currently occupying our nation's cities. Every movement has a few kooks, but the overwhelming majority of the Tea Party are good solid people - not racist, not gay-haters, not calling for violent revolution in the streets - can you truly say the same of the people who are at this moment tearing up the streets of our cities?
Pray if you are the praying type. And prepare. Decide where you want to stand and stand there firmly. It is time to decide who YOU are and how you want to be remembered in this world.
I sent this email to my family and some of my friends last night:
My friends and family - as you go through your busy days, I hope you will take the time to read this email and follow the links I have provided. This is not a time to be uninformed about what is going on in our country. Period. It is a time of prayer and preparation. Kierstin
Protesters Stage Performance Against the Police?
It seems pretty clear that the police are being set up. We've had situations recently where people are taunting the police and chanting a countdown to charge them, as others are ready with their cameras to record every move. And now this latest - obviously a setup, hoping to pit these "good, moral people" (who are anything but) against our nation's police officers. Pray for our men and women in uniform around the country and the globe.
So who are these "young, enthusiastic" people "occupying" our major cities. Most in the media would have you believe that they are "everyman" - that they are like the Tea Party only much, much better, nicer, friendlier, whatever. Not quite.
The next time someone tells you that the Tea Party is a violent and racist movement, while those who Occupy Wall Street, Atlanta and other cities are "just like you and me", think on this - not one Tea Partier has been arrested in any protests or gatherings. Tea Partiers clean up after themselves. They get the proper permits to be in an area. They respect the police. They do not urinate or defecate in public - especially not on police cars. They do not distribute condoms, so that they can have sex on public streets and in parks. They do not march with someone's "head" on pike. They do not call for cannibalism, nor do they encourage gay teens to "kill your parents." They do not destroy private or public property.
If someone shows up at a Tea Party event with a racist attitude, they are CHASED OFF!!!! It's that simple. They are told that no one agrees with that disgusting display and asked/told to LEAVE. When the Occupy Wall Street protestors start yelling anti-Semitic slurs and insulting Jewish people in the streets, people generally look on and do nothing. Or worse, they agree. In fact, the American Nazi Party has just given these lovely people their endorsement.
Of course, there is the alleged "spitting" and N-word incident back when the Health Care bill was passed. And Andrew Breitbart offered $100K to ANYONE who could come up with a shred of evidence to support that claim. In fact, the entire incident was up on the news wire in 90 minutes - claiming that the N-word was chanted 15 times - and no one got it on film? And that story was put together, edited and run in 90 minutes! No one was arrested? Indicted? No one came forward to get their reward money?! And if you're thinking "but I saw this on a video," well, think again. Videos can be edited.
I hope when you think on the Tea Party you do not fall victim to the media hype. I am a proud Tea Party member, and you know me. Who do you think I am? Do you trust me? Do you think I am a good person? While you may not agree with the beliefs of the Tea Party (small government, fiscal conservatism and the Constitution being the trifecta), don't ever believe we are ANYTHING like these "useful idiots" currently occupying our nation's cities. Every movement has a few kooks, but the overwhelming majority of the Tea Party are good solid people - not racist, not gay-haters, not calling for violent revolution in the streets - can you truly say the same of the people who are at this moment tearing up the streets of our cities?
Pray if you are the praying type. And prepare. Decide where you want to stand and stand there firmly. It is time to decide who YOU are and how you want to be remembered in this world.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
9/11 Memorial
Posted by South Park Diva
This year I organized a simple 9/11 Memorial around a few songs from my choirs at the college where I teach. I am pretty darn proud of my "kids" for putting this together so quickly. They are a small group, but they have a lot of heart.
This year I organized a simple 9/11 Memorial around a few songs from my choirs at the college where I teach. I am pretty darn proud of my "kids" for putting this together so quickly. They are a small group, but they have a lot of heart.
Monday, September 12, 2011
Letter to Senator Boozman
Posted by South Park Diva
This is the letter I wrote to my Senator this evening:
"Dear Senator Boozman,
This is the letter I wrote to my Senator this evening:
"Dear Senator Boozman,
I haven't heard much lately about who you support for the presidential nomination, and I just wanted to let you know how I and many others feel.
I have the unusual situation of living in Northwest Arkansas, but working in Southwest MO, and since I spend more time in MO than in AR, I have joined a group called Heartland Conservatives of Neosho. Nice group of people! As I talk with fellow conservatives, listen to talk radio and just tune into what is going on, I find that many people agree with me on one important thing: the time to vote "hold your nose and vote the Republican ticket" is past. Long past!
I'm not sure about your opinions on the whole Tea Party movement - or whether you buy into the whole "Tea Party are terrorists/hobbits/violent/racists" meme - but conservatives as a whole are just plain tired of politicians who will not stick to conservative principles. Politicians who feel we should say safe things, rather than sticking to principles. RINOS!
I've heard recently that "Republican Insiders" seem to feel that Mitt Romney is the best choice for the Republican nomination. The GOP as whole seems to be attacking the Tea Party and determined to put a big government, progressive Republican in the White House. I can assure you that if Mitt Romney is the Republican nomination I will either write in a third candidate or not vote at all. It's that simple.
It is time for conservatives to take a stand. I am not going to let the fear of four more years of Obama cause me to vote for someone who is just "Obama-lite." Let's nominate a truly conservative candidate. Someone who is politically and fiscally conservative. One who stands with conservatives on issues of immigration, global warming, reducing taxes and reducing the size of the government. No more progressive Republicans. No more RINOs.
I've spent a lot of time in the past six years paying attention to politics, trying to figure out what I truly believe. I've listened to different arguments and come to my own conclusions. Back in 2008 I voted for McCain. It is a mistake I will not make again.
It seems as if the GOP is terrified of the power of the conservative people who make up the Tea Party. They perhaps hear the death knell of their party. I wonder if we are viewing the death of the Republican party. I feel that it is time to take a strong stand for true conservatism - political AND fiscal conservatism. And that means reducing taxes AND reducing the size of the government. Making the hard cuts and allowing Americans to be the strong supporters of each other that we always have been.
I hope that if you have an opportunity to speak to your colleagues in Washington DC you will pass on my sentiments and assure them that this is the way the wind is blowing in the Republican party. We are tired of politicians who are concerned only with keeping themselves in power. We are certainly tired of politicians who feel the need to belittle the very important movement of the Tea Party, which has gotten millions of Americans truly involved for the first time in a long time.
I do not believe you are one of these corrupt politicians, which is why I gladly supported your campaign - and why I am writing this letter to you now. I just ask that you speak up for the true conservatives who are hoping that the GOP will not insult us by insisting on putting a big government PROGRESSIVE on the party ticket.
Thank you, as always, for being a politician who listens!"
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Torpedo Squadron Nine
In trying to research names for the next section of my grandfather's Carrier Air Group Nine yearbook from World War II, I came across a February 1948 issue of Naval Aviation News that has an article on Torpedo Squadron Nine. It's on pages 10 & 11 of the PDF. I look forward to taking the time to read the whole thing.
Monday, July 4, 2011
2011 Project Valour-IT fundraising campaign
I didn't join a team this year for the competition. I've taken on other responsibilities that prevent me from being able to post daily for during the campaign. But, that doesn't mean I won't help spread the word. Soldiers' Angels' goal is $100,000 over the two-weeks from July 1 to July 14. If you aren't familiar with Project Valour-IT, here's what Chuck has to say:
Sunday, July 3, 2011
The Last Fish
When I first posted about finding my grandfather's yearbook from his time with Carrier Air Group Nine during World War II, I soon had a comment from artist Scott Nelson, looking for some guidance about the markings of the aircraft assigned to the USS Yorktown. With a little help from BillT's comments on that same post, Scott got the information he needed to complete his project. Last weekend, I received an email letting me know the painting was finished:
The artwork:
With Stew and Scott:
I emailed back to ask if the piece had a title yet. Not officially, but he explained:
I haven't gotten to Stew's section in the yearbook yet, but I promise I haven't given up on this project. It will just take a bit of time, considering I want to research the names of the men in the book, to share whatever it is that can be shared about who they are/were. Would that there were more hours in the day ;-)
Hi,
I had promised to get the photo of the painting to you, you can post it you want. The painting was a surprize for Stew Bass at his 90th BD party held at the Air Museum, Fargo ND. Stew signed the painting. The second pict. is Stew Bass and me.
The painting shows half of Torpedo 9, 7 planes (the other half, 6 planes were attacking the Yamato in the upper right of the painting). Stew's flight attacked the cruiser Yahagi, coming in at a pie shaped formation, altitude around 800 feet, releasing the torpedoes around 1500 yards from the ship. This was the high speed, high altitude, torpedo attack developed by the Navy.
Scott
The artwork:
With Stew and Scott:
I emailed back to ask if the piece had a title yet. Not officially, but he explained:
...have thought about the title "THE LAST FISH". Fish refers to what the Navy flyers called the torpedo. One of the planes from Torpedo Nine dropped the last arial torpedo ever used against enemy shipping. (could have been Stew?)
Scott
I haven't gotten to Stew's section in the yearbook yet, but I promise I haven't given up on this project. It will just take a bit of time, considering I want to research the names of the men in the book, to share whatever it is that can be shared about who they are/were. Would that there were more hours in the day ;-)
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Remembering Kile
Today marks four years since 1Lt Kile G. West gave his life for this country. I remember.
Previous posts about Kile here.
Previous posts about Kile here.
Saturday, April 30, 2011
YouServed livestreaming 2011 Milblog Conference
If you wanted to attended the 2011 Milblog Conference but were unable to be here in person, you can participate online here. Once again, the Conference will be livestreamed and you can participate in the online chat (and I think you'll even be able to ask questions of the panels that way!). I sat in on the livestream last year and think it's great that it is being done again this year, thanks once again to YouServed's sponsor, the VA Mortgage Center.
Friday, April 22, 2011
Flash Mob of Kindness
Posted by South Park Diva
On April 21st I participated in the amazing "Flash Mob of Kindness" that swept our great nation. It was an experience that I will not soon forget.
I am a teacher at a small community college in Missouri. I have, from time to time, given my students gas money, food money, food or just treated them to lunch, snacks or a hot beverage at the local coffee shop! I know that many of them struggle to not only pay for their education, but to just have enough to buy breakfast, lunch and dinner. Some of them have kids, which makes the struggle that much more difficult. They know they need to stay in school, but it sure is hard when they also need to work and provide for their families. Some of them are international students, who are excited to be here in the United States, but live on almost nothing. So I do understand that there is plenty of need around me.
When Glenn Beck invited his viewers to take part in a "Flash Mob of Kindness", I got all excited about it. I immediately got onto Freedom Connector and posted that I wanted to lead a group in my area. I checked back a couple of days, didn't see much and kind of lost my enthusiasm. I forgot to check back, thinking that Freedom Connector would email me a notice if I got any replies. It didn't. Finally, I received an email asking about it. I replied positively, but inside I was thinking "Okay, how the heck do I organize this thing?" I went back to the website, and saw a few people had posted replies, and posted my own response. I changed my settings to be sure I'd get an email notice. I didn't...
Finally, I received an email on Tuesday, two days before the planned event. My first contact, Steve, was still interested. I thought "Okay, I'm going to do this - for Glenn!". Steve stopped by and dropped off a box of food. He told me he probably couldn't take part in the event, since he worked nights and would be sleeping at the time we wanted to do this. His positive attitude heartened me, and I got back onto Freedom Connector to see who I could contact. A few hours later I'd made connections with another teacher from a different school. We decided that between me and him and his wife and Steve, we could put together five packs of groceries. I then started sending out emails trying to find out who might need our help. I also put in a last minute order for "Tea Party Patriots" t-shirts at the local print/graphics shop. It was only three people, but I figured we needed to show them who we are. We're proud Tea Party Patriots - not racists, not violent - just people who want to help out. Show people in our little community that people care and that we are praying for them.
I received back some replies and realized just how much our small effort was going to help out some people who were just barely hanging on. It was humbling.
I went shopping that night and picked up my list of items - canned fruit and veggies, peanut butter and evaporated milk - and found myself adding in some small hams, a package of gum, some Hershey's kisses and even a pack of raisins. I was excited at the prospect of just being able to help someone out.
On Thursday, I was able to talk to a prospective recipient. A mother going to school, with a teenage son and just barely hanging on. The gratitude in her voice was humbling and I wanted to thank her for allowing me the opportunity to help.
Then another phone call to the sister of an Army retiree. Disabled from a stroke, he's lost his house, car and wife. His sister pays his rent and buys him groceries, because he cannot get assistance. The Army admits that he is due his retirement after 22 years, but it is "pending". That "pending" status means he is not eligible for any assistance at all. His sister was so grateful. She felt he might be too proud to take it from us, but I was more than happy to drop the food off with her.
Finally, a quick text to some international students of mine. Two wonderful "kids" from the Congo. Both great people, always smiling and ready to work hard. And I had no idea that they needed a little help. The coordinator for these students sent the following in an email: "It's always amazing to see this group do well academically, work every opportunity they are allowed by law, and manage each day without the basic necessities. Honestly, I learn from them more than they will ever know." How true!
After knowing for sure who we were visiting, I ran out to pick up our t-shirts and then made a quick trip to Wal-Mart for a few more things. I just couldn't resist. And I couldn't wait for 5PM when my Freedom Connector friends would arrive!
At 5PM, "Doc" Broom and his wife, Lisa, arrived with more piles of food. We sorted things out by groups - mother and son - Army guy - students - and piled into the car to visit our first group, the international students. I know two of them, so we delivered the groceries to them and they promised to distribute them. They were so happy to receive the food and so grateful. It made me feel wonderful. My student asked us to pray and bless their little house. We happily complied. We got a few pictures and we were heading out to the next stop - the mother with son.
The mother was embarrassed about her little house, but gladly let us in and hugged us. Her autistic son was playing some video games, but was very cheerful when we blocked his view. She hugged us enthusiastically and asked "What is this Tea Party thing?" We answered that we're basically a political group, Republicans and left it at that.
Finally, the soldier. His street was flooded, so we had to grab the items and hike across a couple of lawns. His sister warned us that he might not talk much, but he was happy to see us and shook our hands. We talked for a few minutes about his situation, and Doc said he just might know someone who could get the ball rolling for him. We shook hands all around and his sister thanked us for being a blessing. I told her that it was a blessing to be able to help and it was!
As we left, we agreed how amazing it was to be able to help. I spent about $75 and with a few other people was able to help so many. We bought items that really go a long way and the recipients were so grateful. We're hoping to make this into a habit and keep helping people. We threw our little group together at the last minute and were still able to accomplish something important. And the man who not give up and kept asking me about it? Well, he couldn't take part in the actual distribution, but he knew it was important to contribute, and he got me moving when I had given up on the idea.
Glenn Beck gave so many in this great nation this wonderful idea. Get out and help people - let them see you and know that you care and are praying for them. Some may not even know what the Tea Party is, but that's okay. Let them see you and feel your love and compassion.
We knew we could be a great blessing - a force of good. What I didn't realize was what a blessing it was to help - to be able to help. It's a good feeling, and I hope to feel it many more times!!!
On April 21st I participated in the amazing "Flash Mob of Kindness" that swept our great nation. It was an experience that I will not soon forget.
I am a teacher at a small community college in Missouri. I have, from time to time, given my students gas money, food money, food or just treated them to lunch, snacks or a hot beverage at the local coffee shop! I know that many of them struggle to not only pay for their education, but to just have enough to buy breakfast, lunch and dinner. Some of them have kids, which makes the struggle that much more difficult. They know they need to stay in school, but it sure is hard when they also need to work and provide for their families. Some of them are international students, who are excited to be here in the United States, but live on almost nothing. So I do understand that there is plenty of need around me.
When Glenn Beck invited his viewers to take part in a "Flash Mob of Kindness", I got all excited about it. I immediately got onto Freedom Connector and posted that I wanted to lead a group in my area. I checked back a couple of days, didn't see much and kind of lost my enthusiasm. I forgot to check back, thinking that Freedom Connector would email me a notice if I got any replies. It didn't. Finally, I received an email asking about it. I replied positively, but inside I was thinking "Okay, how the heck do I organize this thing?" I went back to the website, and saw a few people had posted replies, and posted my own response. I changed my settings to be sure I'd get an email notice. I didn't...
Finally, I received an email on Tuesday, two days before the planned event. My first contact, Steve, was still interested. I thought "Okay, I'm going to do this - for Glenn!". Steve stopped by and dropped off a box of food. He told me he probably couldn't take part in the event, since he worked nights and would be sleeping at the time we wanted to do this. His positive attitude heartened me, and I got back onto Freedom Connector to see who I could contact. A few hours later I'd made connections with another teacher from a different school. We decided that between me and him and his wife and Steve, we could put together five packs of groceries. I then started sending out emails trying to find out who might need our help. I also put in a last minute order for "Tea Party Patriots" t-shirts at the local print/graphics shop. It was only three people, but I figured we needed to show them who we are. We're proud Tea Party Patriots - not racists, not violent - just people who want to help out. Show people in our little community that people care and that we are praying for them.
I received back some replies and realized just how much our small effort was going to help out some people who were just barely hanging on. It was humbling.
I went shopping that night and picked up my list of items - canned fruit and veggies, peanut butter and evaporated milk - and found myself adding in some small hams, a package of gum, some Hershey's kisses and even a pack of raisins. I was excited at the prospect of just being able to help someone out.
On Thursday, I was able to talk to a prospective recipient. A mother going to school, with a teenage son and just barely hanging on. The gratitude in her voice was humbling and I wanted to thank her for allowing me the opportunity to help.
Then another phone call to the sister of an Army retiree. Disabled from a stroke, he's lost his house, car and wife. His sister pays his rent and buys him groceries, because he cannot get assistance. The Army admits that he is due his retirement after 22 years, but it is "pending". That "pending" status means he is not eligible for any assistance at all. His sister was so grateful. She felt he might be too proud to take it from us, but I was more than happy to drop the food off with her.
Finally, a quick text to some international students of mine. Two wonderful "kids" from the Congo. Both great people, always smiling and ready to work hard. And I had no idea that they needed a little help. The coordinator for these students sent the following in an email: "It's always amazing to see this group do well academically, work every opportunity they are allowed by law, and manage each day without the basic necessities. Honestly, I learn from them more than they will ever know." How true!
After knowing for sure who we were visiting, I ran out to pick up our t-shirts and then made a quick trip to Wal-Mart for a few more things. I just couldn't resist. And I couldn't wait for 5PM when my Freedom Connector friends would arrive!
At 5PM, "Doc" Broom and his wife, Lisa, arrived with more piles of food. We sorted things out by groups - mother and son - Army guy - students - and piled into the car to visit our first group, the international students. I know two of them, so we delivered the groceries to them and they promised to distribute them. They were so happy to receive the food and so grateful. It made me feel wonderful. My student asked us to pray and bless their little house. We happily complied. We got a few pictures and we were heading out to the next stop - the mother with son.
The mother was embarrassed about her little house, but gladly let us in and hugged us. Her autistic son was playing some video games, but was very cheerful when we blocked his view. She hugged us enthusiastically and asked "What is this Tea Party thing?" We answered that we're basically a political group, Republicans and left it at that.
Finally, the soldier. His street was flooded, so we had to grab the items and hike across a couple of lawns. His sister warned us that he might not talk much, but he was happy to see us and shook our hands. We talked for a few minutes about his situation, and Doc said he just might know someone who could get the ball rolling for him. We shook hands all around and his sister thanked us for being a blessing. I told her that it was a blessing to be able to help and it was!
As we left, we agreed how amazing it was to be able to help. I spent about $75 and with a few other people was able to help so many. We bought items that really go a long way and the recipients were so grateful. We're hoping to make this into a habit and keep helping people. We threw our little group together at the last minute and were still able to accomplish something important. And the man who not give up and kept asking me about it? Well, he couldn't take part in the actual distribution, but he knew it was important to contribute, and he got me moving when I had given up on the idea.
Glenn Beck gave so many in this great nation this wonderful idea. Get out and help people - let them see you and know that you care and are praying for them. Some may not even know what the Tea Party is, but that's okay. Let them see you and feel your love and compassion.
We knew we could be a great blessing - a force of good. What I didn't realize was what a blessing it was to help - to be able to help. It's a good feeling, and I hope to feel it many more times!!!
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Texas Army National Guard @ the 2011 American Heroes Celebration
I spent much of this past weekend volunteering for Soldiers' Angels. A lot of that time was at the American Heroes Celebration at Camp Mabry in Austin, which is the headquarters for the Texas Army National Guard. On Sunday, they had a couple of demonstrations at the parade ground (there were also various reenactments taking place over the weekend which I unfortunately wasn't able to see).
I wasn't right there on the parade ground when it started, so I didn't catch the very beginning of the first demonstration, so I'm not sure exactly what the setup was (terrorist event, mock insurgent engagement?), but here's what I recorded of it, once I got my camera on and walked from the Soldiers' Angels booth to the parade ground:
The next demonstration we had to wait a bit for. The Special Forces unit out of Camp Mabry jumped out of a helicopter at about 3000 feet. It was very windy Sunday, and it took quite a while before they got their clearance to proceed with jumping out of a perfectly good helicopter. With the display on my camera, I couldn't tell if I had the helicopter, and later the jumpers, in the frame; I could only point it in the general direction and hope I had it right. Thankfully, for the most part, I did. The tiny black spot is their UH-60 Black Hawk, and then the tiny white spots are the canopies for the soldiers. On this one, you can hear the announcer well enough, too:
One guy standing near me (who I think has done this sort of thing before) commented that this was actually a more dangerous jump: windy conditions, nearby power lines, oh, and the Mopac Expressway running alongside the parade ground to the east. Looks like they jumped with all their combat gear, too:
I didn't get a chance to go talk to the guys from the unit that did these demonstrations. We were too busy making sure our canopy didn't blow away on us, when we were down to only two people! Maybe next year...
I wasn't right there on the parade ground when it started, so I didn't catch the very beginning of the first demonstration, so I'm not sure exactly what the setup was (terrorist event, mock insurgent engagement?), but here's what I recorded of it, once I got my camera on and walked from the Soldiers' Angels booth to the parade ground:
The next demonstration we had to wait a bit for. The Special Forces unit out of Camp Mabry jumped out of a helicopter at about 3000 feet. It was very windy Sunday, and it took quite a while before they got their clearance to proceed with jumping out of a perfectly good helicopter. With the display on my camera, I couldn't tell if I had the helicopter, and later the jumpers, in the frame; I could only point it in the general direction and hope I had it right. Thankfully, for the most part, I did. The tiny black spot is their UH-60 Black Hawk, and then the tiny white spots are the canopies for the soldiers. On this one, you can hear the announcer well enough, too:
One guy standing near me (who I think has done this sort of thing before) commented that this was actually a more dangerous jump: windy conditions, nearby power lines, oh, and the Mopac Expressway running alongside the parade ground to the east. Looks like they jumped with all their combat gear, too:
I didn't get a chance to go talk to the guys from the unit that did these demonstrations. We were too busy making sure our canopy didn't blow away on us, when we were down to only two people! Maybe next year...
Monday, April 4, 2011
Carrier Air Group Nine, Introduction
I've been able to scan more pages from the book. Some were done out-of-order based on a comment on the previous post from artist Scott Nelson who was looking for information about the markings for an Avenger attached to the Yorktown for a project he's working on depicting the events of April 7, 1945. While I sent pages along to Scott, I'll not post them here until I "get to them" in page order. I'll do my best to post the pages as they appear with the book open. These are the next four pages.
First is a chronology for Carrier Air Group Nine from the commissioning on March 1, 1942 through to the return to San Francisco on July 6, 1945 with the carriers Yorktown and Lexington on the opposite page.
Next, "The Score". Ships sunk, probably sunk, damaged. Planes destroyed, probably destroyed, damaged, both airborne and on the ground. Sorties by squadron. Personnel lost. Aircraft lost. Operations.
Lieutenant Commander Herbert N. Houck replaced Commander Philip H. Torrey, Jr.
Lieutenant Commander Houck passed away at the age of 86 on February 24, 2002, in Cape Coral, Florida. According to the article, he flew Hellcats. My grandfather doesn't mention April 7, 1945 in his combat diary, but I wonder if he was involved. Surely, he knew Houck. Would that I had been able to talk to Grandpa about his time in the Navy...
First is a chronology for Carrier Air Group Nine from the commissioning on March 1, 1942 through to the return to San Francisco on July 6, 1945 with the carriers Yorktown and Lexington on the opposite page.
Next, "The Score". Ships sunk, probably sunk, damaged. Planes destroyed, probably destroyed, damaged, both airborne and on the ground. Sorties by squadron. Personnel lost. Aircraft lost. Operations.
Lieutenant Commander Herbert N. Houck replaced Commander Philip H. Torrey, Jr.
Lieutenant Commander Houck passed away at the age of 86 on February 24, 2002, in Cape Coral, Florida. According to the article, he flew Hellcats. My grandfather doesn't mention April 7, 1945 in his combat diary, but I wonder if he was involved. Surely, he knew Houck. Would that I had been able to talk to Grandpa about his time in the Navy...
Monday, March 21, 2011
Carrier Air Group Nine, March 1944-July 1945
As I have mentioned before, my grandfather was a Naval Aviator in the Pacific during World War II. Recently, my parents found Grandpa's yearbook from back then. The binding is fragile, so I need to be careful handling it. I will slowly work through scanning the whole thing. Here's a start:
I've been lucky enough to tour both the Lexington, in Corpus Christi, Texas, and the Yorktown, at Patriot's Point, South Carolina, both carriers on which Grandpa served.
Tonight, though, I'll stop with the dedication pages:
"Outstanding leadership is the quality above all others that inspires fighting spirit. The remarkable records of some air groups reveal and confirm the fact that the Air Group Commanders were outstandingly capable leaders. It has now become axiomatic that the fighting spirit, combat efficiency and success of air groups reflect in almost an exact ratio, the extent to which those qualities are found in their leaders"
Commander Philip H. Torrey, Jr., United States Navy:
I've been lucky enough to tour both the Lexington, in Corpus Christi, Texas, and the Yorktown, at Patriot's Point, South Carolina, both carriers on which Grandpa served.
Tonight, though, I'll stop with the dedication pages:
To
Commander Philip H. Torrey, Jr.
United States Navy
Commander, Carrier Air Group Nine
December 1943 - February 1944
Killed in First Carrier Raids on Tokyo
16 February 1944
Commander Philip H. Torrey, Jr.
United States Navy
Commander, Carrier Air Group Nine
December 1943 - February 1944
Killed in First Carrier Raids on Tokyo
16 February 1944
"Outstanding leadership is the quality above all others that inspires fighting spirit. The remarkable records of some air groups reveal and confirm the fact that the Air Group Commanders were outstandingly capable leaders. It has now become axiomatic that the fighting spirit, combat efficiency and success of air groups reflect in almost an exact ratio, the extent to which those qualities are found in their leaders"
-Commander Air Force, Pacific Fleet
Commander Philip H. Torrey, Jr., United States Navy:
*TORREY, PHILIP H., JR.
Synopsis:
The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the Navy Cross (Posthumously) to Philip H. Torrey, Jr., Lieutenant Commander, U.S. Navy, for extraordinary heroism in operations against the enemy while serving as Pilot of a carrier-based Navy Plane and Commander of Air Group NINE (AG-9), embarked from the U.S.S. ESSEX (CV-9), in action on 16 and 17 February 1944, while deployed over Truk in the Caroline Islands. His outstanding courage and determined skill were at all times inspiring and in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
Born: April 25, 1913 at Washington, D.C.
Home Town: Long Beach, California
Friday, March 18, 2011
Fair and Balanced? You Decide!!!
Posted by South Park Diva
From an email I sent to a work colleague...
Here is a great example of why I get a great deal of my news from The Blaze, which is a fairly new website sponsored by Glenn Beck's Mercury Productions.
Have you heard the latest on the NPR funding controversy? Including some undercover video that appears to be very damning to some top execs? There has been one person fired and another person has resigned as a direct result of the video. Naturally, conservatives and Tea Party members were incensed and are currently organizing to pull NPR's federal funding. However, when The Blaze first reported this story, they questioned the journalism methods and raised some interesting questions. They then went to the trouble to get the raw footage of the video and followed up with this report and analysis: http://www.theblaze.com/stories/does-raw-video-of-npr-expose-reveal-questionable-editing-tactics/ (it includes a link to the first story they posted).
This is not a news source that is going to gleefully jump on the liberal-bashing bandwagon, regardless of what actually happened. If a conservative does something slimy, unethical, etc., they are not going to ignore it, excuse it or try to cover it up. And if they feel that someone on the conservative side has perhaps engaged in some questionable ethics in securing or airing/broadcasting/reporting an important story, they are going to talk about that! Their motto comes from Glenn: "The Truth has no agenda."
Perhaps you remember the whole Shirley Sherrod issue? Well, as many were pushing to have her fired, Glenn was cautioning his viewers, saying "we don't have the whole story - it looks like her comments were taken out of context." In the end, she was fired and he was absolutely right - and eventually apologies were issued, and she got her job back. But not before people actually blamed Glenn and Fox news for her being fired. She was fired before the story ever hit the airwaves! And neither jumped on the "Shirley Sherrod is racist and should be fired" bandwagon...
And lastly, I don't know if you are familiar with the voter intimidation case involving the New Black Panther Party in Philly. This case has been largely ignored by our Attorney General, and there are hearings concerning this case going on right now (the AG has been accused of ignoring any voter intimidation cases where the defendant is not white). AG Eric Holder made some comments that have been damned by many on the conservative side. At first, Glenn Beck was very critical (on his radio show) of what could be considered inappropriate comments. But when he heard the audio of the hearing, he realized that he may have misunderstood. He decided not to go ahead with the planned TV segment and then apologized to Holder the next day on his radio show. http://www.theblaze.com/stories/beck-rethinks-his-take-on-holders-my-people-comment/
He said, when there is doubt, we'll give him a pass on that. And that matches up with my philosophy of giving people the benefit of the doubt when it makes sense to do so. Glenn reminds me not to just jump on the liberal-bashing bandwagon, but to think critically about different stories - and to do my own research. As he often says, he is NOT a journalist, but an opinion person. His news site, The Blaze is journalism - with a debate sort of twist. You'll see all types in the comments section. Some real jerks and some normal, run-of-the mill conservatives. Takes all types to make a world! And of course, you'll see the same people over and over commenting. I'm like "why do you have all this time to comment back and forth, people? Don't you have jobs?!"
Anyway, just thought I'd share that with you. I'm very passionate about defending Glenn Beck, and I feel I have good reason. And I although I do not go looking for liberal blogs, I do trust that I am getting news from a wide variety - and from sources who honestly try to get the whole story, even when it reflects poorly on conservatives. I especially trust Michelle Malkin, Stephen Green, Glenn Beck and of course The Blaze. I have seen many issues on all four where they are willing to a) criticize conservatives b) present facts that reflect poorly on a conservative or the conservatives as a group c) do some research before they start pointing fingers at liberals and d) apologize and correct themselves when they have made an error. And they do NOT bury the apology or correction on "page 10"!!!!
From an email I sent to a work colleague...
Here is a great example of why I get a great deal of my news from The Blaze, which is a fairly new website sponsored by Glenn Beck's Mercury Productions.
Have you heard the latest on the NPR funding controversy? Including some undercover video that appears to be very damning to some top execs? There has been one person fired and another person has resigned as a direct result of the video. Naturally, conservatives and Tea Party members were incensed and are currently organizing to pull NPR's federal funding. However, when The Blaze first reported this story, they questioned the journalism methods and raised some interesting questions. They then went to the trouble to get the raw footage of the video and followed up with this report and analysis: http://www.theblaze.com/stories/does-raw-video-of-npr-expose-reveal-questionable-editing-tactics/ (it includes a link to the first story they posted).
This is not a news source that is going to gleefully jump on the liberal-bashing bandwagon, regardless of what actually happened. If a conservative does something slimy, unethical, etc., they are not going to ignore it, excuse it or try to cover it up. And if they feel that someone on the conservative side has perhaps engaged in some questionable ethics in securing or airing/broadcasting/reporting an important story, they are going to talk about that! Their motto comes from Glenn: "The Truth has no agenda."
Perhaps you remember the whole Shirley Sherrod issue? Well, as many were pushing to have her fired, Glenn was cautioning his viewers, saying "we don't have the whole story - it looks like her comments were taken out of context." In the end, she was fired and he was absolutely right - and eventually apologies were issued, and she got her job back. But not before people actually blamed Glenn and Fox news for her being fired. She was fired before the story ever hit the airwaves! And neither jumped on the "Shirley Sherrod is racist and should be fired" bandwagon...
And lastly, I don't know if you are familiar with the voter intimidation case involving the New Black Panther Party in Philly. This case has been largely ignored by our Attorney General, and there are hearings concerning this case going on right now (the AG has been accused of ignoring any voter intimidation cases where the defendant is not white). AG Eric Holder made some comments that have been damned by many on the conservative side. At first, Glenn Beck was very critical (on his radio show) of what could be considered inappropriate comments. But when he heard the audio of the hearing, he realized that he may have misunderstood. He decided not to go ahead with the planned TV segment and then apologized to Holder the next day on his radio show. http://www.theblaze.com/stories/beck-rethinks-his-take-on-holders-my-people-comment/
He said, when there is doubt, we'll give him a pass on that. And that matches up with my philosophy of giving people the benefit of the doubt when it makes sense to do so. Glenn reminds me not to just jump on the liberal-bashing bandwagon, but to think critically about different stories - and to do my own research. As he often says, he is NOT a journalist, but an opinion person. His news site, The Blaze is journalism - with a debate sort of twist. You'll see all types in the comments section. Some real jerks and some normal, run-of-the mill conservatives. Takes all types to make a world! And of course, you'll see the same people over and over commenting. I'm like "why do you have all this time to comment back and forth, people? Don't you have jobs?!"
Anyway, just thought I'd share that with you. I'm very passionate about defending Glenn Beck, and I feel I have good reason. And I although I do not go looking for liberal blogs, I do trust that I am getting news from a wide variety - and from sources who honestly try to get the whole story, even when it reflects poorly on conservatives. I especially trust Michelle Malkin, Stephen Green, Glenn Beck and of course The Blaze. I have seen many issues on all four where they are willing to a) criticize conservatives b) present facts that reflect poorly on a conservative or the conservatives as a group c) do some research before they start pointing fingers at liberals and d) apologize and correct themselves when they have made an error. And they do NOT bury the apology or correction on "page 10"!!!!
Public vs. Private Unions
Posted by South Park Diva
Another exchange concerning unions - this one on Facebook. I posted this link to stand with Governor Scott Walker: http://www.timpawlenty.com/stand-with-governor-scott-walker. I had also previously posted about the whole private versus public union conundrum.
To which an old HS replied: "oh yeah they are also entitled to earn a living wage which unions actually got workers earlier in the last century. if people working for private industry didn't have collective bargaining, do you really believe that big companies would actually pay a fair wage? as far as state workers go when was the last time anyone complained that teachers were over paid? without collective bargaining, they'd be paid a lot less.
as for the situation in WI the union agreed to an 8 percent cut in salary already. the governor doesn't want to give up anything. government that doesn't compromise is a dictatorship and in the U.S. wont last long especially in a state that has left leaning tendancies until recently."
To which I replied:
"My post was concerning public unions. Private unions are a different matter. Remember that when a public union goes to the bargaining table, they are basically bargaining with themselves with YOUR money! Politicians know that union money helps to win elections. So it is in their interest to keep unions happy. So when the government sits down with public unions, they are bargaining with taxpayer money - and they don't necessarily care about protecting the taxpayer, so much as protecting their own interests and getting re-elected. Unions know this. Politicians know this. Unfortunately, the taxpayers are getting duped far too often. Walker wants to end this strangle hold that public unions have on the taxpayer's wallet by taking away some (not all) of their collective bargaining rights. Basically, he only wants them to be able to negotiate salary, but not the massive pension and insurance packages that are bankrupting the state. Even FDR, a very progressive president, understood that public unions were a very bad idea.
Private unions definitely serve a purpose to combat dishonesty and greed in private industry, but they can still cause trouble in the long run. Look at our auto industry. At least some of GM's problems stemmed from unions. Remember that collective bargaining rewards people who do not want to work their hardest, perform their best and produce results. When your wages are decided in collective bargaining incentives, including raises, where is the incentive to work hard? Why should I bust my hiny to produce the best results, if my raise/bonus is already assured. My husband works for a company that is non-union. His raise is directly related to two things - first, how well does he do his job and second, how well the company is doing over all. The company will not reward him for crappy work and they will also not give out raises that they cannot afford. It's that simple. And the company is still in business after many, many decades. But what happens to a unionized company who has collectively bargained for raises at a certain percentage, but then the company has a bad year or two years? And they still have to give out larger raises (that are NOT based on performance), regardless of the fact that the company is suffering. So what do they do? Probably either lay off workers or raise prices. And raising prices can just hurt business more...
Unions have definitely served an important purpose. But when people aren't given a choice about joining, or when the union bosses admittedly don't actually care about the workers, but are more interested in creating some kind of revolution, we all suffer for it.
And last but not least, the government is under NO obligation to compromise with the union. The elected officials can pass this law if they have the majority, and in this case they do. Elections have consequences, and the consequences of electing a conservative majority into Wisconsin, is that the governor is not obliged to compromise in this legislation, as long as it does not go against the WI or US Constitution. A case in point can be seen in the massive healthcare bill that was passed last year around this time. Although polls showed that 60% of Americans were against the bill, Democrats rammed it through. There was no compromise with Republicans, because THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO. They had the majority, and that's how it goes. This is not a dictatorship. This is the consequences of elections. Period. And you will notice that Republicans did not abandon their posts in an effort to stall or kill the bill. Conservatives did not sit inside the capitol building chanting profanities and beating drums all day and night. We took our lumps and moved on. And now that conservatives have a majority in the House, they are attempting to legally reverse the decision made last year. That is how our law works. If the party in complete power does not compromise, that is not a dictatorship. That is partisan politics. And the people will have the chance to voice their feelings at the next election. That's how our REPUBLIC works. We are a Constitutional Republic."
Another exchange concerning unions - this one on Facebook. I posted this link to stand with Governor Scott Walker: http://www.timpawlenty.com/stand-with-governor-scott-walker. I had also previously posted about the whole private versus public union conundrum.
To which an old HS replied: "oh yeah they are also entitled to earn a living wage which unions actually got workers earlier in the last century. if people working for private industry didn't have collective bargaining, do you really believe that big companies would actually pay a fair wage? as far as state workers go when was the last time anyone complained that teachers were over paid? without collective bargaining, they'd be paid a lot less.
as for the situation in WI the union agreed to an 8 percent cut in salary already. the governor doesn't want to give up anything. government that doesn't compromise is a dictatorship and in the U.S. wont last long especially in a state that has left leaning tendancies until recently."
To which I replied:
"My post was concerning public unions. Private unions are a different matter. Remember that when a public union goes to the bargaining table, they are basically bargaining with themselves with YOUR money! Politicians know that union money helps to win elections. So it is in their interest to keep unions happy. So when the government sits down with public unions, they are bargaining with taxpayer money - and they don't necessarily care about protecting the taxpayer, so much as protecting their own interests and getting re-elected. Unions know this. Politicians know this. Unfortunately, the taxpayers are getting duped far too often. Walker wants to end this strangle hold that public unions have on the taxpayer's wallet by taking away some (not all) of their collective bargaining rights. Basically, he only wants them to be able to negotiate salary, but not the massive pension and insurance packages that are bankrupting the state. Even FDR, a very progressive president, understood that public unions were a very bad idea.
Private unions definitely serve a purpose to combat dishonesty and greed in private industry, but they can still cause trouble in the long run. Look at our auto industry. At least some of GM's problems stemmed from unions. Remember that collective bargaining rewards people who do not want to work their hardest, perform their best and produce results. When your wages are decided in collective bargaining incentives, including raises, where is the incentive to work hard? Why should I bust my hiny to produce the best results, if my raise/bonus is already assured. My husband works for a company that is non-union. His raise is directly related to two things - first, how well does he do his job and second, how well the company is doing over all. The company will not reward him for crappy work and they will also not give out raises that they cannot afford. It's that simple. And the company is still in business after many, many decades. But what happens to a unionized company who has collectively bargained for raises at a certain percentage, but then the company has a bad year or two years? And they still have to give out larger raises (that are NOT based on performance), regardless of the fact that the company is suffering. So what do they do? Probably either lay off workers or raise prices. And raising prices can just hurt business more...
Unions have definitely served an important purpose. But when people aren't given a choice about joining, or when the union bosses admittedly don't actually care about the workers, but are more interested in creating some kind of revolution, we all suffer for it.
And last but not least, the government is under NO obligation to compromise with the union. The elected officials can pass this law if they have the majority, and in this case they do. Elections have consequences, and the consequences of electing a conservative majority into Wisconsin, is that the governor is not obliged to compromise in this legislation, as long as it does not go against the WI or US Constitution. A case in point can be seen in the massive healthcare bill that was passed last year around this time. Although polls showed that 60% of Americans were against the bill, Democrats rammed it through. There was no compromise with Republicans, because THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO. They had the majority, and that's how it goes. This is not a dictatorship. This is the consequences of elections. Period. And you will notice that Republicans did not abandon their posts in an effort to stall or kill the bill. Conservatives did not sit inside the capitol building chanting profanities and beating drums all day and night. We took our lumps and moved on. And now that conservatives have a majority in the House, they are attempting to legally reverse the decision made last year. That is how our law works. If the party in complete power does not compromise, that is not a dictatorship. That is partisan politics. And the people will have the chance to voice their feelings at the next election. That's how our REPUBLIC works. We are a Constitutional Republic."
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