Wisconsin Republicans restructured the union-busting provisions as a non-fiscal measure and passed it.
That mechanism had been rejected by the governor weeks ago, but evidently he changed his mind.
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Yes! Three cheers for henry, harrjh and PD!!
Posted by: MayBee | March 10, 2011 at 06:50 PM
Nah, Jim - the bag is for her snacks and drinks to wash them down.
Posted by: centralcal | March 10, 2011 at 06:51 PM
Three cheers for henry, harrjh and PD!!
Amen to that.
Is our side on a roll this week, or what?
Posted by: Danube of Thought | March 10, 2011 at 06:53 PM
That bag is the First Lady.
Posted by: Threadkiller | March 10, 2011 at 06:53 PM
OT (somewhat):
How did the bullying dog and pony show go?
Posted by: Jim Rhoads a/k/a vjnjagvet | March 10, 2011 at 06:55 PM
Happy birthday, Jim Rhoads!
Posted by: Elliott | March 10, 2011 at 06:59 PM
King for a Day!
Posted by: Sara (Pal2Pal) | March 10, 2011 at 06:59 PM
How did the bullying dog and pony show go?
Here is a link with lots of photos, a couple short video clips, and some captions. Take your nausea pills before you click!
Bullying is not a rite of passage
Posted by: centralcal | March 10, 2011 at 07:10 PM
Yes! Three cheers for henry, harrjh and PD!!
Huzzah!!
Posted by: Captain Hate | March 10, 2011 at 07:12 PM
Publius at Big Government posted this about an hour ago:
In part:
Wasn't this long after the vote?
Posted by: Sara (Pal2Pal) | March 10, 2011 at 07:13 PM
Henry's really the one doing the heavy lifting on the local reporting here. He's way more knowledgable than I on state politics. (Until these recent events I've been a lot more focused on national politics.)
Posted by: PD | March 10, 2011 at 07:14 PM
--Yes! Three cheers for henry, harrjh and PD!!--
Amen. You really get to see just how bad the MSM are when you have locals who actually know what's going on reporting the real facts.
Posted by: Ignatz | March 10, 2011 at 07:15 PM
Just saw a clip from the Rep. King hearing. Keith Ellison blubbered like a 2 year old thruout his entire reading of his prepared remarks. Will they be making fun of him like they did with Boehner?
Posted by: Sara (Pal2Pal) | March 10, 2011 at 07:16 PM
--That bag is the First Lady.--
That's in bad taste.....
but it's funny. :)
Posted by: Ignatz | March 10, 2011 at 07:18 PM
--Yes! Three cheers for henry, harrjh and PD!!--
Amen & dittos!
Here is Klavan on Culture explaining public sector unions. He does a great job with these short videos.
Posted by: Janet | March 10, 2011 at 07:22 PM
PD, I have a long commute and need to get new CDs -- thus too much talk radio the last couple months. Thanks to all JOMO for welcoming us.
: )
Posted by: Henry | March 10, 2011 at 07:22 PM
About Keith Ellison's tearful tale:
The congressman told a teachable story this morning. One problem: It’s untrue.
Posted by: centralcal | March 10, 2011 at 07:23 PM
Henry, we're glad you're here.
Posted by: PD | March 10, 2011 at 07:24 PM
Thanks again for the birthday wishes, balloons and stuff.
I can't keep up with you guys. I wish I could figure out how the official JOM keeper(s) of birthdays do it.
Posted by: Jim Rhoads a/k/a vjnjagvet | March 10, 2011 at 07:24 PM
*That's* the thousand dollar "bag"???
Posted by: Extraneus | March 10, 2011 at 07:24 PM
Oh, friends.
Tell me you read this with as much distress as I do:
from Political Punch
Posted by: MayBee | March 10, 2011 at 07:26 PM
The congressman told a teachable story this morning. One problem: It’s untrue.
Hard to believe a member of Congress would engage in taqiyyah.
Posted by: PD | March 10, 2011 at 07:26 PM
Thanks, Sara. I was just about to ask "Why isn't anyone talking about King's Muslim hearing? How did it go?" Ellison crying would seem to answer that somewhat.
Oh the humanity. A hearing on Muslim killers has to cause a true patriot to well up inside.
Posted by: Extraneus | March 10, 2011 at 07:29 PM
Another kudo for Henry and PD. The back and forth in Madison is great street theatre -- especially when your guys are right and winning.
Posted by: Jim Rhoads a/k/a vjnjagvet | March 10, 2011 at 07:31 PM
We're certainly having a better week than Gen. Clapper, that's for sure.
Posted by: Danube of Thought | March 10, 2011 at 07:31 PM
Another Clapper Caper (with a nod to Johnny Carson and Jack Webb).
Posted by: Jim Rhoads a/k/a vjnjagvet | March 10, 2011 at 07:33 PM
Does Obama think the arc of history is actually a real thing? Does he think history has some force to make things happen?
Posted by: MayBee | March 10, 2011 at 07:34 PM
At least Clapper gave a realistic and thoughtful answer about Gadhafi. The White House says he's wrong because history has other plans, and Obama has said he should step down.
Really? It's childish thinking.
Posted by: MayBee | March 10, 2011 at 07:35 PM
Btw, on the bullying thing, I worked with a guy whose son committed suicide over it - some sort of on-line and in-school bullying and who knows what else. The father ended up quitting a serious job to go on a crusade against bullying, and I wouldn't be surprised if he was at this event. It's a real issue, and shouldn't be downplayed just because the two frauds-in-chief had an event on the subject.
Posted by: Extraneus | March 10, 2011 at 07:35 PM
I won't be able to watch the hearing, Ext., until it reruns on C-Span later tonight, but the clips I've seen and the commentary seem to be positive and taken the hearings for a legit inquiry as to how these young American men are becoming so radicalized. The father of the young man who killed those guys at the Arkansas recruit center was blaming the mosques and imams. I didn't see his testimony, but from the commentary, the father was happy to have this hearing.
Posted by: Sara (Pal2Pal) | March 10, 2011 at 07:36 PM
Well, MayBee, there is distress and then there is distress. Clapper garnered attention for this too:
China, Russia Greatest Threat
Posted by: centralcal | March 10, 2011 at 07:36 PM
MayBee, it's been a while since I read him, but didn't Marx feature the inevitable march of history towards communism?
Posted by: Henry | March 10, 2011 at 07:38 PM
Btw, on the bullying thing, I worked with a guy whose son committed suicide over it -
It is a real issue, but suicide is usually not about what it seems to be about.
I believe every anti-bullying program has to teach kids how not to allow bullies to determine their own self worth. I also believe parents have to be their own kids strongest supporters.
Posted by: MayBee | March 10, 2011 at 07:38 PM
How does Hit keep track of the birthdays? It is rumored he has one of the super secret spy drones the size of a no-see-um. He probably knows more than our birthdays!
Posted by: Frau Steingehirn | March 10, 2011 at 07:38 PM
Yeah, C Cal.
The thing is, I think he's right. I don't think Russia and China currently have the worst intentions towards us, or the biggest desire to destroy us, but they undoubtedly have the strongest ability to do so.
Posted by: MayBee | March 10, 2011 at 07:40 PM
PD Henry and Jarrhf:
I especially watched for your postings to keep track of the Wisconsin story.Kudos for your excellent reporting. Victory is ours. I'm really enjoying all the long faces at PMSNBC and just in keeping with his pro-muslim stance Matthews called Ellison's tearful display inspiring and patriotic.
Posted by: maryrose | March 10, 2011 at 07:40 PM
Clapper's problem in this instance, I think, is that nobody in the administration bothered to tell him what they wanted him to say for diplomacy's sake.
Posted by: MayBee | March 10, 2011 at 07:41 PM
Awww, how sweet:
Posted by: PD | March 10, 2011 at 07:42 PM
MayBee, I'm late getting back to the thread, but I re-read that passage in the transcript and I totally see now that "we" meant Purdue, not NPR. Thanks for tipping me to it!
Posted by: Porchlight | March 10, 2011 at 07:42 PM
On TV state troopers carrying the last of the protesters out of the Capitol.
No arrests, just taking out the trash.
Posted by: Henry | March 10, 2011 at 07:44 PM
"And I personally will dance the faux jig."
after which i volunteer to blow up the boxcar.
Posted by: macphisto | March 10, 2011 at 07:44 PM
Schultz at MSNBC is part of the Union, Jesse and Moore crowd in Madison. Maybe he's hoping it will help his ratings at the witching hour of 10:00pm . I'm trying to decide who is worse Smirking Madcow or Blusterbutt Schultz.Foaming at the Mouth Matthews is also in the hunt.
Posted by: maryrose | March 10, 2011 at 07:44 PM
"Does he think history has some force to make things happen?"
MayBee,
That's from 1st Karl. Did you sleep through Marxism 101? Daffy blowing the rebels' tweeters off is just a minor set back (as will King Abby's machine gunning of demonstrators tomorrow). The 360 degree turn around in Egypt reflects the reality of the 'arc of history' for the past 1400 years in the ME.
Meet the new boss.
Posted by: Rick Ballard | March 10, 2011 at 07:44 PM
He probably knows more than our birthdays!
Oh, he does. Just ask sylvia.
Posted by: PD | March 10, 2011 at 07:45 PM
Thanks, porch.
I got her because I talk like that. I use "we" and "here" and "there" in ways that have nothing to do with who is involved or where I am physically.
Posted by: MayBee | March 10, 2011 at 07:45 PM
I agree with that, Ext. But I have trouble with those who reach down too low to find bullying in the ordinary give and take of growing up. My three asian daughters experienced some pretty bad borderline stuff. One day, the middle one beat the snot out of the (male) perp and that ended that.
ISTM there is enough serious cruelty which is real bullying to keep juvenile and law enforcement officials busy without defining bullying down.
Posted by: Jim Rhoads a/k/a vjnjagvet | March 10, 2011 at 07:46 PM
Our TV listed C-Span 1 and C-Span 2 but the Rep. King hearing was scheduled for C-Span 3. We could not find it this morning.
I guess Matthews didn't think much of the testimony of Mr. Bledsoe who lost his son to Islam.
Posted by: Frau Steingehirn | March 10, 2011 at 07:47 PM
At least Clapper gave a realistic and thoughtful answer about Gadhafi. The White House says he's wrong because history has other plans, and Obama has said he should step down.
In the meantime, France steps up and recognizes the rebel government. And Obama and Hillary whine about how America can't act without UN approval or some such about not leading. Well now we can be a follower .... of France? Obama will not consider his presidency a success until the US is finally brought to its knees both economically and militarily, making us nothing but a 3rd world country and no longer a leader of the free world.
When can we start talking about impeachment for real? I don't think we can survive two more years of this man, when the world and our own country are in such turmoil. And if it is confirmed that Obama's people are organizing the recalls and working to support the communist party line in WI and beyond, then he should be frog-marched out of the WH and right into federal lockup.
Posted by: Sara (Pal2Pal) | March 10, 2011 at 07:49 PM
My 14 year old daughter heard the question about the "biggest threat to the US right now" on the radio. I was trying to explain the difference between the threat from China and Russia vs. Iran and N. Korea. This led to a discussion of the Cold War, Reagan and MAD. Her response to the latter, "But isn't that just common sense"?
Posted by: C.R. | March 10, 2011 at 07:50 PM
One day, the middle one beat the snot out of the (male) perp and that ended that.
That's what my Mom did when she was a girl and some jerk put her cat in a mailbox and threw in a firecracker.
Posted by: PD | March 10, 2011 at 07:51 PM
Was out this PM and wasn't here to respond properly.
Drew Bledsoe former quarterback is white, Maybee. Mark F picked up on that and there could be some relationship with the Bledsoe in Ellensburg but am not certain.
I believe Drew's father taught in the local school district.
Posted by: glasater | March 10, 2011 at 07:53 PM
I guess Matthews didn't think much of the testimony of Mr. Bledsoe who lost his son to Islam.
Even though Mr. Bledsoe personally experienced a real tragedy and Ellison choked up over an imagined one.
Posted by: Jim Rhoads a/k/a vjnjagvet | March 10, 2011 at 07:53 PM
I think parents whose kids die are allowed to go a little crazy and look to place blame. We just have to be cautious about what kinds of policies we adopt in response to them and their pain-filled search for solutions.
Posted by: MayBee | March 10, 2011 at 07:54 PM
MayBee, I think I was too misled by DC's reading of the passage. Like the NPR ombudsman I was slamming earlier, I actually haven't seen the video. Been a busy couple of days and I have to be careful about watching wingnutty videos at work. ;)
Posted by: Porchlight | March 10, 2011 at 07:55 PM
The panel on Fox thinks Clapper should go. They figured the Libyan protesters are watching and will be bummed that Clapper thinks Kaddaffi will win.
Clapper really does appear to be asleep most of the time - he probably takes after Obama.
Posted by: Jane | March 10, 2011 at 07:56 PM
Drew Bledsoe former quarterback is white, Maybee.
Yeah, I know. That's why I mentioned this Mr. Bledsoe's race in response to your comment. I didn't bring up Drew Bledsoe.
Posted by: MayBee | March 10, 2011 at 07:58 PM
Liberals want to eradicate bullying. Conservatives want to raise kids strong enough to handle it.
The above is from a tweet by Cam Edwards.
Yep, MayBee, I agree about the strength and the desire of China and Russia.
Posted by: centralcal | March 10, 2011 at 07:59 PM
What we do at our school (Catholic) is one warning only, some strong counsoling and a letter home - one more time and they are out of here. BTW, no refund for the tuition. It works going in. Parents are big time involved and the kids are best friends from te get go. I wonder who The Won is speaking to? Not those exemplar bullies in Madison, you think?
Posted by: Jack is Back! | March 10, 2011 at 08:03 PM
The only way to end bullying is to stand up to it. (This is true on big international stages as well as little schoolyard ones.)
Bullying goes unchecked because kids aren't taught this fact of life, and because teachers are expected to be able to monitor and enforce anti-bullying rules. Unrealistic, unfair to teachers, and anyway it doesn't work. "Zero tolerance" policies are just educrat CYA.
More problematic is the fact that too many people are raising their boys to be girly men, and those same people think a Kumbaya attitude will make bullying go away. Again, the wishy washy liberal idiots make the same mistakes in every arena.
Social media provides a whole new set of playgrounds for bullies to inhabit, as well. This is a real problem and is unlikely to be solved anytime soon.
Posted by: Porchlight | March 10, 2011 at 08:05 PM
The congressman told a teachable story this morning. One problem: It’s untrue.
Great link centralcal.
Posted by: Janet | March 10, 2011 at 08:05 PM
No argument with that, MayBee. The father I know somehow got his late kid's email ID and read through the stuff people were sending him, and then went to myspace and found out whatever else was going on, so he knows in gory detail what triggered the suicide. A more normal kid would have obviously handled it differently, but I believe that's his whole point: Some kids are weak enough to be bullied into suicide.
Posted by: Extraneus | March 10, 2011 at 08:06 PM
I think things were far different when I was in school as I don't recall any bullying problems. I cannot imagine our teachers or the principle putting up with it for even a moment and I know the bus drivers wouldn't either. By the time my kids were in school, discipline in school had deteriorated, but I never heard about a bullying problem with their schools either. Perhaps if teachers weren't out bullying their political opponents, kids wouldn't get the idea that it is sanctioned behavior.
Of course, back then, parents still took the responsible line and disciplined their own kids rather than treat them like breakable china figurines that have to be protected from everything and everyone and threaten to sue if their little Billy or Suzy are even looked at crosswise.
I'm old school, I guess. I tend to think it is child abuse to protect your kids from everything and not let them learn on their own that there are things that can hurt you or upset you and they better figure out how to deal with it. We don't allow kids any independence and then at 18 we say, okay now you are an adult and if you screw up you will face the worst of adult consequences, when they've never even had to learn to deal with kid consequences.
Posted by: Sara (Pal2Pal) | March 10, 2011 at 08:10 PM
You bring up a good point, Ext. Email networks, facebook and other social media allow verbal ganging up on those who are perceived to be vulnerable. I am sure this has a multiplier effect unlike even our grown children encountered.
Posted by: Jim Rhoads a/k/a vjnjagvet | March 10, 2011 at 08:10 PM
A big aspect of bullying is who defines it? With all the "you are wonderful" kids around, many have never heard a negative thing about themselves. Not everyone is gonna like you & think you are wonderful...what are you gonna do? That's not bullying...that's life.
Not all of coarse, and I don't mean to excuse excessive hatefulness & physical harm, but some of the bullied are just fragile kids that have been raised that way.
Posted by: Janet | March 10, 2011 at 08:16 PM
Maybee,
That ABC News report leads me to wonder whether there is a version of MadLibs for political reporters. If not, I suggest JournoLibs:
1. Walker; 2. Director of the Service Employees International Union; 3. as 1, above; 4. Wisconsin's people.
Posted by: Elliott | March 10, 2011 at 08:17 PM
A more normal kid would have obviously handled it differently, but I believe that's his whole point: Some kids are weak enough to be bullied into suicide.
I believe that's true, and that's a reason I believe any anti-bullying program has to work on giving at-risk kids the tools to get themselves out of the being bullied cycle.
Posted by: MayBee | March 10, 2011 at 08:19 PM
oh, Elliott. That is brilliant.
Posted by: MayBee | March 10, 2011 at 08:20 PM
I think it was dumb to ask Clapper that question, under oath and in a public forum, without all of it having been previewed. Questions and answers of that kind should be reserved for executive session.
Posted by: Danube of Thought | March 10, 2011 at 08:22 PM
Elliott, heh. That fits with an education based on cut & paste skills.
Posted by: Henry | March 10, 2011 at 08:22 PM
Is their a list of businesses/countries that unions/socialists have bankrupted/destroyed?
Posted by: Curious Jorge | March 10, 2011 at 08:29 PM
DoT- that's what I think, too.
Posted by: MayBee | March 10, 2011 at 08:29 PM
DoT-
We're on the same page on that one.
Too much Schumeritis going around for my liking.
Posted by: Melinda Romanoff | March 10, 2011 at 08:30 PM
--They figured the Libyan protesters are watching and will be bummed that Clapper thinks Kaddaffi will win.--
Protesters? They're in a civil war and I imagine the ones most involved are watching tanks shooting at them and planes bombing them not the Fox news all stars.
More than likely Gaddafhi will ruthlessly win without foreign intervention or some event precipitating mass military defections.
Mubarak he aint.
Posted by: Ignatz | March 10, 2011 at 08:31 PM
BTW I got a call from Romney's pact today, a lovely woman from Iowa. I told her I lived in MA under Romneycare and while I liked Mitt I could never support him because of Romneycare. She said she never heard that before - which I actually doubt.
Posted by: Jane | March 10, 2011 at 08:38 PM
Some kids are weak enough to be bullied into suicide.
If you have a child that weak, how, as a parent, could you not know about it? Of course, they knew about it, it is just that parents that raise children that weak are weak themselves and believe that weakness and appeasement are good traits, so they never teach their children to stand up for themselves.
My parents had one response to bad behavior, "what did you do to cause it?" And then the old "sticks and stones can break your bones, but names can never hurt you." My Dad's attitude was, if they touch you, I'll kill them, anything less, don't bother me with kids' squabbles, handle it. To be fair, if I had needed advice on how to handle something, my Dad would have lots of witty ideas.
Posted by: Sara (Pal2Pal) | March 10, 2011 at 08:44 PM
Daffy and King Abby are not dependent upon the kindness of strangers for their maintenance. I wouldn't be surprised to see them exchange blood for oil on a pint for pint basis.
Posted by: Rick Ballard | March 10, 2011 at 08:49 PM
Obama Administration Will Issue 'Handful' of Drilling Permits
But get this:
This administration complaining about "overreach" is a bit much.
Posted by: PD | March 10, 2011 at 08:53 PM
What I posted this morning was not to disagree that bullying was a problem. It's just a head's up that a legitimate problem is once again being used as a cover for a more pernicious agenda that could not be implemented in the sunlight.
Porch- Like your view. I told my kids "Neither a bully nor a martyr be".
I believe my repeated quote was "You cannot instigate, escalate, but you don't have to put up with it either."
One daughter looked at the sneaky playground bully who was a master at knowing when the teachers were looking and told him that her mother said she could hit him back if he touched her because she had talked to her mom about what was happening. He looked shocked and left her alone.
"Use your words" can be terrible playground advice.
Posted by: rse | March 10, 2011 at 09:06 PM
Jomo Tribe,
Before we retire to our wigwams or teepees, how about a big hoo-ah to Governor Scott "Big Cajones" Walker.
Posted by: Jack is Back! | March 10, 2011 at 09:21 PM
I was the smallest kid in the class..and probabkly the weakest in a tough neighborhood. Everytime someone bullied me, I'd challenge them to a fight. I couldn't possibly win and never did, but they quickly figured it was more trouble than it was worth.
Posted by: clarice feldman | March 10, 2011 at 09:22 PM
Don't be fooled that MO and Bo really care about bullying. They are experts at it.
Look at the price tag of the program. $132 million to hand out as they see fit.
It is also just another way to tell us to shut up. In other words, the 2012 republican candidate better watch out what they say.
Remember Obama needs to know whose ass to kick.
Posted by: Ann | March 10, 2011 at 09:23 PM
rse: excellent advice. Sometimes having a "mouth" instead of "muscle" can do wonders.
Only had one minor bullying incident happen to me in grade school. A gang of tough girls tried to corner me and a couple of my nerdy-ish friends.
I had a strong mother, who knew how and when it was appropriate to use strong language (which included profanity). I channeled her with all my young might. And . . . the bullies went away.
Posted by: centralcal | March 10, 2011 at 09:28 PM
O.M.G. Ann!!!! Woo Hoo!!! We are even commenting on the same day and at the same hour! How rare is that?
So damned good to see you while I am here.
Posted by: centralcal | March 10, 2011 at 09:29 PM
Saw a Gallup poll where a slight plurality--something like 39`45--favors limiting the power of public-sector unions.
It's impossible for me to believe that anybody could support public unions at all who is not either a union member himself, or a Democrat who just likes the campaign cash they provide. There is no justification for it from the standpoint of public policy; it has been about political favoritism from its very inception.
Posted by: Danube of Thought | March 10, 2011 at 09:30 PM
Everrone just remember, Wisconsin is just the warm up:
‘The Most Predictable Economic Crisis in History’
“I think it will come before two years,” Simpson countered. “I think within a year, at the end of the year, if [the people who hold our debt] just thought you’re playing with fluff—5, 6, 7 percent of this hole—they’re going to say, ‘I want some money for my paper.’ And if there’s anything money guys love, it’s money. And money guys, when they start losing money, panic. And let me tell you they will. It won’t matter what the government does, they’ll say ‘I want my money, I’ve got a better place for it…’ Just saying for me, it won’t be a year.”
...
Even Warren Buffett — Obama’s favorite rich guy — doesn’t have enough confidence in the president’s economic stewardship to invest in long-term U.S. bonds any more.
Jim Rogers, a global investment haunch who predicted the recent housing-market crash, told Bloomberg: “U.S. government bonds are not a safe haven…I cannot conceive of lending money to the U.S. government for 30 years.”
Posted by: Ranger | March 10, 2011 at 09:32 PM
Remember they believe as good Alinskyites in
'the persuasion of power' rather than the 'power of persuasion', to his domestic 'enemies; for foreign rivals, it's a different
story.
Posted by: narciso | March 10, 2011 at 09:33 PM
I don't think Obama was bullied about his ears, which his longer hair hid. But I bet he was teased by his smaller classmates during his age 6-10 yrs in Indonesia about being the fat kid. He'd rather blame the "bullying" on his ears, something over which he had no control, than his overeating or a negligent mother with her own weight problems.
Posted by: DebinNC | March 10, 2011 at 09:36 PM
You too, cc.
My experience with school was the mean girls always made up things about me. My grandmother always told me that I must be worth talking about and I have believe it ever since. LOL
Posted by: Ann | March 10, 2011 at 09:37 PM
Clarice, that is weird. I always picture you as 9 feet tall. :) Smooches.
Posted by: Ann | March 10, 2011 at 09:43 PM
DOT: Don't you think that the 88% of the country who do not belong to unions, didn't really understand the distinction between public and private sector unions? One positive out of all these state employee union flareups in different states is more non-union people are beginning to understand that with public sector unions, already covered by civil service, the employer is not some evil corporation but them, the individual taxpayer.
I overheard a man at the AM-PM say, as he picked up the newspaper with a picture of the WI demonstrators on the front page, "What's next, unionizing the military."
Posted by: Sara (Pal2Pal) | March 10, 2011 at 09:43 PM
Bammy was bullied (probably just made fun of which, with his severe personal issues, just felt like being bullied) for being a needy POS who couldn't get along with anybody in Indonesia which is why Stanley Ann shipped him out. And why he created this imaginary world where his father wasn't a drunken lowlife who wanted no part of him.
Posted by: Captain Hate | March 10, 2011 at 09:47 PM
CH: It didn't occur to me earlier, but are we talking about teasing or being made fun of as if that is bullying? If so, then I was wrong about my school. We were always calling someone a spaz, or even queer, when queer still meant goofball and gay still meant happy.
Posted by: Sara (Pal2Pal) | March 10, 2011 at 10:00 PM
Before we retire to our wigwams or teepees, how about a big hoo-ah to Governor Scott "Big Cajones" Walker.
Hoo-ah, Governor Walker! I knew you would stand tall. Thanks for not letting us down like nearly every other GOPer ever born.
Thanks, JiB.
Posted by: Porchlight | March 10, 2011 at 10:02 PM
There really is no collective bargaining with public unions. It is a big charade. Politicians pretend to bargain. Unions agonize over the contracts. Then dramatically, a compromise is reached. The unions get there money and benefits, the politicians get reelected and the taxpayers get the bill. Nice system. No one bargains for the taxpayers.
Posted by: jorod | March 10, 2011 at 10:04 PM
i think some of you folks are totally Pollyanna about bullying. when i was in high school i had one guy harassing me so persistently and violently that my parents had to involve the police; the school district did nothing because i was a hippie in the early 1970s and they hated me and my peers. similarly, the school did nothing when the boxing team member repeatedly assaulted me in the halls; by then i was able to transfer out. if guns had been available as freely in the early 1970s as they are today, somebody might have died. it wasn't cute, it wasn't minor, and it wasn't something that could be solved just by standing up to the perp.
Posted by: macphisto | March 10, 2011 at 10:04 PM
I won't go into my mistake of being bullied as a kid, but it took me eight years, every day, to climb out of the hole I dug for myself. I was a bit too proud to tell my dad what was up.
Coming out of it with a face looking like Marciano didn't hurt either. (Surgically repaired now, thank you.)
Everybody gets their dose somewhere, it just is part of growing up. Don't anthropologists study this stuff about simian behavior the exact same way?
Posted by: Melinda Romanoff | March 10, 2011 at 10:05 PM
"Everybody gets their dose somewhere, it just is part of growing up."
that's what Kinsey said. [/sarc]
Posted by: macphisto | March 10, 2011 at 10:07 PM
Closing the barn door and all that:
Posted by: Sara (Pal2Pal) | March 10, 2011 at 10:07 PM
Cap'n, Stanley Ann didn't ship him out because he couldn't get along (although I'm sure he was needy). She shipped him out because he wasn't the bio kid of her then husband and as such he was a pain in the ass and getting in the way.
No matter how much I despise the adult Barry, I still feel sorry for the child Barry. With the exception of Toot who seemed like a normal human, he sure got stuck with a bunch of losers.
Posted by: Porchlight | March 10, 2011 at 10:08 PM
Levin interviewing Congs King and Bachman tonight.
Please call your cong and tell him to vote no on the CR until it strips the surreptitious $105B of self-funding from Obamacare.
King and Bachman spin this as one of the last best hopes to stop Obamacare.
Posted by: Jim Ryan | March 10, 2011 at 10:13 PM