Fezmid

Interesting article. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4529829.stm

Yup - and it's now called "the government." http://washingtonexaminer.com/politics/obama-dems-cut-deal-exempt-union-health-care-taxes

At least I actually LIVE in the state that this is happening in. And support it. As do many (if not the majority) of people. Elections have consequences. Deal with it.

Uh huh... Care to give some non-biased examples, other than the few thousand dollars that was donated during the election (of which the unions gave far more)? Didn't think so.

No, last I checked this is purely a Wisconsin thing. Unless I slept during the part of government class that said, "Lawmakers in one state can actually write laws for other states as well."

Why don't they just save taxpayer dollars by skipping the courts and just voting on it with everybody there. Sheesh. Do you actually LIVE in Wisconsin? If not, please don't say "we."

I live in Wisconsin, as do my in-laws. the in-laws are calling Walker a nazi, dictator, etc. I'm supporting what he's doing because it appears that he's trying to do what he said he was going to do - which is balance Wisconsin's budget. That's what elections are for - and if it doesn't work out, someone else can step in with their ideas. I think it's utterly ridiculous that the democratic senators fled the state. I think it's utterly ridiculous the lies/slander that are being told in the media against the republicans. (seen in threads here - like the "Walker won't negotiate" mantra that turned out to be 100% false - he just wasn't negotiating in the MEDIA, unlike the democrats; I respect that). It's too early to decide who to vote for in the next election. I'm willing to let things shake out and see what happens. Lots of people protested ObamaCare and those people were told to shut up. Lots of people protesting reduction in union privs, but the media is making them out to be victims? Why the double standard? Care to explain? Are you saying that if the state doesn't give in to demands of the public unions that the unions will indeed start breaking the law in a whiny hissy-fit? I have no problem with a private union. I do have a problem with a public union on many fronts that we've already discussed. That said, why didn't the police and fire chief send the threat under their own name instead of incorporating the entire police/fire unions in the statement? Do those people speak for the entire force? What if I'm a police officer in favor of what's going on? I have no problem with Joe Citizen threatening a boycott, or even getting a collection of signatures from everyone at the police/fire station. But I do have a problem with saying, "We're firefighters and policemen, and you better renounce Walker or else!" Might not be illegal, but seems unethical to me.

The difference, in my opinion, is when you have the police and fire department making it sound like, "Do what we say or we won't help you out." That's where I think the line has been crossed. I agree with what Tom's saying too, but for me the meat of it revolves around the veiled threat of not doing their job if the business doesn't listen. If the individuals had all written letters to the business, I'd have no problem with it. There's a difference between, "Joe Citizen is going to boycot if you don't do what I say," compared to, "Police Chief Citizen is going to boycot if you don't do what I say." Wouldn't you agree?

That's the question though - is it legal for the police department and fire department to send a threatening letter saying, "Obey or else?" And if it is, should it be?

Boycotting is one thing. When the first two signatures are "police department" and "fire department," it makes the implication that if you don't agree with them then you won't be protected. I have no problem with individual boycotting, but when you do it in the name of the police/fire department I think you've crossed a line.

http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2007/08/levitation-disc/ Not quite there yet, but getting closer: http://www.livescience.com/9810-memory-erasing-drugs-result-brain-discovery.html

Yeah - he's not saying the music industry is dead. He's just saying it's lost a lot of its magic. Most people don't flip through liner notes, see the artwork, etc anymore. It's similar to people who complained about the artwork shrinking when we went from LPs to CDs.

You can't make this stuff up: http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/118055779.html?page=1

How best to counteract the new bill? Let's give out raises effective retroactively before the bill becomes a law! http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/117983444.html

To be fair, the article did say "excluding retirement accounts." I don't know that I'll ever be worth $3.5 million if I can't count the retirement accounts. But your point is pretty much spot on... Unless you're a member of a union.

There's obviously a market or they wouldn't have made the deal with the movie studios.

A few years ago, we just finished making breakfast. I walked by the electric stove to get the orange juice from the fridge and I noticed a weird white film on the burner. Without thinking, I said, "Huh, wonder what this is?" as I ran my finger along the burner. There was much swearing at both the extreme pain and the extreme stupidity.

"Not feeling rich" is not the same as "feeling poor." Even though my wife and I make a good salary, I don't feel rich at all. That doesn't mean I feel poor though. Headlines like the article and this thread are what help make people so polarized.

And you've never done anything stupid like that before? Yes you have, there just wasn't a camera around.

Another one: http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/261231/t-shirt-wars-robert-costa

I doubt you'll pay any attention - but this is a good article that confirms what the Milwaukee paper was saying: Reps and Dems WERE negotiating, including Walker's staff. http://www.weeklystandard.com/articles/wisconsin_554095.html

I keep seeing everybody saying that the Xoom is more expensive, but they're really not... 32G Xoom with 3G/4G contract = $599 32G iPad 2 with 3G contract (4G not available) = $729 16G iPad 2 with 3G contract (4G not available) = $629 32G Xoom with WiFi only = $539 (rumored - http://www.neowin.ne...ril-3rd-for-539 ) 32GB iPad 2 with WiFi only = $599 The only price point where the iPad 2 wins with price is the 16GB model, something the Xoom doesn't have: 16GB iPad 2 with WiFi only = $499 The Xoom has a memory slot which is currently not activated but is supposed to be in the next month or two so you can cheaply upgrade the storage as well. It's true that the iPad has a head start in apps right now, but if developers start supporting Android then they'll catch up with the useful/cool ones in no time. (60,000 apps, but most of them aren't really worth using). Time will tell, but I wouldn't count out Google.

I like how you don't know how to use the internet to do research. The same stuff is being said on all of the sites. But I guess it's easier for you to just B word and moan instead of actually LEARNING about things on your own (for example, your comment that Walker was probably still going to layoff 1,500 employees). So you're against the governor dictating terms, but it's ok for the union to? Like I said before, the governor didn't say, "Pay more for pension and health care," wait for the union to say ok, and then come back and say, "Oh, and also remove collective bargaining!" It was part of the ENTIRE bill from the beginning. The union coming back and saying, "We'll do these two things" doesn't mean they already gave all of the required concessions. Wrong again on SOOO many counts. It's one thing to have a difference of opinion. It's another thing to ignore the FACTS just to make your arguments sound better. FACT: The republicans were giving concessions, including Walker. FACT: The governor's staff met with Miller (democratic senator) at a McDonalds in Kenosha, WI. They also met with other democrats in Beloit. So the statement that State Police would have dragged them to the capitol was wrong as well. The two sides WERE negotiating, but the democrats clearly wanted it 100% their way. Try to do some research on your own. Like I said, I live here and have been following the news closely. Is the Milwaukee Journal Sentinal a better source for you? It even has a sensational title for you and everything! http://election2010....mocratic-leader "Walker said the meeting in the McDonald’s had gone so well that his staff had called just before midnight to wake him up and brief him on the talks. But he said Miller is “standing in the way” of compromise by preventing a deal discussed with Jauch and Cullen from going forward." Huh? Your statement makes no sense at all. How is enticing a business to move to a state the same as taking the state hostage by striking and closing down schools...? :unsure: Well, considering only a very small percentage (I think I read 9%?) of WI employees are public union.... Meaning 90+% work for private companies... I don't think those 90% are getting screwed, and I don't think the 9% are "saving" the rest of us.

Softball! The bill doesn't change CURRENT contracts, it limits collective bargaining for FUTURE contracts. Nothing is changing instantaneously.0 http://www.patriotactionnetwork.com/forum/topics/wisconsin-officials-rush-to-1?xg_browser=iphone Pawns? Umm, yeah, sure. Do you choose to ignore everything you read? Did you not read any of the links I posted that showed the republicans WERE negotiating with the AWOL Democrats? And when the dems were caught red handed, they said, "No, we weren't negotiating, we were just having DISCUSSIONS!" I don't know all of the details around this -- but if another state offers low tax rates and businesses move out, then the state gets less revenue because they don't get to tax the employee wages. I know Iowa and South Dakota are trying to pull businesses from Minnesota with this tactic. Yes, thanks to the unions we have some good employee protection laws. But that was the past. You sound like a typical union employee -- "I've given 20 years to this company! They can't be mean to me now!" Guess what, you're paid for what you're contributing to the company NOW, not what you contributed a few decades ago. Or do we have to keep thanking the French for our independence too? Viva la France!

Yes, this is exactly like the civil rights movement of last century. http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/117798133.html