Cops with gas

Having seen the video of the policemen pepper spraying the students at UC Davis, and watching them trying to provoke those students who sat placidly on the ground without resisting, I am angry. In the first place, calling the police onto a college campus to interfere with a peaceful demonstration by students is a radical act unbecoming an administrator.

Secondly, if I were a student pepper sprayed under these conditions, I would certainly sue the cops holding the spray cans. Exceeding one's authority as an officer of the law is negligence; and battery -- even by a law officer -- is a felony.

How about never closing?

I have heard of several attempts by employees of retail stores to protest against the early openings that now accompany the "black Friday" madness/shopper rampage. These openings are going to deny vacations and holidays for many workers.

The most recent I have heard of was by some Best Buy employees. I understand that there are Facebook petitions that buyers and workers can sign, although I haven't been to any of those sites.

With the killing off of unions and the failure of government to intervene (government, after all, being now in the employ of the corporations that would compel workers to give up their holidays) there is really no reason why the big retailers cannot stay open all the time 24/7/365. To pay for the cost of this, they could pay their workers less under some guise that the government would accept as a waiver of the minimum wage laws.

Maybe Best Buy, for one example, could certify itself as a national security industry, and Walmart could certify itself as an arm of a foreign country, China, and therefore exempt itself from American law.

Let's just go back to an indentured servant economy; as the conservatives would say, "if you don't like it, don't take a job there."

ALICE'S corner

I heard some commentary this morning about Herman Cain answering every question with, "I'll consult advisors." If we look back, Rick Snyder said similar things when questioned about his plans for Michigan if he were elected. And the Saginaw News in it's endorsement of Snyder in effect said that they didn't know what he planned to do but they thought he was the better candidate. Scott Walker in WI, Rick Scott in FL, Rick Perry of TX, the governor of Ohio (can't spell it), Rick Snyder here in MI and Herman Cain all have close ties to the Koch brothers, and most have attended the ALEC seminars in CO. There must be a joke in there somewhere about so many of them having either Scott or Rick in their names. Is it CODE or something? :)

relativity

This is my older sister. She is the best activist in the family.

short quiz

Short quiz:

What's happening here?

No, you are not Penn State.

Being a fan of University of Michigan sports, because I graduated from that school, I am familiar with the feelings that go along with sports scandal. UM has had its share, especially in the basketball arena. There are people who have tried to excuse and apologize for the behavior that cast a dark shadow over my school. I have tried never to be one of those people.

When sports scandals damage the reputation of a great school like Penn State, students should rally in the direction of recovery and reform. Throwing stones, starting fires and screaming "We are Penn State" all night does even more harm to the University.

My good friend Bill has said many times that there is no sense of respect greater than going onto a campus. I agree. On campus, you wander into the promise of the future. You can feel the spirit of learning emanating from classrooms and diags. Nothing that happens in the secret places of the locker rooms, and no dishonor on the sports field, should be allowed to continue to damage that magical allure of university and student, teaching and learning, from adolescence to adulthood.

I have been on the campus at Penn State. It's a wonderful place. It's an exciting place. It's a great university. It was there before you arrived, or I visited. It will be there a long time after we are all gone. So, children, no! Screaming your chants mindlessly does not make you Penn State. On the contrary, it makes you less of a Nittany Lion.

Good Bye Andy Rooney

I didn't get old on purpose, it just happened. If you're lucky, it could happen to you.(photo: In Europe, 1943, the Year I was born.)

Notable Retirement

KASEY KELLER

American soccer goalkeeper.

At times has been called by soccer writers as the greatest goalie in the world. He has served as goalie for the U.S. MENS TEAM, 120 times. He's currently playing with the Seattle Sounders in the MLS, but has announced his retirement when this season is over.

the answer

Here's the answer to the last little quiz: How do you know my baby is both blind and stupid?

"Everybody loves my baby, but my baby don't love nobody but me." (1924)

The Loyal Opposition

A Virginia Republican Committee member has resigned after circulating this. So, I don't quite get it. Whatever happened to freedom of speech? Or isn't this a matter of legality?

money grab

See how the wealth falls into fewer and fewer hands.

Click on the chart to make it larger.

New Little Quiz

According to a song written in 1924, and done by Glenn Miller in 1944, and by Doris Day in 1955, how do we know that My Baby must be visually impaired and stupid?

News from here

Beautiful barista/bartenderess MARI has gone all zombie for Pub Crawl.

IRISH MIKE'S corner

JOB KILLING

This morning I was listening to an NPR report about a portion of the Jobs Bill ($35 billion) that would have provided for hiring police, firefighters, and teachers. It was voted down, with every single Republican Senator against it. Republicans keep talking about how taxing millionaires would kill jobs. To pay for the bill there would be a tax increase of .5% on millionaires, and of course that would be a 'job killer', according to the Republicans. But, If passed, Michigan's portion of that bill would have been $945 million, and that actually would have created thousands of Michigan jobs.

October 24, 2011

LANSING, Mich. - For the second time in as many weeks, a piece of President Obama's "Jobs Act" came to the floor of the Senate, and once again, it was blocked. The $35 billion bill, known as "Teachers and First Responders Back to Work," would have prevented thousands of layoffs in public schools and police and fire departments across Michigan. It would have been paid for with a 0.5 percent tax increase for millionaires. CLICK

Tuesday Morning Coffee Oldsters.

But, interesting and cute despite the age.

on vacation

There's no explanation for this. They wanted a picture, they got a picture.

We are home from the beach. Now I have to tend to my Blog again. I did read a couple of books as I sat and listened to the ocean make love to the shore. Holy cow! Maybe I should become a writer, too.

I just read about Michigan's former Attorney General who says that in retirement, he is "enjoying being a Democrat while living like a Republican." I understand his comment when I am in a place like Litchfield Beach. It's more beauty and comfort and leisure than I'm sure I've earned. My very good friend, Marsha, helps me stay humble, though. She called me a jerk, and I have to confess, she's right.

I'll probably post a couple more pictures of our "vacation" in South Carolina. I've become apprised of things I did not know while gone because I didn't keep a close enough eye on news and events. I am finding out that some Michigan fans are looking for a place to put the blame for our loss to MSU. Just being a Michigan fan as opposed to the other choice, is comfort enough for me. I am currently very proud of our team and its coaches for restoring our good name. Not every team has a good name, it seems.

As for the elimination of Ka-daffy, I wish it could have been done without our President 's illegal actions.

We've been missing our kids and grandkids!

more about killing Awlaki

Let's see where we agree and disagree.

1. I do NOT agree that the US is not fighting a war. In fact, I think it's a silly mincing of words for anyone to say that.
2. I do not agree that the killing of enemies is preferably done one way rather than another. I can't see any point in arguing that A a-A was not an enemy of the US.
3. I do not agree that foreign citizens who are captured by the US in conflict (Prisoners of War) are entitled to the same rights as American citizens.
4. I DO agree that there is a very serious constitutional question involved in hunting down American citizens and killing them. I think this should be settled. I keep wanting to hear the arguments for and against this, but no one I know will talk about that.
====
Frankly, I am disappointed that neither the Republicans nor the Democrats have been calling for Congressional hearings on this matter. It needs to be discussed and debated. Probably it needs to be sent to the Supreme Court and settled.

joke

"Well, the presidential race is getting interesting. In an effort to clear up his reputation as a flip-flopper, Mitt Romney will give a speech on health care. And then, right afterward, he'll give a five-minute rebuttal." —Jay Leno