OB Rag

By Mark Niquette / Bloomberg News / Feb 22, 2011

Protesters demonstrated at the Ohio Statehouse before a hearing on a bill to limit collective- bargaining for public employees as Wisconsin’s Assembly prepared to vote on a similar measure.

In Ohio, protesters packed the Statehouse atrium as a crowd gathered on the steps outside because the Ohio Highway Patrol is limiting the number of people inside for safety reasons, said Joe Andrews, a spokesman for the Department of Public Safety. Former Governor Ted Strickland, who came to support the demonstrators, said more people should be allowed in.

By Chris Bowers / AlterNet / February 22, 2011

Mirroring events in Wisconsin, Democrats in the Indiana House have left the state to deny a quorum and block legislation that would strip collective bargaining rights. From the Indianapolis Star:

House Democrats are leaving the state rather than vote on anti-union legislation, The Indianapolis Star has learned.

A source said Democrats are headed to Illinois, though it was possible some also might go to Kentucky. They need to go to a state with a Democratic governor to avoid being taken into police custody and returned to Indiana.

A Fictional Oddity

Heaven and earth are threads from one loom. -Shaker proverb

by A.W. Maris

“Are you an ocean lover?” she asked. “Is that why you’re in Ocean Beach?”

You stood still, anticipating reaction. Instead his gaze remained fixed on the muted stone of the Veterans Memorial at the foot of Newport Avenue. Allison thinks, ‘WE LIVE HERE, YOU TWIT!’ but having observed ‘little miss perky blonde’ asking the same question of another couple, strikes back with, “What’s your game?”.

By E.J. Dionne, Jr. / truthdig.com

Take five steps back and consider the nature of the political conversation in our nation’s capital. You would never know that it’s taking place at a moment when unemployment is still at 9 percent, when wages for so many people are stagnating at best, and when the United States faces unprecedented challenges to its economic dominance.

People from across the world have donated to provide free pizza to protesting Wisconsinites

By Meredith Shiner / Politico

MADISON, Wis. — Someone in Egypt has been paying attention to what’s happening in Madison and wanted to send a message of solidarity from across the globe — so they ordered a pizza.

It might seem like a small gesture, but it’s overwhelming to the staff at Ian’s on State Street — a campus staple mere blocks from the Capitol — where in the last few days, they’ve fielded calls from concerned citizens of 12 countries, and 38 out of 50 states looking to donate money to provide free pizza to the Wisconsinites who have congregated here.

February 21st – a day of joy; a day of sorrow. Today is my birthday; Today also marks the 17 month anniversary of my husband’s death. Right next to my birthday candles will be a memorial candle to Bob. This article is not so much about my birthday as it is about Bob’s death. You see, he died of LUNG CANCER 18 months after it was diagnosed.

Bob was a smoker for 30 years. He admitted to smoking 3 packs a day before he quit 34 years ago. If he “admitted” to 3 packs a day, one can’t help but wonder just how many packs he really smoked daily. It doesn’t matter, because he ranked giving up smoking as his #1 accomplishment in life. His Ph.D was secondary to giving up smoking.

The greatest threat of the 21st Century is not terrorism or religious fanaticism or nationalism….. it is concentrated power – both political and economic – within the corporate state. That very power, concentrated in an elite, an oligarchy, whether national or local, is an interlocking system of wealth, politics, media, and corporations whose sole purpose is to destroy the ability of individual citizens to organize together for the common good through the mechanism of government.

A meeting was held on Friday regarding the status of the VFW. As of yet, there does not seem to be any other available building in the 92107 area code. They only have a few days (?) left to move into the Pt. Loma facility, without jeopardizing their liquor license.

I do not know if this is fact – or fiction – but I was told that the rent for the Pt. Loma facility is next to nothing and the agreement was that the VFW would fix it up using their own monies.

By James Kelleher / Reuters / Sat Feb 19, 2011 3:55pm EST MADISON, Wisconsin (Reuters) – Supporters of legislation to…

Sitting with thoughts dancing in my mind about all the hope that I had recently seen rise in Cairo, I looked online for an image to match how I felt inside and a picture of a rich yellow sun rising or setting in a reddish orange sky caught the attention of my eyes and I literally found myself mesmerized by its beauty.

What does democracy look like? Does it look like teachers, police, firefighters, librarians, nurses, the people who remove snow and trash, and social workers who have peacefully and in large numbers turned out to support the right of working and middle class people to participate in unions and in the collective bargaining process?

Rally in Support of Wisconsin Workers and Collective Bargaining Rights! This week, the OB Rag has been helping our readers…