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Unions On The Offensive Against Possible Right-To-Work Bill in Michigan
Training sessions teach union members what to say when pressuring lawmakers
Rarely has a lame-duck session of the Legislature in Michigan prompted so much interest from the media or the public.
State health care exchange legislation was hotly debated, then shelved. Education reform has been proposed. Regional transit is being discussed, and unions in Michigan are rallying behind the possibility that a right-to-work bill will be introduced and signed by the governor.
Those are significant issues that separately will shape the state's future.
Interestingly, the issue that is causing the most handwringing — right-to-work — is the only one of the group without any actual action in the Legislature. No bill has been introduced.
Unions are so worried that they might lose their closed shop privileges that they are holding meetings across the state telling people how to apply pressure to state legislators to make them aware of the repercussions (read: recall) if they vote "yes" on a right-to-work bill.
Stay Engaged
The trainees are being told to be polite when they blast the phone lines of elected officials offices because being divisive might lessen their credibility, according to a person who attended a session Tuesday. Special software could be provided to help intensify the volume of calls and trainees are being told to recruit three friends who will make calls and who will then recruit three other friends.
When they call, they'll have all the labor talking points to use. They'll use selective facts and figures that fit union narratives about the "dangers" of worker freedom and choice. And there will be the usual rollout of how education will suffer and how public safety will be threatened if Michigan becomes a state that allows workers to decide if they want to be in a union and be forced to pay dues or a fee to be represented.
The state's unions will tell the media and the public that workers earn less if a right-to-work bill is passed and signed, and the unions will say such a bill will destroy unions.
What they won't tell everyone is that unions can and will still exist if Michigan becomes the 24th right-to-work state and that such a law simply makes it illegal for unions to force people to pay for representation as a condition of employment.
On Thursday, Gov. Rick Snyder said everyone should "remain calm and not be firing back and forth," according to a story in the Detroit Free Press. Only the only side firing shots is labor.
Republican legislators and the business community have remained quiet on the issue. Gov. Snyder has repeated his long-standing insistence that the issue is divisive and not on his agenda.
Though unions represent only about 17 percent of the state's workforce, they provide a disproportionate amount of noise on issues that affect their protectionist privileges. Expect that they also will spare no expense trying to protect their turf.
See also:
Right to Work vs. Forced Unionization Facts
Related Articles:
Done: With School Pension Reform, State's Big Pension Liabilities Contained
84 Companies Offered $63.8 Million Michigan Taxpayer Dollars In 2016
Public Safety Workers in Michigan Now Enjoy Right-to-Work
Kentucky Becomes Nation's 27th Right-to-Work State
Gov. Rick Snyder's Fiscal Policy Legacy
Incomes Rise in Right-to-Work Michigan; Officials Project More To Come


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KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Afghanistan's president praised Pakistan on Tuesday for releasing a group of Taliban prisoners, a move he hopes will kick start peace talks with the militant group, the president's office said.
The praise came in a meeting between President Hamid Karzai and Pakistan's powerful army chief of staff, Gen. Ashfaq Kayani, who is in Kabul for a one-day visit. Kayani also met with senior members of the international military coalition.
Karzai "praised Pakistan's decision to release, for the success of the peace process, a number of Taliban prisoners," the Afghan president's office said in a statement.
Pakistan has so far released at least nine Taliban prisoners. The most prominent was former Justice Minister Nooruddin Turabi, who served when the Taliban ruled Afghanistan in the 1990s. Afghan officials said last week that the Pakistanis have agreed to release others as well.
The release is seen as a signal that Pakistan might be willing to take concrete steps to revive efforts to lure the Taliban to the negotiating table to work out an agreement before international forces hand over security duties to the Afghans by the end of 2014.
The prisoner release could help in that, but obstacles remain. It is unclear whether the Taliban even intend to take part in the process, or just wait until foreign forces withdraw to make a move.
Pakistan is seen as key to the peace process. Islamabad has ties to the Taliban that date back to the 1990s, and many of the group's leaders are believed to be based on Pakistani territory, after fleeing there following the U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan in 2001.
Karzai's office said his discussions with Kayani on Tuesday were "frank, cordial and in depth." The two talked about the Afghan peace process and how to improve relations, the statement said. The Afghans said Kayani supported efforts to bring peace and security to Afghanistan.
But fighting continues. In western Afghanistan on Tuesday, a bombing killed a former Taliban commander who left the insurgency and joined the Afghan police force. The remote-controlled bomb exploded near Noor Mohammad Jahani's house in Farah city, the capital of the province of the same name, said provincial government spokesman Abdul Rahman Zhawandai. Jahani was killed and one of his bodyguards was wounded, Zhawandai said.
Jahani repudiated his Taliban ties two years ago and joined the Afghan police. He was in charge of two police checkpoints in Farah province's Bala Buluk district, Zhawandai said.

subset: commoncrawl


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A southwest suburban man is accused of biting off a piece of another man's ear during a fight Friday morning in Justice, authorities said.
Richard Vody, 28, of the 7800 block of Garden Lane in Justice, was charged with aggravated battery, domestic battery and home invasion, according to a statement from the Cook County sheriff's office.
Vody's bail was set at $250,000 Saturday, but he posted bond and is no longer in custody, according to the sheriff's office.
Emergency crews responded to a call of a domestic battery at a home in the 200 block of Walnut Lane in unincorporated Cook County at 8:45 a.m. Friday and found Vody, the man — a 26-year-old from Westchester — and the man's girlfriend, according to the sheriff's office.
Vody forced his way into the home where the couple live and, during an argument with the victim, bit off about half of the man's right ear, according to the sheriff's office.
All three know each other.
Roberts Park Fire Protection District firefighters took the man to an area hospital for treatment. Police dogs helped find the missing part of the ear Saturday, according to the sheriff's office.
Vody is scheduled to appear in court Tuesday.
Twitter @RosemarySobol1


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Worship at St. John's United Church of Christ-Harmony, 11821 E. Grant Highway, Hampshire, will held outdoors in the pavilion at 9 a.m. June 23. Special music will be provided by the Good News! quartet from Sycamore.
Worship will be followed by the annual potluck church picnic, featuring hot dogs and hamburgers on the grill.
All are welcome to join this special program. All activities will be moved indoors if necessary.
For more information or questions, call the church office at 815-923-4263.


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Moderators: Nighthawk4, Dungeon Masters
GunnJ wrote:A photo finish for second and third!
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R. H. wrote:Why do some people blame everyone but themselves for their problems, if they don't get that they are the problem, than there is no solution!
9fires wrote:Mikona it is.
wolfwielder wrote:http://wiki.avlis.org/Needed_files
Merry Christmas!
AandA wrote:Welcome! And say goodbye to Christmas vacation!
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Hi - I got an XO unit in the Give one Get one offer and have played around with it and would like to donate it on a trip I am personally taking to Kenya. Trouble is, I cant find on it anywhere info on the input voltage limits. I have the standard American plug, but if it is acceptable for this unit to work on an input up to 240 V, then I can donate it with a simple plug adapter. If the input voltage wont work, then I would have to also supply a step up/down transformer I think.
I tried to email and got no where. I also called the 617area code number and the voice mail there was full.....
Does anyone know what the input voltage limits are on the US delivered units?


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Around this time of the year the surprise UPS and Fedex shipments begin to fade and the flow of new games fades to a trickle, making it an excellent time to fish for the illusive video game blogger with a mysterious rainbow suitcase.
This is a rather cute little package for a game I wouldn't have paid much attention to otherwise. It probably didn't cost too much outside of the bag (or inside of the bag), and damn if those weren't the most flavourful gummi worms I've ever tasted. I give Fishing Resort a 10 out of 10 fictional we don't give scores points.


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Sunny latino track with dance evolution, feeleng a holyday at the seaside. Love, romantic, sun and sea. Brasil drums, ethnic percussion, piano and celesta, dance beats and synthesizers. WAV and MP3, enjoy and don't forget to rate and comment!
Sale price for this item in Romantic Pack!
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My Collections
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I am available for freelance work. If you are interested, please contact me.
I am also available to modify/customize any of my AudioJungle tracks if it is need – just also contact me.


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A Lakeland woman is in a North Carolina jail accused of asking her two young children to kill their grandparents with a knife she sent to them, according to information from North Carolina authorities.
LAKELAND | Leticia Silva had a long-distance relationship with her daughters in North Carolina, one nurtured by phone calls and mailed presents.
But through that occasional contact, Silva tried to coax her girls, ages 7 and 10, into murdering their paternal grandparents, authorities said. Silva is accused of mailing them a Christmas present with a pocket knife hidden inside and, in a phone call, asking them to get a steak knife from the kitchen to use in the attack.
The grandparents, who have had custody of the children for seven years, found the steak knife under a pillow on one of the girls' beds and contacted the Pitt County, N.C., Sheriff's Office last month, said Christy Wallace, sheriff's spokeswoman.
"They completely came clean with the grandparents immediately," Wallace said.
Silva, 31, lived with her boyfriend's mother, Mary Snell, in South Lakeland. Lakeland Police Department officers tried to arrest Silva last month, Snell said, but she wasn't there when they arrived. Silva drove to North Carolina last weekend and turned herself in to deputies Monday.
Silva was booked into the Pitt County Jail in Greenville, N.C., and charged with four counts of solicitation to commit first-degree murder. She attempted to have her bail reduced Tuesday, Wallace said, but it remains at $5 million.
Polk County Jail records show Silva, whose name is listed as Silva-Carpintero, was arrested in Lakeland in November on a charge of driving with a suspended license.
The Florida Department of Corrections website shows Silva served eight months in prison in 2010 after being convicted in Desoto County on drug charges. Prison records show she was living in Arcadia when she was released from prison.
Snell said the grandparents gained custody of the children while Silva was serving her prison sentence.
After her release from prison, Silva attempted to get her life in order, Snell said. She worked late at IHOP, saved for an apartment and tried to avoid arrest — all with hopes regaining custody of her daughters.
Snell, with whom Silva lived for several months, doubts the accusations against Silva are true. The young mother seemed to want to do anything to keep her relationship with the girls, and never gave up hope of one day regaining their custody.
Snell thinks the grand- parents made up the accusations.
"Why would she go to the lengths to do something stupid like that?" Snell said. "She wasn't that type of person."
Silva learned North Carolina deputies had an arrest warrant for her when five LPD vehicles arrived at the home last month and officers searched for her, Snell said.
The grandparents told Silva the nature of the accusations in a phone call, Snell said. Silva drove to North Carolina this past weekend, Snell said, because she wants to challenge the charges.
"I have to do it," Snell remembers Silva saying, "because it's not true."
[ Matthew Pleasant can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com or 863-802-7590. ]


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Getting the latest version of Android is a constant concern for the enthusiasts out there, and Android 4.0 is one of the more significant shifts we've seen. So it's understandable that people are clamoring to know when they'll be getting it. Samsung's dramatic rise to popularity amongst Android users in general and our readership specifically, coupled with the fact that they have been responsible for the last two Nexus devices, means that they perhaps have the largest target on their back.
Our list of Samsung devices that will and won't be receiving Android 4.0 can be found at the bottom of this post and will be updated as new information becomes available.
Will my device be updated?
As you are no doubt aware, Samsung was first out of the gate with Android 4.0 on first the Galaxy Nexus and then the Nexus S, but those are Nexus devices and that was to be expected. They have, in my opinion, been slightly less forthcoming than some of the other major manufacturers about their plans for the rest of their lineup.
The sheer number of devices they have released is no doubt at least partially to blame and despite often releasing the same line of phones (e.g., Galaxy S II) across many carriers, there are minor hardware variations in each that render the shared name less meaningful.
While Samsung hasn't given a comprehensive upgrade list yet, it is worth nothing that thus far Samsung has not committed to upgrading any of their single core devices. So for the time being, that's probably the best indicator of whether your Samsung device will be updated to Android 4.0. But don't conclude that if you do have a dual-core device then the update is guaranteed.
Latest Android 4.0 update news from Samsung
- 1/3/12 - Samsung Galaxy S won't be updated to Android 4.0 - "value pack" or otherwise
After a brief rumor surfaced that the Samsung Galaxy S variants might see an update to Android 4.0 that stripped out TouchWiz to make room (basically the dream scenario), the hopes of millions of Galaxy S owners were extinguished like so many Alderaanians. (Too soon?). It wasn't a terribly surprising decision, but considering this was the device that put Samsung on the map for Android users it would have been nice if they could have pulled it off.
- 12/20/11 - Galaxy Note, Galaxy S II to lead Samsung's Ice Cream Sandwich upgrades in Q1 2012
This was Samsung's biggest release of information regarding their Android 4.0 plans, but only positively identified a timeline for the Note and Galaxy S II.
Samsung devices that have Android 4.0
Samsung Galaxy Nexus (Global Version)
Samsung Galaxy Nexus LTE
Samsung Nexus S (rolling update should be completed in Q1)
Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 (unreleased)
Samsung Galaxy S II (Global version is receiving a rolling update)
Samsung devices that will receive Android 4.0 update in Q2
Samsung Galaxy Note (Global version)
Samsung devices that will receive Android 4.0; timeline unknown
Samsung Nexus S 4G (likely Q1)
Samsung Galaxy Note (AT&T)
Samsung Galaxy S II (T-Mobile)
Samsung Galaxy S II, Epic 4G Touch
Samsung Galaxy S II (AT&T)
Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket (Leaked update available)
Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket HD
Samsung Galaxy R
Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1
Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 LTE
Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9
Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7
Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 LTE
Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus
Samsung devices that will not be updated to Android 4.0
Samsung Galaxy S
Samsung Galaxy S Captivate
Samsung Galaxy S Fascinate
Samsung Galaxy S Vibrant
Samsung Galaxy Tab 7
Devices not listed here have not currently been commented on by Samsung


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Italian Bond Yields Bring Back Bad Memories
Italy's political stalemate has sent government bond yields spiking, in an episode reminiscent of what regularly transpired during the height of Europe's debt crisis the last few years.
Yields on 10-year Italian bonds jumped as high as 4.917% on Tuesday, according to Tradeweb, the highest level since November. Spanish, Portugal and Greek yields were also higher as a classic flight-from-risk pattern emerged.
Italian stocks have also swung wildly over the last two days. Mario Monti didn't perform as well as previously anticipated, while Silvio Berlusconi performed better than expected, creating the specter of a hung parliament and the potential for another election in a few months.
Italy's bond yields have been viewed as a proxy for the state of Europe's debt crisis as the chart below highlights:
Here are the key dates and levels for Italian bond yields over the last year:
July 24, 2012 -- Italian yields peak for the year at 6.6%. The 10-year yield jumped above 7% several times in 2011, but this particular date marked the high for 2012.
July 26, 2012 -- European Central Bank President Mario Draghi vows to do "whatever it takes" to save the euro. At the time, the pledge drew a fair amount of criticism as it came during the depths of Europe's debt crisis. But in retrospect, it proved a watershed moment for the markets, as bond yields embarked on a big descent for the rest of the year.
Sept. 14, 2012 -- The Italian 10-year yield falls below 5% for the first time since March, one day after Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke unleashes QE3.
Jan. 11, 2013 -- Yields fall as low as 4.092%, the lowest level at least in the last 12 months.
Feb. 26, 2013 -- Italian stocks, bonds and government securities were hammered amid the uncertainty stemming from the country's elections. In the U.S., the iShares MSCI Italy Capped Index Fund (EWI) is up 1.8% after tumbling 5.7% in Monday's trading session.
For more MarketBeat and other streaming markets coverage from The Wall Street Journal, point your mobile browser to wsj.com/marketspulse.


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Mall Entrance between Crayola Experience and Buca di Beppo
Located near Crayola Experience


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Maynard, C. J. 1921a [May 2]. Contributions to the history of the Cerionidae with descriptions of many new species and notes on evolution in birds and plants. Records of Walks and Talks with Nature, Appendix to Volume 10. Number 8:127-138, pls. 26-33.
Click on a name to view species details:


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January 20. 2013 9:53PM
Littleton chamber celebrates the past year, bright future
By SARA YOUNG-KNOX
Special to the Union Leader
Val Poulsen, second from right, is the Littleton Area Chamber of Commerce' s 2013 Citizen of the Year. With Poulsen are Steve Kelley, Elizabeth Poulsen, Dianne Poulsen, Debbie Meddings and Chad Stearns. (SARA YOUNG-KNOX PHOTO)
BRETTON WOODS - The Littleton Area Chamber of Commerce celebrated another year of success at its 2013 Dinner Meeting & Business Expo on Jan. 18.
"Very, very challenging, yet rewarding, " is how Alycia Vosinek, president of the Littleton Area Chamber of Commerce, described the chamber's past year as she welcomed about 200 in the ballroom of the Omni Mount Washington Resort.
The chamber, in turn, was welcomed to the grand hotel by the new managing director, Steve Hilliard, who was raised in nearby Lancaster. Hilliard said that decision to come back with his family to the North Country was made easier by the great vibrancy of Littleton.
During the dinner, a continuous loop of photos played across a big screen in the front of the hall, highlighting last year's annual meeting - then-presidential candidate Jon Huntsmen was the keynote speaker - and the various events the chamber was involved in, from the Jack O'Lanterns on the Ammonoosuc River, to the Littleton Piano Project in downtown, the Christmas Parade on Main Street, and a parade float full of high school kids with a banner that said "Go Crusaders!"
The chamber's executive director, Chad Stearns, further illustrated that can-do community spirit when he told of a maple tree at the community center that needed cutting. Instead of waiting for more formal actions to take care of the tree, Stearns and several others got together and took it down.
"This is the North Country, this is a tree. We do have the technology," he said. "We step up and take care of it."
Stearns highlighted new events in the town, the Littleton Taste, Tunes and Brew Fest, the Harvest Festival, and, new this year, the Littleton Winter Carnival, which will take place Feb. 23.
The idea, Stearns said, is "to put Littleton on the map."
The Student of the Year award went to Littleton High School senior Patrick Hampson.
Steve Kelley, introduced the Citizen of the Year, Val Poulsen, whose daughter, Elizabeth, surprised him by flying in from Kansas just for the event.
Littleton has the lowest unemployment rate of any North Country region, with a distinct advantage over other northern New Hampshire municipalities when it comes to economic development - it's served by four exits off of Interstate 93. The advantage is further increased by the highway that goes through town, in that just a few miles down the road I-93 hooks up to Interstate 91, which goes down the eastern spine of Vermont, though Massachusetts, Connecticut and the larger metro New York-New Jersey area.
The chamber of commerce and other organizations have worked to maximize that asset, making sure that those who are traveling by on the highway take one of those exists and, in the word of the chamber's mission statement, make Littleton their "destination of choice."


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KSC undergoing renovations for planned mega-rocket
Rocket to launch in 2017
KSC undergoing renovations for planned mega-rocket
Rocket to launch in 2017
BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. —
Now that the Space shuttle program has ended NASA has begun the first major work to once again launch astronauts from Cape Canaveral.
NASA is transforming the Vehicle Assembly Building, where space shuttles were prepared for liftoff.
Workers are removing structures the size of a three-story building, weighing 300,000 pounds to make way for something much bigger.
The planned Space Launch System, with a workforce of 2,000, will be the largest rocket ever launched. It is bigger than the Saturn Fives for which the VAB was originally built.
The new mega-rocket will be prepared for launch in the historic building and will lift off from rebuilt space shuttle launch pads.
The rocket's first test-launch is scheduled for 2017.