JSIS: DeKalb-- Surf City

JSIS--  Just Some Interesting Stuff

From the June 20, 2016, USA Today "State-By-State."

DEKALB--  Illinois:  The Labor Relations Board certified a new faculty union at Northern Illinois University, the Daily Chronicle reported.

SURF CITY--  North Carolina.:  Thirteen sea turtles are back home in the waves after their release by workers on the coast.  The turtles were released on the beach after treatment at the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center.

This center used to be at Topsail Beach where my mom has a condo.

--RoadDog

Twenty Years Ago: The Round Lake School Teacher Strike Begins

Hard to believe it has been that long, but twenty years ago, October 17, 1994, Liz and I woke up and drove to Round Lake.  This time it was not to teach, but to walk the picket lines as after years of concessions to the school board and administration, it came time to pay the piper as it were.

The school board never negotiated in good faith in the months leading up to the strike and the months after it began.  It was their intention to "Break the Union."  That didn't happen.

We ended up staying out on the picket lines until December 13th, our first day back in the classroom.  That is 38 school days that we missed, the second longest in Illinois history.

The Union stood strong and weathered the attack and in the end received most of what was sought.

Today, Liz and I are going to drive to Waukegan, Illinois, and walk the line again, this time for the Waukegan teachers as their strike enters its 11th day.

I found my "Don't Tread On me" flag that I carried throughout the strike and it will once again float over the Tread Upon.

It Was Quite an Experience, One That No Teacher Should Have to Go Through.  --RoadDog

Obama Is Time's Person of the Year...Again

From the Dec. 20, 2012, Chicago Tribune by Reuters and Tribune Staff.

He was Person of the Year in 2008 and repeated for 2012, mostly, I suppose, because of his presidential victory in November.  I'm a bit surprised though, because he has done little toward all that "CHANGE" he was promising, promising and promising back in 2008.

And, before that, has Illinois ever had a worse U.S. senator?  All he did was run for president.  No representation there.

Let's hope he actually does something to earn the honor this term.

Personally, my choice would have been the Middle Class for valiantly trying to hold on while the GRBs take steps to wipe them out and make themselves richer.  Either them, or the Unions who enabled so many to get into the middle class.  They are in a life and death battle with the GRBs (and their allies the Tea Party and that political party) to even survive.  They are on the ropes.

Over in my Cooter's History Thing Blog, I will post on Time's Man of the Year history in a little while.

Maybe Next Year Will Be Better.  --RoadDog

Fall Out From the Blown Call Monday Night: Walker Reverses Himself

Well, everywhere we go, that horrible call to end the Seahawk-Packer game is a topic of conversation.  I ran into no one who thought it was a correct one and all calls for the return of the regular NFL refs.  Also a big topic on the sports shows.

Then, the NFL upheld the call.  Of course, what could they do?  They were the ones locking the regular refs out and had hired the scabs, er, replacements.

In what had to be the strangest turn of events, Wisconsin governor (Green Bay is in Wisconsin) Scott Walker called for the end of the strike and bringing back the "UNIONIZED" NFL referees.  Now, that is a huge turn-around.  Scott, the Only Good Union Person is One Not getting Paid a Decent Wage, Walker is well-known for his Union bashing and hatred.  But yet, there he was calling for the return of Unionized people.  Guess he is more of a Packer fan than Union-hater.

And, then, yesterday, we got the news that the NFL referees will be back.  I wonder why?  What could have happened to change the NFL's mind?

Well, at least one good thing came from all that mess Monday night.

Welcome Back.  --RoadDog


WHICH CAME FIRST  Put them in order:

Carcker Jacks, Graham Crackers, Pretzels, Potato Chips.

Answer tomorrow.

It's Them, Not Me: Now We Know What It's All About

And, it is as bad as you can get. Wisconsin's governor, his minions and t-partiers have shown their true colors after all this time of saying it was just a budget thing. With what they pulled off last night, there can be little doubt that their assault is intended to destroy unions, the last bastion of the middle class and working man in this age of corporate and GRB avarice.

We just can't allow these groups to run rough over regular folks. The line is drawn in the sand. We can't have a country with a small percentage of very rich and no middle class.

All the GRBs want to do is take and take and make themselves even richer.

Planning on heading up to Madison myself along with a lot of friends to support the cause.

That governor is very dangerous.