February 28, 2011

At the Protest Café...

DSC00135

... come on, you can laugh a little.

58 comments:

kent said...

Who's the buckskinned dude sitting next to Rachel Maddow...?

Chef Mojo said...

Goddamn. Just, goddamn.

That's got paper mache puppets beat all to shit.

traditionalguy said...

You and Meade are over the top in those costumes. Meade looks like a horny stag and Ann looks like a liberty goddess. That's the way to go. Now you will be less judgemental of Madison's version of Mardi Gras.

I'm a Shaaaaark said...

This Buffalo Hippie Dancer Doll (Left) was made the old fashioned way, intricately carved out of genuine soft wood by hand. He has been captured in an energetic traditional protest. The mask has the traditional features of the Buffalo Hippie Dancer with its hand painted designs and distinct buffalo horns. Price: $475.00

Carved from cottonwood, Butterfly Maiden (Right) is a gentle spirit who reminds us of the larger picture of which we are a part. Butterfly Maiden can awaken in us wonder, trust, and serenity, which we too often neglect. She offers Her lessons of beauty, peacefulness and hope, all without making a sound. Price: $300.00

Anonymous said...

I got a little chuckle from the Drudge teaser that John Edwards may be indicted. It will be really nice, when it happens, because every time someone from the left brings up Sarah Palin, the simple, two word retort is "John Edwards."

JAL said...

More entertaining that Peter Yarrow, that's for sure.

Nice point, t-man.

kent said...

Leftards: never more heartbreakingly lovely than while beached in sweet, sweet repose.

Chef Mojo said...

Wait. That liberty chick is a dude! Women don't eat pizza like that...

wv: dready: Dude doesn't get a shower soon, he's gonna get all dready and shit...

Chef Mojo said...

@kent:

That guy looks like he could use a pay cut or three...

Chip S. said...

The discarded sign
suggests
that they might be able to get work as
Austrian translators on the White House staff.

john bord said...

chief poo n little squaw poo

dpwich said...

Thanks for your input on this stuff. To me, you and Meade are almost impartial journalists...except that you give some fine perspective from your law view.

former law student said...

It's funny, really: Wisconsin taxpayers pay Althouse to teach (comparison with tuition at nearby non-government schools shows at least half of her compensation is extracted from the taxpayers by threat of force) yet she feels absolutely no kinship, much less solidarity with these others -- mostly women -- also paid by Wisconsin taxpayers to teach.

Chip S. said...

fls, I don't think that professors at highly ranked public universities generally feel much kinship with K-12 teachers. It's not that surprising, really, since they compete against faculty at other top universities (including private ones) for jobs and journal acceptances.

kent said...

Shorter FLS: "Class traitor! CLASS TRAITOR -- !!!"

vnjagvet said...

I didn't know the U of W law school faculty have collective bargaining rights.

Why then would Althouse have solidarity with the teachers' unions?

David said...

Should have let these two host the Oscars. Big Chief Bone Head and Bearded Liberty.

Never misunderestimate the power of props.

At an anti Vietnam War protest on the UVA campus in 1970, I wore a set of academic robes liberated from the Dean's office and a Zorro mask. It greatly increased my ability to win friends and influence people.

Chip S. said...

Looking at the history of that time, David, it seems like those demonstrations marked the beginning of the politicized university--class cancellations and such in solidarity with the antiwar protesters.

If so, thanks for the legacy.

former law student said...

I don't think that professors at highly ranked public universities generally feel much kinship with K-12 teachers.

Right, K-12 teachers spend five times as much time in front of their classes.

John Burgess said...

I'm laughing. I'm just wondering which districts these Democratic-Representatives-in-disguise are from...

shiloh said...

... come on, you can laugh a little.

As long as a $5 donation is not involved. ;)

solo estoy diciendo

America's future lol btw AA we kinda/sorta have something in common, gasp!, as I can see Kent State University from my apt. window and lived just outside Kent May 4, 1970.

Chip S. said...

You're a good unionist--time at the job site = output.

Ever wonder why fewer than 7% of private-sector workers are members of unions these days? Better yet, been to Detroit in the past decade or so?

Meade said...

"...yet she feels absolutely no kinship, much less solidarity with these others -- mostly women..."

fls, I think you would find that in fact she feels a great deal of kinship with the teachers, both male and female, who produce many of the sharpest, best educated, well-trained graduates.

William said...

These are two young men who know in their bones that win, lose, or draw, the collective bargaining rights of Wisconsin civil service employees are not going to deeply affect their chances of happiness in this life. The demonstration, on the other hand, looks like an excellent opportunity to party.

coketown said...

Right, K-12 teachers spend five times as much time in front of their classes.

Ergo, they should feel some sense of kinship. Is this what passes for cogency in law school?

Carol_Herman said...

Is the guy in the tutu and the statue of liberty hat eating free pizza?

There were thousands of people involved in this "sit in" ... You don't prepare pizza out of thin air.

Where did the food and plates come from?

Yes, the windows had to be welded shut in Madison's Capitol. To prevent the food from getting inside.

But food there was.

Was there a "funny costume" contest, also?

jaed said...

I'm torn between admiration and a sense of WTF.

mythusmage said...

WV: Roids

As in; thanks to the free pizza many protesters were unable to maintain their sit in due to the flare up of their roids.

MamaM said...

I'm torn between admiration and a sense of WTF.

Me too, that's a lot of tulle.

Steven said...

FLS,

While we all feel tribal affiliations, I like to think that most of us at least try to base our opinions less on which group we feel "kinship" with than on which side has the better argument. I'm not saying we always succeed. But if I were making an appeal to tribe rather than an appeal to reason, I would be inclined to make it subtle - ideally, to make it look like an appeal to reason. If only so the mark can delude himself that he's making a rational decision.

From Meade's comment, maybe our hostess feels kinship with the best teachers who produce the most well-trained graduates and less kinship with the teachers who call in sick so they can march to preserve their sinecures until their pensions vest. I don't know what Professor Althouse's opinion of merit pay is, but I know I would feel a great deal of solidarity for anyone clamoring for it.

Not because it's a good idea, mind you - just because I would know that those people would be part of my ingroup.

former law student said...

the teachers who call in sick so they can march to preserve their sinecures

Sinecure?

Ever teach school?
Ever go to school?

There's not enough money in the world to get me to teach K-12.

Revenant said...

There's not enough money in the world to get me to teach K-12.

There's not enough money in the world to get me to work in sales and marketing. It doesn't follow that sales and marketing must be an insanely hard job that only the most skilled and dedicated people can do.

It just means that I don't want to work in sales and marketing.

Fen said...

FLS: There's not enough money in the world to get me to teach K-12.

What are you qualified to teach? How to whine like a little bitch after you lose yet another game?

Unknown said...

It looks like the protesters have gone from Look For The Union Label to looking for Monty Hall.

AllenS said...

Governor Walker kicks obama in the nut sack:

"I'm sure the President knows that most federal employees do not have collective bargaining for wages and benefits while our plan allows it for base pay. And I'm sure the President knows that the average federal worker pays twice as much for health insurance as what we are asking for in Wisconsin. At least I would hope he knows these facts.

"Furthermore, I'm sure the President knows that we have repeatedly praised the more than 300,000 government workers who come to work every day in Wisconsin.

"I'm sure that President Obama simply misunderstands the issues in Wisconsin, and isn't acting like the union bosses in saying one thing and doing another."

Anonymous said...

Here is a caption for this fine photo.

"The Fondue Follies"

h/t Lucianne.com

Fen said...

"I'm sure that President Obama simply misunderstands the issues in Wisconsin, and isn't acting like the union bosses in saying one thing and doing another."

Obama is reverting to his job of Community Organizer because he can't handle his Presidential duties. Like the feeb that runs back to the kiddie courts because he can't stop the adults from slam-dunking the ball.

Community Organizing. Its the only thing he's good at (besides reading a teleprompter).

Walker should be more kind. He's damaging lil Barak's self-esteem.

Crimso said...

Interesting headline juxtaposition currently on CNN.com.

"Libyan official: 'We Realize He's Crazy'"

To the right of that is: "Charlie Sheen: 'I'm on a Quest'"

Hoosier Daddy said...

FLS: There's not enough money in the world to get me to teach K-12.

Well its becoming quite apparent there isnt' enough money to continue paying the salaries and benefits of K-12 teachers either.

Anonymous said...

"..."I'm sure that President Obama simply misunderstands the issues in Wisconsin, and isn't acting like the union bosses in saying one thing and doing another."

I'm a sure the president understands that the dues extracted from the union members is funneled into his campaign coffers. This he knows above all else. This is the focus of his attention.

Drew said...

Waitaminit. I saw these two on the American Idol auditions . . .

Fen said...

Interesting headline juxtaposition currently on CNN.com

Funny. I saw something similar on the tele this AM: a clip of Muammar ranting followed by a clip of Sheen's latest. I'm thinking "separated at birth?"

Drew said...

Ann and Meade -- can you confirm? A co-worker just stopped in and reported that the stench in the Capitol building due to the squatters was unbearable. Two of our local legislators reported being spit upon and having cups full of liquid (water? beer? pee?) thrown at them. He said that the demonstrators were scrawling graffiti on the walls of the bathrooms.

We have -- or had -- a beautiful Captiol building. I keep thinking of these asshole hippies destroying it, and it pisses me off even more.

former law student said...

Rev: I was just shaking my head at the thought that teaching K-12 was a sinecure.

But on that subject: Which teaching job is more like a sinecure?

Job A:

In front of a class 30 hours a week.
Grade 300 final exams a year, along with midterms, quizzes, homework, etc.
Parents demand individual attention, grub for grades, etc.
Have to take days off to protest at the Capitol during the school year.

Job B:

In front of a class 6 hours a week.
Grade 200 final exams a year: no grading of midterms, quizzes, homework, etc.
Only the most helicopter of parent would dare interfere.
Plenty of slack in teaching schedule to observe protests at the Capitol during the school year.

Crimso said...

Current CNN juxtaposed headlines:

"Source: Rebels hold back pro-Gadhafi forces in Zawiya"

To the right of that we have: "Sheen says goal is 'absolute victory'"

I think somebody at CNN is having a bit of fun.

Known Unknown said...

And yet they wonder why I don't take their cause seriously.

Crimso said...

Job A: requires Bachelor's degree (typically 4-5 years after high school).

Job B (in my case, can't speak for Althouse): requires a Ph.D. (that was 11 years after high school), postdoctoral training preferred (almost six more years in my case). Anymore, it's postdoctoral work required. Care to guess what my average annual income was for those 17 years of post-high school education and training required to even apply for my current job?

Fen said...

Caption: "Next time, you wear the skirt"

Anonymous said...

Hey FLS, the key to the law is the ability to come up with relevant and bullet-proof analogies, not ones that deflate with a pinprick.

Don't be so lame, it's embarrassing for your side of the argument.

Automatic_Wing said...

Teaching K-12 isn't a sinecure. It's just a job that a lot of people can do, hence they don't get paid very much.

Crimso said...

"Only the most helicopter of parent would dare interfere."

Oops, almost forgot to address that point. By law, we cannot discuss a student's performance with a parent unless a waiver has been signed by the student.

former law student said...

requires a Ph.D. (that was 11 years after high school),

Seven years to get a PhD? One of my EE profs did it in three. Of course he had a wife and children, so he couldn't spend years living in a room with cinder block bookcases and a cable reel for a dinner table.

postdoctoral training preferred (almost six more years in my case)

Supply and demand. Many glamor jobs are poorly paid yet require years of training. You're lucky you weren't a ballerina.

But lawprofs in America need no more education than the three years any lawyer gets.

Crimso said...

"Seven years to get a PhD?"

Not at all unheard of, but in my case it was five. I also obtained an M.S. degree in Applied Science with Chemical Engineering concentration. Nobody in our department (Biochemistry) did it in three. I knew one person that did it in four. When it comes to how living cells work (and how to efficiently kill them when they've gone rogue), Mother Nature guards her secrets most jealously. The Chem. Eng. Ph.D. would have supposedly taken three years.

"Supply and demand. Many glamor jobs are poorly paid yet require years of training. You're lucky you weren't a ballerina."

Quite correct. But you must also understand that, unlike a Ph.D. in Philosophy, there is a certain demand for people with my qualifications in industry. I actually had a choice. I chose academia fully aware of both the disadvantages as well as the advantages (some of which you seem to take issue with). Without those advantages, very few people would be interested in the job (and probably none of those few would be coming to the job with what I had: grant support).

Revenant said...

Teaching generally requires an education degree.

Let's just say there's a good reason why that's a favorite major for members of the football team.

former law student said...

Teaching generally requires an education degree.

Can't get a bachelor's in education in California. Must get a subject matter degree first, then take education classes/student teach for another year to be eligible for a teaching credential.

David said...

Chip S. said...
"Looking at the history of that time, David, it seems like those demonstrations marked the beginning of the politicized university--class cancellations and such in solidarity with the antiwar protesters."

Well, there was more diversity in the University then. It has taken several decades for the universities to become intellectual and political monoliths. Anti war protestors were in a minority, despite the way the history is written now.

JAL said...

Fen Community Organizing. Its the only thing he's good at (besides reading a teleprompter).

Why do you say he's good at either one of those?

Evidence?

Anonymous said...

So weird instead of wearing that why you dont try Mens Suits