23 | February | 2011 | The PPJ Gazette

February 23, 2011

Here is the reason I created NIBs for PPJ (I apologize if anyone thought they would get an article about old-fashioned fountain pens):

I began NIBs type bill “alerts” to begin to fight Legislation at the State Level while still in Committees.

“So I began to look around at proposed State Laws that nibbled away at the Freedom I longed to retain. Notice that I didn’t say “want” as Freedom is something we are inherently born with in this Nation yet allow others to legislate away. What I found was that “Nibbly Imperceptible Bills” (NIBs I call them) were steadily eroding the Liberty I thought I had.”

The concept behind informing individuals in each state about bills when a Committee of very few members are involved is pretty simple. It is easier to sway a few Committee members than 50 – 100 Senators or Legislators.

I’m not an attorney, politician, or economist. Simply put I’m just a wee bit tired of being behind in the legislative race to pass something, anything, to look like a competent politician.

Stop the NIBs before they enter the pipeline at a local level and there is no later need to canvass vast majority of individuals.

So far readers have introduced NIBs in their states to be considered (Washington, Utah, Texas, Illinois and Mississippi).

If readers send Bill Numbers to PPJ, I’ll do my best to provide contact information and Bill Status for individuals in that state to react if they choose to.

Some Thoughts On Union Busting

February 23, 2011

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Listen up, Gilligans.

Okay, it is only fair to begin with a few definitions.

Gilligan: one whose every action reeks of incompetence. [from TV: “Gilligan’s Island”]

Degree: an academic award conferred by a university or college on successful completion of a course.

Labor: term used both for the effort of performing a task and for the workers engaged in the activity.

Collective bargaining: A method of negotiation in which employees use authorized union representatives to assist them.

Leadership: a mechanism for integrating group activity, in which an individual or part of a social group plays the role of leader – that is, unites and directs the actions of an entire group, which expects, accepts, and supports the leader’s actions.

You 30 and 40-somethings who think a degree automatically confers leadership attributes should go back and rethink the equation.

Many of you have spent more time in the classroom than out in the real world gaining valuable experience.

I have never forgotten a lesson learned in NROTC training: “Think you are a leader? Remember to look over your shoulder every so often to make sure you have followers.”

From the last quarter of the 19th century, the condition of most manual labor has improved slowly in industrial countries through organization, permitting collective bargaining with employers and successful pressure on governments for protective legislation. In fact, the term labor is today most frequently used to signify organized labor.
The eight-hour workday, suitable working conditions, decent wages, and health benefits are just a few examples of benefits the union movement has won for everyone in America, even if they do not belong to a union.

Something I have always taught in my Intro to Computers courses is: “If it makes sense, try it. If it doesn’t, don’t.”

Trying to balance the budget by restricting or eliminating Collective Bargaining doesn’t make sense. Don’t try it.