Pay cut good for the goose, not for the legislator

by David Safier They've cut 5% from state workers' pay. And Republicans don't want to hear any whining about it either. You're damn lucky to have a job, you sniveling, union loving state workers! Cut legislators' pay 5%? "No! I'm too . . . too me to have my pay cut! The horror! The horror!" … Read more

G.I. Guarantee Watch: Please, Mr. Postman . . .

by David Safier For most of my life, my mail took 2 or 3 days to make it into someone else's mailbox. And if that other person was moved to reply, it usually took a few days for pen to meet paper, and another few days for a reply to find its way into my … Read more

The Al Melvin Principle in action

by David Safier What's the Al Melvin Principle, you ask? It's the idea that nothing is better than a moment when everyone is "on their knees," because that's when you can really move that old rightwing agenda forward. Melvin's exact words: "When everyone is on their knees, so to speak, from the adverse economic situation, … Read more

Why I haven’t covered the state budget debacle much

by David Safier I feel a little guilty for not doing a day-by-day narrative about the proposed budget cuts, especially cuts to education. My only excuse is, I feel like I'm watching a multi-car highway accident unfolding in extreme slow motion. I know the crash is coming. The only questions left are, what will be … Read more

Nice stuff for teachers (and others)

by David Safier The NY Times has posted a series of short videos of teachers in their classrooms with a running narration describing why what the teacher is doing is effective. These things are usually dreary and didactic, but this set of videos is a welcome change. They're short, interesting and helpful. The videos are … Read more