Israel

Wisconsin innovations: worker's compensation, public employee unions, The Wave and now: Protest pizza via the Web

September 20, 2011 by Uppity Wisconsin

Egyptians send pizzaIt's historical fact that Wisconsin was the birthplace of many progressive ideas, including worker's compensation, public employee unions, child labor laws, and more. Some even have advanced convincing arguments that the nationwide sports stadium phenomenon known as The Wave originated at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison during boring late '60s Badger games.

Now add to the Wisconsin innovation list this: Protest Pizza via Web. During last spring's massive protests in Madison relating to Gov. Walker's union-busting bill, sympathizers in Egypt and nearly 50 other countries ordered pizza by email for hungry demonstrators surrounding the state Capitol. The idea originted with sympathizers across Wisconsin and quickly spread worldwide. 

Pizza by Web has now become a part of long-form, sit-in protests elsewhere. The current mass protests on Wall Street in New York City are the latest venue. From a post at FireDogLake.com:

Rick Perry Campaign A Lesson In Conservatives' Fiscal Double-Standards

August 29, 2011 by The Political E...

Conservatives like Texas Gov. Rick Perry talk a lot about frugality, but note that Perry has arranged for records of state spending on his travel be kept secret, and that expenses for his security entourage, which helps set up campaign events, are principally paid from the state highway fund, according to The Washington Post.

In the meantime, during a special session that ended July 1, the Texas Legislature, at Perry’s urging, added language to a school finance bill that will seal the governor’s travel records for 18 months — until after the 2012 presidential election...

Before Perry’s travel records were sealed, Texas newspapers were able to shed some light on his travel and the cost to taxpayers, including [a] Bahamas trip.

The records, reported in 2005 by the Austin American-Statesman, showed that Perry and staff members had traveled the previous year to the Bahamas for a meeting with top campaign donor James Leininger, a supporter of public school vouchers and charter schools, his wife, and Grover Norquist, a national anti-tax advocate.

The records showed $4,200 in taxpayer money was spent for the squad of six state troopers who went along, including costs for renting scuba gear, golf cars and cellphones, according to the newspaper...