I Shoot People

1. Exaggerate your compliments
   If you’re going to say something nice, why not make it a bit nicer? Only you will know the difference and the target of the compliment will feel that much better.
2. Forget about insults entirely (even in jest)
   We can all agree that nothing good comes of insults. If they are serious, then someone comes out of the exchange feeling cut down. Even if you insult someone jokingly, their subconscious mind still takes your words in as a serious statement and imprints the insult on the person. This is akin to a commercial: it can seem stupid, but you are still building up respect for the product on a subconscious level. This is why companies pay top dollar just to have their logo visible in public places.
3. Investigate what is known about death
   What do you know about death? You certainly have beliefs around it, but what do you know about the science of death, or of those who have died and been brought back to life? Death is not as big of a mystery as it is made out to be. Do your research before you fear or misconstrue this most universal human experience.
4. Try hypnagogic hallucination
   For those new to the idea, hypnagogic hallucination is the state of experiencing dreaming-like visuals and thoughts while remaining awake. Lie down when you’re neither physically nor mentally tired and edge towards falling asleep while focusing on staying awake. Most of the time knowing of this state’s existence and attempting to experience it is enough to attain it. This is because up until this point, you’ve had no reason to try to stay on the edge of wakefulness!
5. Notice the small, beautiful things
   As cliche as this sounds, there is so much beauty in the world  yet we rarely appreciate it. Take 5 minutes, stop doing everything and sit down. Then clear your mind of your inner dialogue and focus intently on something in the space immediately in front of you. Nature always works best but literally any object will do. Study all of the minute details of the object and try to appreciate its complexity. This might take some practice but after you get into it, you’ll have that perspective for a while after.
6. Cut out the crap
   We have a lot of crap in our lives that is neither necessary nor good for us. The crap  includes certain people, emotions and habits. Take the time to evaluate the constituents of your life to decide what needs to go. This tip is so critical that I wrote a 3-part series on cutting out the crap - check it out!
7. Try a love experiment.
   Spend a week masquerading as Christ-figure and bring love into every aspect of your life. Start your day by sending out mental “I love you’s” to your friends and family. As you go through your day, silently (or out loud!) wish something nice upon any strangers you see. Monitor your every thought and action to be sure you’re acting out of love. This sounds cheesy but it is a fantastic feeling becomes addicting.
8. Make plans to attend at least one crazy event each year
   As you all know, we humans remember experiences, not possessions. You remember driving somewhere in that car, not buying or owning the car. So put aside a savings jar to pay for at least one crazy, awesome event each year. Here are a few event ideas to get you salivating.
9. You are what you eat
   We’ve all heard of this phrase but most don’t full realize it’s implications. Your body is constituted only of the food that you put into your body! If you’re okay with eating crap, you are accepting that you brain, skin, heart and everything else will be made of crap. You LITERALLY are what you eat.
10. Give up something for a week
    Like Lent, but for non-Catholics. There are two major benefits of this: 1) you learn to live without something now so that if you’re ever forced to live without something, it won’t be so bad and 2) when you get it back, you will truly appreciate it. Examples include hot showers, alcohol and other substances and television. Extremist can give up everything and experience living on the streets.
11. “An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind”
    Revenge is sweet but forgiveness is sweeter. Until that’s a no brainer for you, try faking forgiveness and knowing that nothing will piss off an enemy more than you not reacting to their provocations. Eg. If you punched someone in the face in anger and then they just smiled back at you happily, wouldn’t that annoy you?
12. Floss! Your dentist has been right all along. Flossing is more crucial for your oral hygiene that brushing your teeth. It keeps your gums healthy and food out of the tight places that drinking water won’t clean out (which would otherwise result in bad breath).
13. Don’t doubt anything without absolute evidence against itEvery day it seems I learn about something that I previously had thought to be impossible (like walking on water). Acknowledge that the world is full of surprises and the ‘impossible’. Therefore practice being open-minded rather than doubtful, especially about things foreign to you. **Edit: Apparently the running on water video is fake which is extremely ironic in the context of this tip…I would take it down but that’s just too funny.
14. Know Your MSGAs you probably know, Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) is a common food additive that has been linked to cancer and a myriad of other health problems. Many products will use an alternate name for MSG to conceal its presence so be aware of these names as well: Gelatin, Calcium Caseinate, Hydrolized Vegetable Protein, Textured Protein, Monopotassium Glutamate, Hydrolized Plant Protein, Yeast Extract, Glutamate, Autolyzed Plant Protein, Yeast Food or Nutrient, Glutamic Acid, Sodium Caseinate, Autolyzed Yeast
15. Use your showers to practice being presentYour daily (?) shower is the perfect time to get better at being present. Instead of thinking about your time last night or everything you have to do today, focus on the sensation of the water hitting your skin. Zone in on the smell of the soap and the warmth of the steam coming off of your body. If & when you successfully block out your inner dialogue, I guarantee you will have the best power of your life.
16. Limit your time-wasting online activitiesDo you ever find yourself deep in someone’s Facebook photos and wonder how you got there? The internet is an awesome tool but some sites can suck you in and waste tons of time that could be spent doing something productive. For those who can’t help themselves, there are extensions for Chrome and FireFox that allow you to specify a certain amount of time to allow to spend on time-waster websites per day. Every minute you spend on the sites you specify is tracked, and when you reach the limit those sites are no longer able to be accessed.
17. Remember the 10,000 hour ruleIf you want to master anything in life you need at least 10,000 hours of practice. Practice separates the haves and the have-nots when it comes to skills. Have you spent 10,000 hours doing something you don’t care to master? (Ahem, Facebook..) Do something else that will benefit you a lifetime!
18. Make some rules for yourself Instead of only reading this list and thinking ‘those are good ideas,’ take a few at a time and make them unbreakable rules until the habits stick.
19. Watch Zeitgeist: Moving ForwardThe 3rd Zeitgeist film will change the way you view the monetary system, the economy and the future of this world. Its claims almost sound like conspiracy, but the evidence it intelligently builds upon rules out any chance of that. Do not be deterred by the 2:45 duration — if something is this important, would you want it to be able to be squeezed into 10 minutes?
20. Only do things that you love or that you have no choice but to doWhen it comes to choosing a career, only do something that you absolutely love or something you have no choice but to do. I mean literally NO choice but to do that job. Unless you’re supporting children or completely steeped in debt, chances are you have a choice. Don’t waste a second doing something you do not love.
21. Practice energy developmentWhether or not you believe chakras exist, you can develop the ability to feel, move around and store energy in your body. These sensations range from mild tingling to violent vibrations. Start off by lying down and putting all of your focus on your left foot. Focus on and feel that foot until it beings to warm up and tingle, then move on up the body in small increments. Eventually you can get your entire body to be vibrating (seriously, it’s almost scary). Developing these abilities helps with focus for meditation, astral projection and supposedly boosts your clairvoyance.
22. Question what you have been told to be true but have not investigated yourselfSimply stated, we are fed a lot of BS growing up that is not necessarily or at all true. We assume it is true because we’ve always “known” it to be true. Examples include religious and political beliefs, stereotypes and habits. Perhaps the best example of all is that marijuana is dangerous and deadly when in fact alcohol is infinitely worse for your body and your driving ability.
23. Force yourself to become a social badassPut yourself through a series of comfort challenges to become comfortable in a social situation. Start with making eye contact with people you pass on the streets, then progress to saying hi and eventually asking them a quick question like ‘How’s your day going?’ Then progress to wearing a shocking piece of clothing out in public asking people for their phone numbers. Finally go to the extreme and take on a different person with waiters and cashiers. The idea is to go to the limits so that more normal interactions like to someone you’re interested in becomes a piece of cake.
24. Read Viktor Frankl’s Man’s Search For Meaning’ This book details Frankl’s time in Nazi concentration camps and how the experience shaped his view on meaning and purpose in life. His account of the camps is extremely detailed and riveting. His conclusions on life are both far-reaching and relevant to life outside of captivity.
25. Find the supplements suitable for your lifestyleOur diets and habits are nothing like those which are bodies were built for. Times have changed but we still need the same nutrition. Luckily we now mass-produce nutrients in bottles so you just need to figure out what your body needs. For example if you don’t get a lot of sun, you probably need some extra Vitamin D. If you get cold much easier than other people, you might have low levels of iron in your blood. Investigate and act accordingly.
26. Cut gluten from your dietGluten is a protein found in wheat, rye oats, and barley. Like so many other substances today, gluten is not meant to be put into our bodies. The humans alive at the time that our bodies last experienced major evolution did not consume all of the bread products we now have. To see a full explanation of the health-benefits of giving up gluten, check out this article.
27. Do pushups (100 of them!)Pushups are the easiest way to get into an exercise routine and the most complete upper body workout available without weights. Doing 3 sets of pushups until fail every other day is a simple way to tone up your chest, arms, back and abs. If you want to step it up a notch, this website promises to get anyone to be able to complete 100 pushups within 6 weeks!
28. Watch ‘Waking Life’Waking Life is a movie about a guy drifting around in a dream world having philosophical conversations with the interesting characters he meets along the way. If you like the articles here on HighExistence, I can guarantee  with 100% certainty that you will love this film. It’s available for free on GoogleVideo.
29. Go for walksWhenever you are feeling unmotivated, depressed, angry or [insert crappy emotion here], take a walk. It’s a sure-fire way to hit the reset button and get back into a positive mindset. There’s something about being in nature, getting some exercise and (most importantly) being present that can get you over any emotional hump.
30. Use StumbleUponStumbleUpon (SU) is an internet tool that brings you to random sites based upon your interests. You can also specify a particular interest category while also limiting the results to videos, photos, news, blogs, etc. SU is the best way to discover awesome content around the web, much of which you didn’t even know you were looking for! As you go through and ‘Thumbs up’ or ‘thumbs down’ different web content, SU learns more about your interests and returns more accurate results. I also call it the ‘Serendipity Engine’ because of the countless times I’ve been thinking about a problem or looking for something and then the answer has come randomly to me through SU.
31. Read Ishmael by Daniel Quinn This freakishly fascinating book is best explained best by Wikipedia: “It examines mythology, its effect on ethics, and how that relates to sustainability. The novel uses a style of Socratic dialogue to deconstruct the notion that humans are the end product, the pinnacle of biological evolution. It posits that human supremacy is a cultural myth, and asserts that modern civilization is enacting that myth.”
32. Spend time alone each dayBeing alone is a form of meditation that helps us realign with who we really are.
33. Practice StoicismStoicism is centered around being unaffected by misfortune. A good stoic will recognize that mishaps will inevitable occur so he/she is constantly ready and open to experiencing them. Unlike pessimists, Stoics expect bad things to happen only because they recognize this is the nature of reality, and strive to become immune to being demoralized by said misfortunes.
34. Don’t compare yourself to othersEveryone is born with different strengths and weakness. Otherwise we wouldn’t be individuals and how much fun would that be? Consequently don’t hold yourself to the standards of others; you’ll never measure up to everyone.
35. Compare yourself to othersUse the success of others as motivation to continue growing and learning. Competition is strong medicine and can be used to your advantage if you don’t get too caught up in it. Strive to achieve a balance between #34 and #35.
36. Recognize the duality of every truthAs you likely noticed, #34 and #35 contradict each other, and yet both are solid truths. This is an example of how most great truths have some level of duality to them. Life is not absolute; let that apply to your beliefs as well  – don’t be stubborn about them!.
37. Take cold showersBesides waking you up better than anything, cold showers have been proven to improve blood circulation, keep your skin and hair healthy (hot water dries them out) and boost the immune system. For the men, it also increases testosterone levels and is just plain manly.
38. Try to be rejected every dayInstead of fearing rejection, make it a daily goal! When you go in with the intention of being told ‘no’, the butterflies go away and it becomes easy. This is a fantastic way to pursue more opportunities while becoming unfazed by the big N-O. Good applications include asking for phone numbers, job positions, partnerships and advice. Think of all the great things you’ve missed out on by not asking!
39. Rejoice in not knowing, be proud of your ignorance of a topic
    Knowing everything is overrated. Embrace the areas where you know you are ignorant. When you recognize that someone knows something you don’t, use it as a learning opportunity rather than feeling dumb or pretending you know more than you do.
40. Recognize the golden glow of retrospectWhen you look back at a difficult event in your life, it no longer holds the same ‘oh no, my life is over’ that you experienced at the time. Even very painful events like deaths, breakups and accidents can be looked at in a positive light in the golden veil of retrospect. If you can assume this perspective in the future looking back, certainly you can apply some aspects of that mindset while going through an event. Learn from your future self looking back at present you!
41. Resist nothingIf you can master this one, you have mastered life. Resistance has many forms but there is a simple test to know if you are in resistance or not. Does this thought make you feel good or bad? You guessed it, if it makes you feel bad then it is a form of resistance. For example, you are driving on the freeway and you miss your exit. Instead of getting angry and wishing you had not missed it, accept your circumstance and laugh about it instead. Maybe you would have gotten in a horrible car crash had you gotten off in time. How lucky that you just narrowly escaped a fiery death! Plus, do you enjoy being frustrated with crappy circumstances?
42. Take naps20-25 minutes is all you need to wake up refreshed without feeling groggy. Taking a quick nap in the evening is a great way to get a burst of motivation and energy for the rest of the night. This is also a great time to try out hypnagogic hallucination – #4.
43. Transition to Internet TV
    If you’re still spending your leisure time in front of a TV, consider the new web-based streaming options to traditional cable/satellite. Services like Apple TV and Roku allow you to stream Netflix, Hulu and tons of other internet entertainment channels to your TV for a fraction of the price. Additionally because you actually have to go through and choose something to watch instead of mindlessly flipping through channels, you’ll have to think twice before zombie-ing out to some reality show re-runs.
44. Master what you do most oftenFor me that would be typing and navigating around my computer. So I downloaded a typing tutor program and got my words-per-minute up to 60 (woot!) and have memorized every keyboard shortcut there is. Take the time to become the best you can be at the small things you do most often. You will save yourself loads of time, plus it’s fun to be really good at something
45. Practice Altru-Hedonism‘Altru-Hedonism’ is a word I made up which represents the idea that helping other people provides the most satisfying and long-lasting pleasure. So in a way, altruism is a hedonistic activity.
46. Figure out the minimum income you need to be freeBy free I mean able to do what you love without having to slave away at a job all day. I know we all would like the ultimate house with a BMW (M3 for me please!) but wouldn’t you rather be from having to do a job you don’t LOVE? If you agree with that, a great way to make it more feasible is to calculate exactly how much money you would need per month/year to be free. Minimalism is the goal here  (If you’re having trouble not counting in that BMW, watch Fight Club and then have another go).
47. “Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.”This one goes right along with #46. What are you currently giving up to have ________ ? Your time? Your dreams? Time with your family and friends? Your health? Decide if your current sacrifices are worth what they allow you.
48. Be a source of good on your social networkInstead of further inflating these networks full of transient emotions and comments about Lady Gaga,  tweet and share content that will bring help other people and spread happiness. Share motivational quotes, inspirational videos and anything else that will improve the lives of those come into contact with your feed.
49. Give your mom a callIf you’re looking for a way to give someone immense happiness with the least amount of effort, calling your mother is at the top of the list. She loves you 100 times more than you thought you loved that boy/girl in 7th grade & getting a call from you would make her day 100 times over. Even if you have no interest in talking to her, pretend that you do for 5 minutes. Say ‘I love you’ before she does for an even more ecstatic mama
50. Join the HighExistence Community For those of you who don’t know, this blog is also a community of thousands of awesome people who think about life differently (like you do!). If you like talking about the meaning of life, spirituality, following your passion, good music and being happy in general, this is the community for you. Become a HEthen by clicking here or check out our discussions to see what’s being talked about on HE.

Have you ever wished you could go back in time and have a conversation with one of the greatest minds in history? Well, you can’t sorry, they’re dead. Unless of course you’re clairaudient, be my guest. But for the rest of us, we can still refer to the words they left behind.

Even though these great teachers have passed on, their words still live, and in them their wisdom. I’ve made a list of seven what I believe are some of the greatest teachings by the world’s greatest minds.

1. Realizing Your Dreams

“If you don’t know where you are going, you’ll end up someplace else.”
- Lawrence J. Peter

In order for us to achieve our dreams, we must have a vision of our goals. Writing down our dreams and creating a list of actions helps us stick to our plan. As it’s said “if you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it”. When we turn our goals into measurable actions, we gain clarity and are able to see the necessary steps we must take in order to achieve them.

Action: Visualize a life of your wildest dreams. What did you dream of doing when you were a child? What would you do if you had a million dollars? Create a vision for your goals and start breaking them down into small actions that you can take on a day by day basis.

2. Overcoming Fear

“It was a high counsel that I once heard given to a young person, “Always do what you are afraid to do.”
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

The best way to learn something is to dive right in to it. When we overcome our fear of failure, we learn that only those who are asleep make no mistakes. Fear is the only thing keeping us from experiencing a life of love and fulfillment. If we make a commitment to an uncompromisable quest for truth, we will realize that as we grow more into the truth, our fears start to disappear.

Action: You must define your fears in order to conquer them. Create a list of everything you’re afraid of and start facing them one at a time. Make a commitment to yourself now to not let fear rule your life.

3. Intention and Desire

“All that we are is the result of what we have thought. The mind is everything. What we think, we become.”- Guatama Buddha

Our thoughts determine our reality. When we stop thinking about what we don’t and begin thinking about what we do want, our lives begin to transform. Instead of working against our desires and intentions, we move into alignment with them.

Action: Create a list of your intentions and desires. Wherever you go, take this list with you. Read it when you wake up and before you go to sleep.

4. Happiness

“Happiness depends more on the inward disposition of mind than on outward circumstances.”
- Benjamin Franklin

Happiness comes from an inner peace, understanding and acceptance of life; a perspective of truth that opens your eyes to the beauty of life all around us. Happiness cannot be achieved by external status, it must be an internal state that we realize when we see our innate perfection.

Action: Realize that happiness is a choice. In every decision you make ask yourself “how can I respond to make myself happy and fulfilled?”

5. Self Acceptance

“If a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand.” – Jesus

When we stop trying to be what we are not, we realize our authenticity. Before we had knowledge, we were completely authentic. We learn to use knowledge to measure and judge, which is a powerful tool we have as humans. However we create an image of perfection in our mind of what we should be, but are not. We confuse knowledge for nature. We believe in the lie of our imperfection. When we realize this we can reclaim the truth of our perfection and live in love and acceptance.

Action: Make a commitment to never go against yourself. Practice non-judgment and realize that the same part of your mind that condemns you is the same voice that caused you to take the action in the first place. We don’t even have to believe what we say to ourselves.

6. Appreciation and Gratitude

“So much has been given to me, I have not time to ponder over that which has been denied.”
- Helen Keller

How many times do we count our misfortunes rather than our blessings? When we take time to open our eyes to the miracle of life we can see the many gifts that have been given to us. Remembering all the beautiful aspects of life and all the reasons you are blessed can immediately shift our mood. We can move from sorrow and despair to appreciation and hope.

Action: Each time you find yourself complaining about something, re-direct your focus to something you are grateful for. Make a habit of transforming your awareness of troubles into an awareness of abundance.

7. The Art of Simplicity

“I made this letter longer than usual because I lack the time to make it short.”
- Blaise Pascal

Perfection is not when there is nothing to add, but when there is nothing more to take away. As Bruce Lee once said “the height of cultivation always runs to simplicity.” True mastery of our lives is realizing the simple joys of life, removing distractions and clutter from our lives.

Action: The art of simplicity is knowing what to take away. Practice recognizing when you’re spending your time on unimportant tasks and re-focus on the important.

This list is by no means exhaustive. There are other many great teachings that I did not include here because I felt like they were already expounded on thoroughly elsewhere, such as Einstein and Gandhi’s timeless classics. There are also great teachings to be found from our parents or friends.

One day a father of a very wealthy family took his son on a trip to the country with the firm purpose of showing his son how poor people can be.

They spent a couple of days and nights on the farm of what would be considered a very poor family. On their return from their trip, the father asked his son, “How was the trip?”

“It was great, Dad.”

“Did you see how poor people can be?” the father asked.

“Oh Yeah” said the son.

“So what did you learn from the trip?” asked the father.

The son answered, “I saw that we have one dog and they had four. We have a pool that reaches to the middle of our garden and they have a creek that has no end. We have imported lanterns in our garden and they have the stars at night. Our patio reaches to the front yard and they have the whole horizon. We have a small piece of land to live on and they have fields that go beyond our sight. We have servants who serve us, but they serve others. We buy our food, but they grow theirs. We have walls around our property to protect us, they have friends to protect them.”

With this the boy’s father was speechless. Then his son added, “Thanks dad for showing me how poor we are.”

Too many times we forget what we have and concentrate on what we don’t have. What is one person’s worthless object is another’s prize possession. It is all based on one’s perspective. Makes you wonder what would happen if we all gave thanks for all the bounty we have, instead of worrying about wanting more.

Governor Walker is filing for disaster relief for the 11 counties that “suffered” during the February blizzard.  I wonder, how many teachers will lose their jobs as a result.

Yeah — I know that’s stretching it, but do we ever consider the results of our expectations? There is no direct connection between teachers and blizzards.  But I wonder if that is really true.  No one I know would say that it is not a good thing to help people who suffered loss in a catastrophe. In a time when we already do not have money to pay for the commitments we have made — it still comes down to the big question:  from whose mouth will we take food, what teacher will lose a job, or what highway will we not repair in order to pay for the disaster benefits?

This is the question that no one wants acknowledge, and this is the only question that matters in government at the time.  As a nation, and as a state we are broke.  From whom will we take money — in this state or some other — in order to pay for state and local governments that have been for too long spending more money than they had.

There was a time that there were surpluses.  I know — cuz I lived through them.  Governments put money in the bank and had an emergency fund that they could draw on when events like a blizzard occurred.  There are no more surpluses.  But saving has become a four letter word and there is never an end to the demands of greed.

We choose to live in Wisconsin, others choose to live in Japan,  or along the Mississippi flood plain, or in Haiti.  In making our choices we also accept certain risks.  It’s GOOD for us to help people in need; but when we do we have to realize that doing so comes at a cost; we cannot do something else, cannot buy something else, cannot afford something else.

Who gets to decide?  Do you trust your government to decide for you?  Do you trust your union?  Do you trust your spouse/partner?  Do you trust yourself (meaning do you really know enough about the situation to factor in all the relevant details)?

I’m open to conversation….. Someone, tell me, who do you trust to make those choices?

I actually remember a time when trust was a part of the American personality.  I’m not sure that we as a people are capable of trusting anyone anymore.

Now that the Wisconsin Collective Bargaining legislation is signed, I wanted to see how many people realized what they were protesting for.

I am not a member of any conservative group, but I do believe that all the items in this article from www.conservativeamerican.org can be independently verified if someone has enough time and interest.

When you see the protesters in Wisconsin, you realize thousands of them are college kids. Some are from out of state. And you wonder how many are left that are actually from Wisconsin. Regardless, you’ll be amazed to see what they stand for.

By Peter Andrew

ConservativeAmerican.org
Leading the way Right with unique & fun Conservative American Views.

Wonder what the protesters REALLY are fighting for? Collective bargaining. At least that’s what they say. And why is that so important? Look at what collective bargaining has given union democrats in Wisconsin. You won’t believe this list!

This is what University of Wisconsin students are fighting for! Here are some examples from Wisconsin collective bargaining agreements. How many of these dingbat college kids understand this is why they are yelling and screaming?!

• Employer must provide bulletin boards to post information about union social and recreational activities. The size and location of the board is subject to collective bargaining.
• When a local union meets the following conditions are subject to bargaining: lighting, vision care and examinations, noise, chairs, desks, footrests, adjustable terminals and keyboards, work environment design (wall cover, carpet, windows), and room temperature!
• Starting of vehicles during cold weather is subject to collective bargaining. (????)
• Paid time off to donate blood. Taxpayers are paying them to donate blood!
• A Year’s Worth of Pay for 30 Days of Work – Under the Green Bay School District’s collectively bargained Emeritus Program, teaches can retire and receive a year’s worth of salary for working only 30 days over a three year period. This is paid in addition to their already guaranteed pension and health care payouts. At the average annual salary for a Green Bay teacher of $51,355, this amounts to a daily rate of pay of $1,711.83, or an hourly rate of $213.98. Since most retiring teachers receive higher than average salary, these amounts are, in practice, much higher. How many of those protesting college kids realize they are out their fighting the good fight for people making $213 an hour!!! Governor Walker’s office released details of these items this week. This one came from WLUK-TV, 3/3/11
• Teachers Receiving Two Pensions – Due to a 1982 provision of their collective bargaining agreement, Milwaukee Public School teachers actually receive TWO pensions upon retirement instead of one!!! The contribution to the second pension is equal to 4.2% of a teacher’s salary, with the school district making 100% of the contribution, just like they do for the first pension. This extra benefit costs taxpayers more than $16 million per year.
  . That’s from a February 17, 2010 Press Release, Process of developing FY11 budget begins Milwaukee Public Schools. Way to go college kids! You’re protesting to make sure you pay hundreds more in taxes to give teachers TWO FREAKING PENSIONS! You may want to rethink helping these union thugs.
• Almost $10,000 Per Year for Doing Nothing!!! – While the Green Bay Emeritus Program actually requires teachers to at least show up for work, the Madison Emeritus Program doesn’t even require that!! In addition to their pension payouts, retired Madison public school teachers receive annual payments of at least $9,884.18 per year for enrolling in the Emeritus Program, which requires ZERO days of work. When this program began, 20 days of work per year were required. Through collective bargaining, the union successfully negotiated this down to zero days. Walker’s Source? The Madison Teachers Inc. Website.
• No Volunteer Crossing Guards Allowed – A Wausau public employee union filed a grievance to prohibit a local volunteer from serving as a school crossing guard. The 86-year-old lives just two blocks away and serves everyday free of charge. Principal Steve Miller says, “He said, you know, this gives me a reason to get up in the morning to come and help these kids in the neighborhood.” But for a local union that represents crossing guards, it isn’t that simple. Representatives didn’t want to go on camera but say if a crossing guard is needed, then one should be officially hired by the city. Source: WAOW-TV, 1/27/10
• $6,000 Extra for Carrying a Pager – Some state employees, due to the nature of their positions, are required to carry pagers during off-duty hours in order to respond to emergency situations. Due to the collective bargaining agreements, these employees are compensated an extra five hours of pay each week, whether they are paged or not. For an employee earning an average salary of $50,000 per year, this requirement can cost more than $6,000 in additional compensation. Source: 2008-09 Agreement between the State of Wisconsin and AFSCME Council 24
• Arbitrator Reinstates Porn-Watching Teacher!! – A Cedarburg school teacher was reinstated by an arbitrator after being fired for viewing pornography on a school computer. The school district ultimately succeeded in terminating the teacher only after taking the case to the Wisconsin Supreme Court at great cost to the taxpayers. Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 8/23/08
• ‘Outstanding First Year Teacher’ Laid Off – Here’s one the college students can feel good about protesting for (not!). Milwaukee Public Schools teacher Megan Sampson was laid off less than one week after being named Outstanding First Year Teacher by the Wisconsin Council of English Teachers. She lost her job because the collective bargaining agreement requires layoffs to be made based on seniority rather than merit. Informed that her union had rejected a lower-cost health care plan, that still would have required zero contribution from teachers, Sampson said, “Given the opportunity, of course I would switch to a different plan to save my job, or the jobs of 10 other teachers. Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 6/14/10
• Union Opposes Cost-Saving Lawn Mowing Program – As a cost cutting measure, Racine County began using county inmates to cut the grass in medians and right-of-ways at no cost to the taxpayers. A county employee union filed a grievance indicating it was the right of government workers to cut the grass, even though it would cost the taxpayers dramatically more. Source: Racine Journal Times, 5/12/10
• The $150,000 Bus Driver – Oh, and this is worth driving in from out of state to picket for! Better call Jesse Jackson to come in for this one and call off school to holler and shout for this poor public union employee! Give me a freaking break!!! In 2009, the City of Madison’s highest paid employee was a bus driver who earned $159,258, including $109,892 in overtime, guaranteed by a collective bargaining agreement. In total,seven City of Madison bus drivers made more than $100,000 per year in 2009. “That’s the (drivers’) contract,” said Transit and Parking Commission Chairman Gary Poulson. Source: Wisconsin State Journal, 2/7/10
• $150,000 Correctional Officers!! – Correctional Officer collective bargaining agreements allow officers a practice known as “sick leave stacking.” Officers can call in sick for a shift, receiving 8 hours of sick pay, and then are allowed to work the very next shift, earning time-and-a-half for overtime. This results in the officer receiving 2.5 times his or her rate of pay, while still only working 8 hours. In part because of these practices, 13 correctional officers made more than $100,000 in 2009, despite earning base wages of less than $60,000 per year. The officers received an average of $66,000 in overtime pay for an average annual salary of more than $123,000 with the highest paid receiving $151,181. Source: Department of Corrections
• Taxpayers Fund Paid-Time off for Union Activities!!! – In Milwaukee County alone, because the union collectively bargained for paid time off, fourteen employees receive salary and benefits for doing union business. Of the fourteen, three are on full-time release for union business. Milwaukee County spent over $170,000 in salary alone for these employees to only participate in union activities such as collective bargaining. Surrender of Management Rights
• Because of collecting bargaining, unions have included provisions in employee contracts that have a direct fiscal impact such as not allowing management to schedule workers based on operational needs and requiring notice and approval by the union prior to scheduling changes. As then Milwaukee County Executive, Gov. Walker attempted to reduce work hours based on budget pressures and workload requirements by instituting a 35 hour work week to avoid layoffs, which the union opposed. Additionally, government cannot explore privatization of functions that could save taxpayers money.
• INSURANCE SCAM TO FUND UNION ACTIVITIES!!!
  The WEA “Trust!!!” – Currently many school districts participate in WEA trust because WEAC collectively bargains to get as many school districts across the state to participate in this union run health insurance plan as possible. Union leadership benefits from members participating in this plan. If school districts enrolled in the state employee health plan, it would save school districts up to $68 million per year. Beyond that if school districts had the flexibility to look for health insurance coverage outside of WEA trust or the state plan, additional savings would likely be realized. Boy, those college kids must be proud to have the honor of picketing for such virtuous people!
• Viagra for Teachers – The Milwaukee Teachers Education Association (MTEA) tried to use a policy established by collective bargaining to obtain health insurance coverage that specifically paid for Viagra. Cost to taxpayers is $786,000 a year. Only in the last week, did the Milwaukee TEA drop this lawsuit due to public pressure.
• Unrealistic Overtime Provisions – On a state level, the Department of Corrections allows correctional workers who call in sick to collect overtime if they work a shift on the exact same day. The specific provision that allows this to happen was collectively bargained for in their contract. Cost to taxpayers $4.8 million. Oh, but those brilliant young minds enrolled in the University of Wisconsin at Madison are all too happy to protest for this! They look forward to working extra hours to pay taxes to cover things like this.

H₂O: Dangerous Chemical!

A student at Eagle Rock Junior High won first prize at the Greater Idaho Falls Science Fair, April 26. He was attempting to show how conditioned we have become to alarmists practicing junk science and spreading fear of everything in our environment. In his project he urged people to sign a petition demanding strict control or total elimination of the chemical “dihydrogen monoxide.”

And for plenty of good reasons, since:

1. it can cause excessive sweating and vomiting
2. it is a major component in acid rain
3. it can cause severe burns in its gaseous state
4. accidental inhalation can kill you
5. it contributes to erosion
6. it decreases effectiveness of automobile brakes
7. it has been found in tumors of terminal cancer patients

He asked 50 people if they supported a ban of the chemical.

• Forty-three (43) said yes,
• six (6) were undecided,
• and only one (1) knew that the chemical was water.

The title of his prize winning project was, “How Gullible Are We?”

He feels the conclusion is obvious.

1. The bandage was wound around the wound.

2. The farm was used to produce produce.

3. The dump was so full it had to refuse more refuse.

4. We must polish the Polish furniture.

5. He could lead if he would get the lead out.

6. The soldier decided to desert his dessert in the desert.

7. Since there was no time like the present, he thought it was time to present the present.

8. A bass was painted on the head of the bass drum.

9. When shot at, the dove dove into the bushes.

10. I did not object to the object.

11. The insurance was invalid for the invalid.

12. There was a row among the oarsmen on how to row.

13. They were too close to the door to close it.

14. The buck does funny things when does are present.

15. A seamstress and a sewer fell down into a sewer line.

16. To help with planting, the farmer taught his sow to sow.

17. The wind was too strong to wind the sail.

18. After a number of injections my jaw got number.

19. Upon seeing the tear in the painting I shed a tear.

20. I had to subject the subject to a series of tests.

21. How can I intimate this to my most intimate friend?

I’m not entirely sure if this is a real lock or not.  But I do have to say that I’m not sure I could manage to get out of my own home if I had one of these!

It might be a great way to tell if you are really awake and sober enough to go to work.

1. Rubber bands last longer when refrigerated.
2. Peanuts are one of the ingredients in dynamite.
3. There are 293 ways to make change for a dollar.
4. The average person’s left hand does 56% of the typing.
5. A shark is the only fish that can blink with both eyes.
6. There are more chickens than people in the world.
7. Two thirds of the world’s eggplant is grown in New Jersey.
8. The longest one syllable word in the English language is “screeched.” <!– 10/1/10 Jordan Sawchuk
9. On a Canadian two dollar bill, the flag flying over the Parliament building is an American flag. –>
10. All of the clocks in the movie “Pulp Fiction” are stuck on 4:20.
11. No word in the English language rhymes with month, orange, silver, or purple.
12. “Dreamt” is the only English word that ends in the letters “mt”.
13. All 50 states are listed across the top of the Lincoln Memorial on the back of the $5 bill.
14. Almonds are a member of the peach family.
15. Winston Churchill was born in a ladies’ room during a dance.
16. Maine is the only state whose name is just one syllable.
17. There are only four words in the English language which end in “dous”: tremendous, horrendous, stupendous, and hazardous.
18. Los Angeles’ full name is “El Pueblo de Nuestra Senora la Reina de los Angeles de Porciuncula”
19. A cat has 32 muscles in each ear.
20. An ostrich’s eye is bigger than its brain.
21. Tigers have striped skin, not just striped fur.
22. In most advertisements, the time displayed on a watch is 10:10.
23. Al Capone’s business card said he was a used furniture dealer.
24. The characters Bert and Ernie on Sesame Street were named after Bert the cop and Ernie the taxi driver in Frank Capra’s “It’s a Wonderful Life.”
25. A dragonfly has a life span of 24 hours.
26. A goldfish has a memory span of three seconds.
27. A dime has 118 ridges around the edge.
28. It’s impossible to sneeze with your eyes open. (DON’T try this at home)!
29. The giant squid has the largest eyes in the world.
30. In England, the Speaker of the House is not allowed to speak.
31. The microwave was invented after a researcher walked by radar tube and a chocolate bar melted in his pocket.
32. Mr. Rogers is an ordained minister.
33. The average person falls asleep in seven minutes.
34. There are 336 dimples on a regular golf ball.
35. “Stewardesses” is the longest word that is typed with only the left hand.