Thumbs up: State workers rally in Salem
On Friday, May 20, several thousand union members rallied in Salem to protest the unfair burden many state employees have been forced to take in the recession and to push for a decrease in future cuts. These cuts unfairly target families who need health insurance and cannot afford to take mandatory unpaid leave. Though everyone should tighten their belts a little, a good government needs to consider how much union members actually have to give up.
Thumbs up: Diplomats rescued in Yemen
Several diplomats were taken from the United Arab Emirates embassy in Sanaa, Yemen, on Sunday as armed supporters of Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh surrounded the embassy. The diplomats, from numerous Middle Eastern Nations, as well as Great Britain and the European Union, were taken to safety at President Saleh’s presidential palace. Yemeni security forces were reportedly present at the embassy but made no effort to quell the demonstrators, who were reportedly toting “machine guns, pistols or batons.”
It is fortunate the diplomats were taken from the embassy before violence had a chance to occur, which could have had negative ramifications throughout the Middle East and abroad.@@http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/meast/05/22/yemen.political.deal/index.html@@
Thumbs down: Defeated school tax distracts from problem
In the May 18 edition of The Register-Guard, Jennifer Solomon, the spokesperson for anti-tax group Citizens for Jobs and Schools, was quoted as saying the following: “I wanted to send a strong message to the school board that the voters are tapped out, and we want the schools to live within their budgets, just like we have to live within our budgets.” Hilary Johnson of pro-tax Strong Schools Eugene said, “I thought we were going to win because people in this community had supported schools time and time again.”
Neither seem to get it: Money is not the only way to support schools. It’s not even the best way. Eugene’s schools are in trouble, and all anyone seems to care about are dollar signs.@@http://www.registerguard.com/web/newslocalnews/26258726-41/tax-eugene-schools-income-voters.html.csp@@
Thumbs down: End of an era

Ex-pro wrestler Randy “Macho Man” Savage died Friday morning when his car crossed a median and slammed into a tree in Seminole, Fla. Savage, whose real name was Randall Mario Poffo, was driving with his wife, Barbara L. Poffo, who was injured but is expected to be released from the hospital shortly. Savage enjoyed an illustrious wrestling career from the mid-’80s to the early ’90s, and was perhaps best known in his retirement for his appearance in numerous Slim Jim commercials. At the age of just 58, Savage will be greatly missed by fans.@@http://www.cnn.com/2011/US/05/20/florida.wrestler.dead/index.html @@@@http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/the_bonus/05/23/macho.man/index.html?sct=mr_t12_a1@@