who's that girl?

today, samantha visited the birthing center for her 20 week ultrasound. she is officially halfway! at 20 weeks, the doctor is able to check to make sure the baby is healthy. it's difficult for us to see, but she can check the development of the baby's organs. b"h, the baby is healthy. (if you click the title above, you can hear her heartbeat.)

the doctor is also able to check for the baby's sex. it's a girl! it's so crazy to see the baby on screen. she has full legs and arms and little bitty toes and fingers.

many parents wait to find out if the baby is a boy or a girl until birth. but, samantha and i were excited to find out. (the nurse explained that about 65% of parents do want to know . . .) so many people have asked us: what do you really want? do you really wish for a boy? do you really wish for a girl?

truly, truly, we only only hope for her to be healthy. the whole process is so humbling. there can be so many challenges and worries. today, we are only blessed.




samantha says:
yay, yay, yay, yay, yay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
: )

first comes love. . .

andrew and samantha sittin' in a tree. . .

k-i-ss-i-n-g. . .

first comes love. . .

then comes marriage. . .

then comes a baby in the baby carriage!
(b'ezrat hashem)


samantha is pregnant. . .
due date: may 20, 2006

king love quotes

We are prone to judge success by the index of our salaries or the size of our automobile rather than by the quality of our service and relationship to mankind.


Hatred paralyzes life; love releases it. Hatred confuses life; love harmonizes it. Hatred darkens life; love illumines it

Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into friend.

Like an unchecked cancer, hate corrodes the personality and eats away its vital unity. Hate destroys a man's sense of values and his objectivity. It causes him to describe the beautiful as ugly and the ugly as beautiful, and to confuse the true with the false and the false with the true. Power at its best is love implementing the demands of justice. Justice at its best is love correcting everything that stands against love.


Everybody can be great because anybody can serve. You don't have to have college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.

If man hasn't discovered something that he will die for, he isn't fit to live.

Life's most persistent and urgent question is: What are you doing for others?

It may be true that the law cannot make a man love me. But it can keep him from lynching me, and I think that's pretty important.

We have flown the air like birds and swum the sea like fishes, but have yet to learn the simple act of walking the earth like brothers.

We must accept finite disappointment, but we must never lose infinite hope.

The quality, not the longevity, of one's life is what is important.

We will have to repent in this generation not merely for the hateful words and actions of the bad people but for the appalling silence of the good people.

Everything that is done in the world is done by hope.

He who passively accepts evil is as much involved in it as he who helps to perpetrate it.

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. Hate multiplies hate, violence multiplies violence, and toughness multiplies toughness in a descending spiral of destruction....The chain reaction of evil -- hate begetting hate, wars producing more wars -- must be broken, or we shall be plunged into the dark abyss of annihilation.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: 'We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal.

the rev. dr. martin luther king

dr. martin luther king, jr. is a modern american hero. he is credited as the spirit and soul of the civil rights movement. dr. king organized large nonviolent resistance for equality, justice, and peace. he is especially noted for his beautiful language – his speeches and writings are direct, honest, hopeful, and sincere.

however, we often remember only his hope. we likely forget his anger, his force, and his honesty. we must remember his beauty. . . yet, today, we cannot forget that he was a stubborn activist against inequality, poverty, and war.

dr. king was trying to wreck! its just his hammers and his bombs were love and peace.



"Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed."


"The question is not whether we will be extremists, but what kind of extremists we will be."


"The sweltering summer of the Negro's legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality."


"Law and order exist for the purpose of establishing justice and when they fail in this purpose they become the dangerously structured dams that block the flow of social progress."


"Without justice, there can be no peace. He who passively accepts evil is as much involved in it as he who helps to perpetrate it."


"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."

union labor

Why are labor unions important?

Strong unions are essential for our continued democracy. In fact, the Steelworkers Union notes that the United States Constitution was ratified in the "gathering hall of the Phildaelphia Guild of Carpenters".

However, labor unions can overbargain. For example, a series of airlines recently declared bankruptcy, including Delta, Northwest, United, and US Airways. Rising fuel costs, increased deregulation, burdensome federal taxes, poor strategic planning, and mismanagement all plagued major American carriers. However, bloated union contracts also prevented airlines from shifting and reorganizing without federal bankruptcy protection.

The real disaster for labor unions is that federal bankruptcy robs skilled and line workers from collective bargaining protections. Strong unions have fought hard to earn important benefits and leading salaries; however, overbargaining harms the long term success or viability of companies. In fact, bankruptcy reorganization plans often strip workers of fair compensation and benefits.

Labor unions are designed to protect work, workers, and workplaces. Effective labor unions are essential to our basic economy, and labor agreements should recognize that effective partnerships benefit both individuals and organizations.

What are you talking about?

There are two major categories of labor unions: craft unions and industrial unions.

Craft unions organize skilled workers, including carpenters, blacksmiths, or painters. Craft guilds organized the first local unions in the late 18th century. Oganized craft unions promotes skilled craftsman and certified craft standards to prevent unskilled craft and unfair wages.

Industrial unions represent workers across individual industries, including steelworkers, shipbuilders, or mineworkers.
Industry unions are vertical: they promote united organization for collective bargaining. A strong union advocates for improved working conditions and worker compensation, including salary and benefits.

Early industrial labor unions were largely unsuccessful. For example, the Pullman Palace Car Company unilaterally reduced wages for line workers in 1894. The American Railway Union (ARU) rejected the forced paycuts and led a dramatic employee strike across 27 states. Eugene Debs, President of ARU, was imprisoned for violation of the Sherman Anti-trust Act. However, the US Supreme Court rejected labor appeals and upheld the policy of the Pullman Car Company.

However, business exaggerated pressure on labor through the early 20th century and radicalized labor unions gained increasing grassroots support. Increased membership led to increased political influence. In 1932, labor unions helped organize important support for the election of Franklin Roosevelt. The Great Depression increased popular commitment and participation in industrial labor unions. This broad support led to dramatic reforms in the supervision and regulation of corporations.

For example, strong labor unions helped promote legislation including the National Labor Relations Act (1935) and the Fair Labor Standards Act (1938). Protective legislation stablished minimum standards for workers' protection, including health and safety of workplace. For example, the NLRA established maximum workweek hours, minimum wage standards, and prohibited child labor.

However, the American labor movement has suffered a significant decline. 1/3 of American workers were enrolled in certified unions in 1960. Yet, recent surveys estimate that labor participation decreased to 13% in 2003.

Who cares?

The Union of Federated Teachers recently completed a contract agreement with the New York City Board of Education. NYC public schoolteachers were working under an expired 2002 contract. The expired contract preserved basic agreeements; however, inflation was rapidly decreasing salary wages.

Today, there is serious disagreement within the Teachers' Union. The offered contract proposes 3% annual wage increases with immediate retroactive pay; however, it also extends the school day and adds additional responsibilities, including cafeteria or homeroom supervision. The UFT President argues that the union has fought for important core values against a stubborn administration. However, many rank and file teachers believe the proposed raise trails inflation and lowballs any increased requirements.

I believe that reforms or requirements that clearly support student learning make real sense. For example, remediation and small group tutoring for struggling students is important and effective. In fact, I currently lead volunteer after-school programs for students. Small group instruction is incredibly rewarding!

However, are we getting fair value?