Gosh, an Update...?!
Well, it's been a while here, hasn't it? I wish I had some grand excuse for having not done this for a month, but aside from a prize-fight with a cold/flu thing last weekend, I've got nothin'.
In any event, I'm going to try and cover a few things with this.
Huntsville guys (this means you two, Allen and Tommy), I just want ya'll to know that you have corrupted me beyond all measure. As you may know, I wake up each morning to the sound of the local news/talk radio AM station, AM 750. During the process of getting dressed, they come on with a commercial for the new Snapper lawn mower. The basic gist of the commercial was how easy the Snapper is to USE!, how easy the Snapper is to PUT TOGETHER!, how easy the Snapper is to PUSH!, and etc. along that vein.
And what, you may ask, was the first reaction that went through my head? Very well, I will tell you:
"The new Snapper Mower! It's easy, just like William's Mom!"
I'll never be free.
Today, at Mudville Gazette, Mrs. Greyhawk posts a link to a post on the The Jump Blog. At the bottom of this post is a link to a decently large .wmv file that the Jump Blogger and a few others put together. Click on the link (helpfully contained in the word "link" above), and get to the file from the post. It's a cool video, and well worth your time.
As might know, but most likely not, the local International Association of Machinists (Local 709) have gone on strike here. What this means is that the union guys have stopped working at the factory and are presently marching back and forth across the entrances to the facility. I'm not going to bother talking about the issues involved here, as I don't fully understand what the rationale behind this is. However, I would like to offer a few observations, as someone who has now witness his first strike:
1. No, I am not part of the strike (thank goodness). As a salaried employee, I am not a member of the union, and thus what that do doesn't directly affect me.
2. However, given the present state of limbo that we are in due to the proposed DoD budget, stoppage of work on the -130J and Raptor DOES have the potential to affect me indirectly.
3. The strike started at Midnight on Tuesday (the start of Tuesday, that is). Given what the weather was on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, I almost pittied the picketeers.
4. Though on Wednesday morning, when the wind was blowing like- (Let's not go there, -Ed) (err, sorry...), I thought that it would be funny if the wind was to rip one of the union placards from the cold, frozen hands of one of the picketeers.
5. When leaving on Wednesday evening, I got a look at one of the message signs. It read "We Know You Scab." Judging by a news report, this seems to be some sort of motto amongst the union.
6. I have no clue what it means.
7. After a brief phone converasation with my dad, I have discovered that "scab", in this context, refers to a union member who breaches the picket line and goes to work, or to outside help brought in by the company to cover the slack. Learn something new everyday, I guess.
8. Scab, then, is a noun/pronoun/derogatory term, and not a bizarre verb as I had originally thought.
9. So far, the picketeers and salaried alike have been behaving themselves, even if I do occasionally make snarky comments inside the building. However, something moderately disconcerting occured today: while exiting the premises, I passed through a picket line (yes, there was a large gap between marching clumps; I wouldn't have moved if someone was standing there) on my way to the main road. As I prepared to turn our into the exit lane, one particular fellow pulled out a camera and behaved as if he was taking my picture. I simply ignored him and went on, but it was a bit odd.
10. Still, if they were going to pull a cheap intimidation trick, they should have done it yesterday, when what I was wearing would have let me pull of a Roguish and Dashing Air.
11. No one who knows me believes the above point.
12. Since this started at midnight... I have to wonder if they're still there marching, and if they march on the 9/80 schedule...
In any event, I'm going to try and cover a few things with this.
Huntsville guys (this means you two, Allen and Tommy), I just want ya'll to know that you have corrupted me beyond all measure. As you may know, I wake up each morning to the sound of the local news/talk radio AM station, AM 750. During the process of getting dressed, they come on with a commercial for the new Snapper lawn mower. The basic gist of the commercial was how easy the Snapper is to USE!, how easy the Snapper is to PUT TOGETHER!, how easy the Snapper is to PUSH!, and etc. along that vein.
And what, you may ask, was the first reaction that went through my head? Very well, I will tell you:
"The new Snapper Mower! It's easy, just like William's Mom!"
I'll never be free.
Today, at Mudville Gazette, Mrs. Greyhawk posts a link to a post on the The Jump Blog. At the bottom of this post is a link to a decently large .wmv file that the Jump Blogger and a few others put together. Click on the link (helpfully contained in the word "link" above), and get to the file from the post. It's a cool video, and well worth your time.
As might know, but most likely not, the local International Association of Machinists (Local 709) have gone on strike here. What this means is that the union guys have stopped working at the factory and are presently marching back and forth across the entrances to the facility. I'm not going to bother talking about the issues involved here, as I don't fully understand what the rationale behind this is. However, I would like to offer a few observations, as someone who has now witness his first strike:
1. No, I am not part of the strike (thank goodness). As a salaried employee, I am not a member of the union, and thus what that do doesn't directly affect me.
2. However, given the present state of limbo that we are in due to the proposed DoD budget, stoppage of work on the -130J and Raptor DOES have the potential to affect me indirectly.
3. The strike started at Midnight on Tuesday (the start of Tuesday, that is). Given what the weather was on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, I almost pittied the picketeers.
4. Though on Wednesday morning, when the wind was blowing like- (Let's not go there, -Ed) (err, sorry...), I thought that it would be funny if the wind was to rip one of the union placards from the cold, frozen hands of one of the picketeers.
5. When leaving on Wednesday evening, I got a look at one of the message signs. It read "We Know You Scab." Judging by a news report, this seems to be some sort of motto amongst the union.
6. I have no clue what it means.
7. After a brief phone converasation with my dad, I have discovered that "scab", in this context, refers to a union member who breaches the picket line and goes to work, or to outside help brought in by the company to cover the slack. Learn something new everyday, I guess.
8. Scab, then, is a noun/pronoun/derogatory term, and not a bizarre verb as I had originally thought.
9. So far, the picketeers and salaried alike have been behaving themselves, even if I do occasionally make snarky comments inside the building. However, something moderately disconcerting occured today: while exiting the premises, I passed through a picket line (yes, there was a large gap between marching clumps; I wouldn't have moved if someone was standing there) on my way to the main road. As I prepared to turn our into the exit lane, one particular fellow pulled out a camera and behaved as if he was taking my picture. I simply ignored him and went on, but it was a bit odd.
10. Still, if they were going to pull a cheap intimidation trick, they should have done it yesterday, when what I was wearing would have let me pull of a Roguish and Dashing Air.
11. No one who knows me believes the above point.
12. Since this started at midnight... I have to wonder if they're still there marching, and if they march on the 9/80 schedule...
posted by Wes at 9:14 PM
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