Wednesday Open Thread

Filed in National by on November 10, 2010

Welcome to your Wednesday open thread. What’s up in your corner of Delaware?

Conservatives can be deeply weird. Bryan Fisher from the American Family Association hates bears. Seriously.

Which is why Fischer, who is the “Director of Issues Analysis” for the conservative Christian group the American Family Association, wrote a blog post today called “A hot dog on two legs – time for open season on Yellowstone grizzlies,” in which he refers to Grizzly Bears as a “curse” and says that “it’s time” for the grizzlies to go.

He references a November 6 article in the Los Angeles Times about the high death toll of bears in the Yellowstone region this year, which the article says is the worst on record. Fischer’s point is that the piece “exudes far more compassion for live bears than dead people,” since the two people who died from grizzly attacks only warrant a fifth-paragraph mention.

“One human being is worth more than an infinite number of grizzly bears,” Fischer writes. “Another way to put it is that there is no number of live grizzlies worth one dead human being. If it’s a choice between grizzlies and humans, the grizzlies have to go. And it’s time.”

He continues: “Of course there is a simple answer: shoot these man-eaters on sight.”

Bryan Fisher proves that Poe’s Law is true. Fundamentalists are almost impossible to parody.

Poe’s Law points out that it is hard to tell parodies of fundamentalism (or, more generally, any crackpot theory) from the real thing, since they both seem equally insane. Conversely, real fundamentalism can easily be mistaken for a parody of fundamentalism.

This is pretty cool. How did you do? I won $81 while spending $1040 over 10 years.

Sigh. One of the outcomes of the new Congress is some of the new committee chairs are going to change. Meet the new House Energy committee chair, John Shimkus. He has some, uh, interesting ideas about climate science.

Juan Cole does us the unpleasant service of bringing back to life the comments of John Shimkus, R-Ill., a year and a half ago.

Shimkus starts by quoting Genesis 8, Verses 21 and 22, in which God makes Noah a promise.

Never again will I curse the ground because of man, even though all inclinations of his heart are evil from childhood and never again will I destroy all living creatures as I have done.

As long as the earth endures, seed time and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, will never cease.

Shimkus continues: “I believe that is the infallible word of god, and that’s the way it is going to be for his creation… The earth will end only when God declares its time to be over. Man will not destroy this earth. This earth will not be destroyed by a flood.”

I’m glad that John Shimkus can sleep at night, faithful that that God’s word is “infallible, unchanging, perfect.” But for those of us who are less confident in humanity’s ability to keep from massively screwing up, the thought that the Bible will be determining government energy policy is massively ulcer-inducing.

Phew! I feel so much better now. I have no idea why I was worried.

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Opinionated chemist, troublemaker, blogger on national and Delaware politics.

Comments (88)

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  1. anonone says:

    More war-without-end from the Peace Prize Winner:

    “The Obama administration has decided to walk away from what it once touted as key deadlines in the Afghanistan war in an effort to de-emphasize the president’s pledge that he would begin withdrawing U.S. forces in July 2011, administration and military officials said Tuesday.”

    “de-emphasize the president’s pledge” = Hide another Obomba lie

    http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2013389298_afghanplan10.html

  2. anonone says:

    “White House altered drilling safety report”

    “The inspector general says the editing changes resulted “in the implication that the moratorium recommendation had been peer reviewed.” But it hadn’t been. The scientists were only asked to review new safety measures for offshore drilling.”

    How Bushian of Obomba. I am glad that he is carrying on the same respect for science that his predecessor had.

    Respect for Science 2010 = Respect for Science 2002

    http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101110/ap_on_re_us/us_gulf_oil_spill

  3. anonone says:

    Just heat and they deep fry automatically: “Multiple independent lab tests confirm oil in Gulf shrimp”

    “The federal government is going out of its way to assure the public that seafood pulled from recently reopened Gulf of Mexico waters is safe to consume, in spite of the largest accidental release of crude oil in America’s history.

    However, testing methodologies used by the government to deem areas of water safe for commercial fishing are woefully inadequate and permit high levels of toxic compounds to slip into the human food chain, according to a series of scientific and medical professionals interviewed by Raw Story.”

    “assure the public” = “lie to the public”

    Umm, ummm, good!

    http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2010/11/activist-lab-tests-show-dangerously-toxic-substances-present-gulf-shrimp/

  4. Sam Alito doesn’t think it’s a big deal to fundraise for Republicans.

    This story is deeply strange as well – FL governor-elect Rick Scott (the Medicare scammer) paid his campaign workers with gift cards:

    Mark Don Givens told Florida’s WTSP News that he was expecting a paycheck after he made phone calls and knocked on doors for the Scott campaign, which made jobs a top issue in the election. Givens said he and other workers were upset after they were told by the campaign that they could not offer them a paycheck and given American Express gift cards instead.

    “This would violate both tax laws and labor laws,” Melanie Sloan, the Executive Director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) told TPMmuckraker in an email. “It looks like the newly elected AG will be investigating the newly elected governor.

    I find Rick Scott’s win in FL one of the strangest of last week. Did Florida voters really want a Medicare scammer as their governor. Wow.

  5. anon says:

    Hey! Not sure if anyone mentioned it yet, but Governor Markell is in China and Taiwan drumming up business for Delaware… Go Jack!

  6. a.price says:

    more like selling out ‘merica to the evil commies.

  7. anon says:

    a.price has been let go.

    Seriously though, read the press release. It turns out Delaware sells a lot of chicken parts to China/Taiwan. If we can increase that we’d be better off. Also there are a lot of technology deals to be made, and it sounds like the Gov. is on the case.

  8. Another weird story. Tucker Carlson pretended to be Keith Olbermann in exchanges with the Philadelphia Daily News. Serious journamalism.

    Carlson, it appears, is quite the jokester.

    So it was interesting to see that Olbermann allegedly sent some angry emails to the Philadelphia Daily News’ Stu Bykofsky using the email address keith@keitholbermann.com.

    Phawker.com, which published the exchange, claimed it was “guaranteed 100% for real.”And Bykofsky later confirmed to media industry watcher Jim Romenesko that he was writing to keith@keitholbermann.com, which he believed to be Olbermann.

    Although emails were indeed sent back and forth, it wasn’t Olbermann on the other end.

    No, that was Tucker Carlson, pretending to be Olbermann, and leaving Bykofsky with the impression he was having a heated exchange with Olbermann.

    Asked for an explanation, Carlson said. “Could you resist? It was just too funny. The flesh is weak.”

    So instead of story about how Olbermann is a big mean jerk, it’s a story about how Tucker Carlson is a big mean jerk.

  9. a.price says:

    anon, the cool kids say “epic fail”

    Tucker should have committed hare kari after Jon Stewart KO’d him on crossfire.

  10. Aoine says:

    Maybe Bryan Fisher’s article is a dog whistle bout Sarah Palin

    now wouldn’t THAT be a hoot coz that;s how I read it…..

  11. Aoine says:

    cool website – I won: if you can call it that

    You played 1040 games of Mega Millions. It cost $1040. You won $83

  12. cassandra m says:

    Tucker Carlson is guilty of Identity Theft and it would be all sorts of cool if Olbermann or MSNBC filed charges.

  13. skippertee says:

    Tucker Carlson wouldn’t make a decent pimple on Keith’s ass.Possibly, an indecent one.
    And Phawker.com a legitimate news outlet?
    Domain names are notoriously undependable as to their actual owners.
    This ain’t rocket surgery or brain science,you idiot Phawkers.
    Try confirming, the FIRST rule in Journalism 101.

  14. Brian Shields says:

    Well.. I got drunk last night and bought flowers online for a girl I have a major crush on but was too shy to say anything. Write an awesomely romantic phrase for the card, but since I was either scared or drunk, forgot to sign my name.

    Anyway, the florist precalls the delivery, freaks her out refuses to give my name… and lo and behold she thinks she has a stalker, freaks out some more.. posts it on Facebook, where all of her bitchy girlfriends tell her to call the police and file a report…

    .. so I freak out, call the florist and explain what happened, cancel the delivery before it’s delivered, and get a $20 gift certificate from them if I ever drunk romance again.

    Wanna know what the card said? “You are as beautiful to me, as these blooms are to you.”

    Oh yeah, call the freakin’ cops. No wonder chivalry is dead.

    Just had to share with someone. Thanks for listening to my vent.

  15. Auntie Dem says:

    Oh Brian, that is so sad. What a commentary on our times. Flowers for pete’s sake? Maybe you are better off?? A well brought up young lady should be able to graciously receive flowers from an admirer. Am I wrong Pandora? Is it really that scary out there these days?

  16. liberalgeek says:

    Damn Brian, that’s a rough one. No more drinking and surfing. 🙂

  17. anonone says:

    Don’t worry, Brian. Her Dad is probably a one-legged diabetic drunk.

  18. anon says:

    Many years ago I was out barhopping with some friends, including one girl who was the sister of one of the guys as I recall. I can’t say I had a crush on her but I was acutely aware I was in the company of a cute girl. So we were all drunk and strolling along to the next bar, and we were pretty giddy, and I executed some kind of little hop or skip maneuver, not sure how or why, and ended up sprawled heavily on the sidewalk. This girl came up to me and said “You were just trying to impress me, weren’t you” and I was sober enough to come back with “Yeah, that is how I impress all the girls, by getting drunk and falling down. Did it work? ” (hint: it didn’t). Years later I ended up clean (mostly) and she’s in rehab – true story.

  19. skippertee says:

    Brian, it’s the curse of the Irish to drink and long for love.
    It’s a blessing to know of your survival.
    Chivalry’s demise is an urban legend, although, I’ll admit it’s crippled a bit.
    Forget the Harpies, they’re near-sighted in their advice and delusional as to think a poem is tantamount to treachery.
    Keep at it, mate, a fair maiden awaits you.

  20. pandora says:

    Major – MAJOR – overreaction. Auntie Dem is correct. You are better off. This is a BIG red flag, Brian. Who, in their right mind, immediately thinks stalker because of an unsigned card? Wouldn’t your first thought be secret admirer, or someone forgot to sign the card. This woman has issues, and so do her friends.

    Stay away from drama queens and their friends. And can we please, please, please stop posting every stupid thing on facebook?

  21. Joanne Christian says:

    Brian–be grateful you found out she’s a drama queen early on—and with hyper girlfriends to elevate the situation. Nothing like too much Lifetime channel to ruin it for the rest of us…….

  22. Joanne Christian says:

    Pandora–we really must stop being on the same page. It’s bad for blog contention:)!!!!!

  23. a.price says:

    you dont need the drama, Brian. Ive been called stalker for getting flowers…. for a girl i took to a dance the week before. And this was before facebook. The fact this chick jumps right to “stalker” proves she isnt worth a stalker…. and probably isnt worth you.

  24. pandora says:

    Great minds, Joanne. Great minds.

    Move on, Brian. Don’t waste another second on this woman.

    After Mr. Pandora and my first date he left a rose on my car windshield. I discovered it when I left work. No card, just a rose. I found the gesture very romantic.

  25. Auntie Dem says:

    Joanne and Pandora, you give me hope.

  26. cassandra m says:

    Definitely move on, Brian. There is way too much drama here — how do you get to have a stalker just from one delivery of flowers? This woman has no grace (and certainly no sense of romance), and apparently she has no friends that will point this out to her. Just don’t get your own Facebook pile on going when you are in your cups again….

  27. anon says:

    Are libs getting the feeling that Obama’s foreign policy is ever worse than Bush? His trip to Indonesia was delivering weapons to the junta there who are attacking Pro-democracy civilians. Obama and the drones killed more innocents in Afganistan than Bush did! When are we going to realize Obama is a Goldman Sachs corporate whore just as bad as republicans? Putting Summers and Geitner into treasury was a wholesale huge mistake. Would he just stop apologizing and DO something! Obama is center right always has been. As the right as moved even further to the right so has Obama and the democrats. If liberals/progressives don’t get our act together and stop backing him up on everything we are going to get shitcanned in 2012. Betrayus would look really good to the baggers and pro war dems and republicans. We have a real problem here people.

  28. heragain says:

    I’m with the girl. maybe, sorry, Brian.

    The thing is, you have no idea what creepy stalker she’s been dodging since high school. So call her up, tell her exactly this story, and apologize for scaring her. At SOME point you’ll have to talk to her, right? I mean, if you’re ever to mean anything to her in real life.

    She’ll accept that you’re an ass. Men often are. Don’t be a scary, tone-deaf ass.

  29. anonone says:

    Anon@5:27: Nobody here wants to comment about Obomba. Notice how they are back to posting about Bush. Except for Jason, nobody ever posts anything negative about Obomba, no matter what he does.

  30. pandora says:

    She was so scared she ran to Facebook? This is where all “seriousness of situation” ends.

    Run, Brian. There is no reason to talk with her.

    And Brian was NOT an ass. And neither are most men.

  31. heragain says:

    Facebook is where many people talk to their friends. That may not be your style, pandora, but it quite possibly is someone else’s. You can’t dictate how some random woman feels about anon anything. Her path is different from yours.

    And, honestly, I don’t know how talking about this to known friends on facebook and getting their opinion is any stranger than posting it to an essentially unmoderated political blog to get opinion/sympathy.

    IT’S A BRAVE NEW WORLD. 😉

  32. @Brian Shields to put it succinctly,
    I got drunk last night
    Brian, I’ve been where you are but in my time we were taught “BASIC” language and there was such a monstrosity as an 8″ floppy. Point is B, may I call you B, if you’re under the legal drinking age I suggest internet porn.Otherwise, you’re supposed to be a fully functioning adult, a crush is what you have in 5th grade on Feb.14th.And guess what chesnut? You’re monitoring her facebook, what does that say?Here’s a novel concept, get offline and go out into the world!Leave your iphone at home and wander out into the fading society.Remember the bully that gave you a swirly? go punch him in the face(then kick him where it counts). Life ain’t comic books and candy bars.Life is unbearable suffering and lottsa blood. Let Rosy Palm be your co-pilot. The right woman will come to you; she’ll be carrying tons of baggage too. Always wear a condom!

  33. Brian Shields says:

    Lmao… thanks for the voice of reason guys. I pretty much came to the same conclusion… feign it off as weird and focus my interests elsewhere whilst remaining anonymous to her.

    I haven’t dated in 10 years… it’s interesting getting back out there… so much has changed. Facebook, twitter, online.. shoot, I met my ex on a dialup modem.

    Chalking it up to an experiment and moving on. Thanks again.

  34. anon40 says:

    It’s informative and somewhat amusing to read the ladies’ comments on poor Master Shields’ drama.

    If anyone wants to know what a real stalker looks like, type “Robert John Bardo” into the google.

  35. Joe Cass says:

    Brian Shields, you are a beautiful bastard! These cockknockers that would demean you have no knowledge of decency. I salute you BS
    (pssst…are you still on dial up? that can be a turn off)

  36. anonone says:

    “Obama Lawyers Back Military Gay Ban at Supreme Court”

    “The Obama administration said the U.S. Supreme Court should let the military continue to bar openly gay people under the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, arguing that a change in the law should come from Congress, not the courts.”

    Despite the fact that the court found it patently unconstitutional.

    Obomba 2010 = George Wallace 1963: “segregation today, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever”

    http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-11-10/obama-lawyers-back-military-don-t-ask-don-t-tell-gay-ban-at-high-court.html

  37. Joe Cass says:

    anonone, could you please change your pseudonym to Sisyphus?

  38. anonone says:

    That’s what it feels like, Joe. Eventually, though, the rock will stay at the top of the hill.

  39. anonone says:

    Amnesty International: US MUST BEGIN CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION OF TORTURE FOLLOWING BUSH ADMISSION

    “‘Under international law, the former President’s admission to having authorized acts that amount to torture are enough to trigger the USA’s obligations to investigate his admissions and if substantiated, to prosecute him,’ said Claudio Cordone, Senior Director at Amnesty International.”

    Do you think President Constitutional Scholar with his lackey AG will do anything?

    Must. Push. Rock.

    http://www.amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/us-must-begin-criminal-investigation-torture-following-bush-admission-2010-11-10

  40. Joe Cass says:

    @anonone aka Sisyphus
    Eventually, though, the rock will stay at the top of the hill.
    Funny thing about the real world…we’re locked into the laws of physics, so what goes up et al and velocity of mass et al puts you at the coyote’s X. Welcome to the human race darling, how’s it feel to be a pending smudge on the map?

  41. anonone says:

    Sisyphus didn’t give up and neither will I, at least until I am a fluttering spirit in Hades.

    Must. Push. Rock.

  42. Joe Cass says:

    Rock on, anonone! Let me know if I can move the map.

  43. anon40 says:

    Joe Cass–The Latin “et al” translates to “and others” in English. As such, your post makes no sense. I guess they don’t teach Latin at the union hall.

  44. Aoine says:

    @anon40 – and they must not teach good manners in that snotty school of yours either – remember you need those union workers to build and fix the nice home your elitist education afforded you to be able to live in as well

    This country would not get far without our union labor – respect them – they built it. etc, etc, etc

    cuando usted quiere peliar con mis amigos, usted eres peliando conmigo tambien

    so, one trick pony that knows a couple of words of latin – figure that out – and no “pro hac vice” and maybe you will have that “quid pro quo” you are looking for.

  45. anon40 says:

    Save your union bs for someone who doesn’t know any better, toots. I was a union member for more than 15 years. I have no grudge against unions in general, but mine was basically useless unless you were a slug or a drug addict.

    My former union loved to fight for the slugs and were quick to tell the productive people to a) slow down–you’re doing too much too fast or b) eff you, you’re stuck in a lower tier because of when you joined the union.

    BTW, I went to public school and trade school & I’ve seen no better manners here than I saw with my 19 & 20yr. old trade school classmates.

  46. Aoine says:

    well then don’t take your shitty union experience and use it to slam a brother.

    I’m union – always was – always will be – and I did get the snotty education- but I don’t consider myself better because I use Latin and speak other languages.

    but like the true union jake I am – I believe in the family and won’t leave a brother out there to be offended

    too bad you didn’t learn the same basic principles – TOOTS

  47. Joe Cass says:

    wow! anon40 has something to add! At my union hall we don’t teach latin but its consensu omnium. If you’d like to stop by, I could show you what I’ve learned before I pledged. Verbum sapienti sat est, but let me know how you really feel about unions. Remember, I’m trades, not state or city. I make my living with my body and I made a living burying bodies. Please give me your loci

  48. Joe Cass says:

    play it straight 40, I’ve got time. Fuck you! you’re hiding behind a pseudonym and I’m not. Come and get it bitch. You little cowards have a lot to say hiding behind your mother’s skirt. Step out, step up. You may win then let all of the blogosphere know how right you are and I’ll submit. What do you have to lose? I win and no one will ever know nor find your remains.

  49. Aoine says:

    @joe – mo chroi – mo anam

    slainte! agus de mheon dílseachta

  50. Aoine says:

    ach joe – he aint worth it – just jealous

    let him hide behind mommy’s skirts

    a woman beat him down – let him lick his wounds…..

    the bansidhe is laughing – but will never keen for him.

  51. a.price says:

    joe, i bet you’re a Dropkick Murphy’s fan. they are members of their local AFM!

  52. Joe Cass says:

    Aye Aoine, and mine to you. I know I shouldn’t let these little turds get to me but I’ve got a spine, straight and solid,Ta me ar buille

  53. anon40 says:

    @ Joe Cass & Aoine

    I am not the one who mis-used a latin phrase! That was all YOU, Joe Cass.

    @Aoine–The “family” and the “brothers” screwed me and my fellow “brothers” over enough times for me to know that I was not a “brother” in their eyes, I was only a “dues paying member”. I have yet to meet a bigger bunch of incompetent jackasses…however I have also yet to meet most members of NCC Council!

    @ Joe Cass–you pledged? Were you joining a college fraternity or a trade union? All I had to do was get hired (yes, a job interview, all by my lonesome) and send a check to the union after 30 calendar days. $165 at the time, plus $30 for the 1st month’s dues. More than 1/2 a week’s net pay at the time. That was 20 years ago.

    Oh, and you can stop with the veiled threats and lame Latin phrases. It wouldn’t take a rocket scientist to locate me based on my IP address and anyone who has internet access can translate Latin to English.

    I read this years ago, but it’s as true today as it ever was:

    Arguing on the internet is like running in the Special Olympics. Even if you win, you’re still retarded.

    Have a nice day.

  54. Joe Cass says:

    A.Price, you ever been to Boston?
    Aoine,a ghrá mo chroí, I’ll be calling in the morn

  55. anon40 says:

    Wow. Joe Cass & Aoine have gotten their panties all in a bunch while I was typing my reply and LIVING a REAL life…

  56. Joe Cass says:

    You lose, coward.

  57. anon40 says:

    Joe Cass-

    You call anyone who disagrees with you vile names, yet you continue to wonder why the right wing loons gripe about union thugs?

    Your words and idle threats expose you.

  58. Aoine says:

    yes anon40 – I wear panties – but you will never be man enough to get them into a bunch..

    as far as IP peeking you must have this site mixed up with that nasty bunch at DP – -that’s their game not ours

    so don’t let the door hit ya where the good lord split ya.

    and it REALLY took you THAT LONG to think of a comeback??? slow thinker

    well Joe, mo anam – -the Molly Maguires rule tonight – for both balls and brains

    and lets let anon40 have the last word – it will soothe his violated ego…..

  59. Joe Cass says:

    I back my words up. What do you got?

  60. Joe Cass says:

    I hear ya A, but what pissant union has this fellow joined? I made my pledge as an apprentice, dimmy. I made my oath as a journeyman. I swore loyalty to the membership. Your word means nothing. You are nothing.Sad to know an American so crippled by his own means.
    so go 40, let us bask in your magnificence.

  61. Aoine says:

    @JOE – guess what?? he thinks we’re writing in LATIN!!! now THAT is too funny!!!

    must not have been trades……state or county – civil service type – no skills required – no brains either.

    Latin is a language
    as dead as dead can be
    it killed the ancient Romans
    and now its killing me

    slán codlata agat

  62. anon40 says:

    @Joe Cass–

    IAMAW. 20+years ago. No pledge required. Just have cash or a valid check in hand.

  63. anon40 says:

    @Aoine–

    Someone wrote that exact phrase in my mom’s 7th grade Latin book in the mid ’60s. You get big points for originality, though.

  64. Joe Cass says:

    and no skills required. get back up in ya, boy. You worked a freezer, right? I’m just asking to meet up with you. What do you say?

  65. Aoine says:

    oh I didnt make it up son, not my creation

    I learned it from the generation before me

    I think Joe and I coming from a real union where the brotherhood/sisterhood is real and taken seriously see it differently

    sorry your experience was bad – but some unions are real and we do support each other and mean it

    its not just about the dues- it’s family….as you just saw

    so please don’t tar us all with the same brush – OK??

  66. anon40 says:

    Never worked a freezer…I don’t work for ACME. Try again. Greg McAnally was my first BA, if that helps you. He was as corrupt as they come. He sold me & my “brethren” down the river in order to escape a felony assault conviction. He’s been dead for many years now.

  67. anon40 says:

    @Aoine–

    I can do that if you & your “brothers” can avoid calling anyone who isn’t a union member a “scab”. Non-union private sector employees are roughly 89% of the workforce.

  68. Aoine says:

    Then he has had to pay his price already McAnally

    that is a sad story for you- well we are not all that way – some of us like Joe and I have grit and backbone

    I’m AFL_CIO actually IAFF local 1664

    “you go, we all go” that was our motto, and our way of life!

    Wish you had that experience too

  69. Aoine says:

    we didnt use scab in our line of work

    we used “tick” but only if it was warrented and under certain circumstances…..

    didnt happen often

  70. anon40 says:

    @Aoine–

    My experience was the druggie with a cocaine problem gets reinstated after stealing a company car & smoking an eightball of cocaine. The company then retaliated by laying off the lowest man on the totem pole, who was actually one of the most productive in the shop. Coke-boy was white. Low man was black. I’m WHITE & it still pissed me off!

  71. Aoine says:

    OK – I hear you – and I understand…amd I’m sorry for your experience

    on my side – the “ticks” were the bullies – got positions by popular vots, not earned like we had to

    some used it in a bad way some didn’t – so I take ’em as I find ’em

    case by case basis

    Joe is solid as a rock – a union brother that would give you the union shirt off his union back if you asked and support you in your struggle

    so, lets agree that some evil union schmuck years ago turned you off years ago and screwed you over

    now, this si the other side of that coin – union members that want to reach out to you??

    what say you???

  72. anon40 says:

    Aoine–You’re IAFF. I can’t imagine who’d be moving in on your turf? Volunteers, maybe?

  73. Aoine says:

    yup – vollies – some are great

    others the worst out there…

    it was moving from all volly to career so we were not liked…at all

    on-going battles – gear destroyed, air bottles messed with – lives risked…. not pretty..

  74. anon40 says:

    Aoine,

    As I said, I have no problem with unions in general. However, unions have allowed themselves to be painted with a broad brush– as a bunch of lazy, overpaid slugs. This is true of your IAFF brethren in Wilmington. I know a bunch of them. I will name names, both current & retired if need be.

    Having said that, I agree that Fire & Police services NEED unions in order to negotiate fair wages and work rules from city, county & state governments.

    My former employer would have walked all over us regarding work hours & work rules were it not for my shitty union occasionally growing a backbone slightly stronger than that of a banana, & I held a private sector job!

  75. Aoine says:

    my union is IAFF but LOCAL 1664 – not Wilmington – outside DC

    just a hair tougher……

    we had a hard struggle and we could not strike either – of course no one could do our jobs neither…LOLOL

    so, it was “interesting”

    well , Joe and I are “the good union” guys and we’ll take in a lost lamb for some warmth – and not treat a brother badly..

    you game and declare peace??

  76. anon40 says:

    I worked in Philly when I was a union member. More than a hair “tougher” than Wilmington! That said, even the allegedly “tough” Teamsters crossed our picket lines after 5 days. Not so tough after all.

  77. Aoine says:

    hey – I spit in a chief;s eye once – I mean right in his eye – that count????

  78. anon40 says:

    Peace, Aoine. Goodnight.

  79. a.price says:

    this is a pretty interesting exchange. Makes me want to re-read Germinal.

  80. Aoine says:

    good night all – peace out

  81. skippertee says:

    “hey – I spit in a chief;s eye once – I mean right in his eye – that count????”
    Now if you really meant CHIEF as in the Navy rank, indeed, I would be impressed.
    If you meant CHEF, sorry, not so much so.
    But I dig your passion for culinary perfection.[if that was the issue]

    Unions were only ALLOWED legitimacy in reaction to the GROSS abuses here in the good,old USA.
    From the beginning, their struggle was for ALL working people.

    The struggle for fairness for the working people, the VANISHING middle-class continues.
    The AFL/CIO still worked their asses off in the mid-terms after being sorely disappointed on legislation they were against or felt didn’t go far enough.
    And I’m not talking card-check.

    If the unions were suddenly gone tomorrow, you would see such a RUSH to the bottom by the multi-nationals and other large companies here, we’d be a third world country in a generation.

    We who carry a book, all have stories to tell where our locals and the leaders have disappointed us.

    But the movement has been and will be a continuing inspiration for the aspirations of the decent, good and fair amongst us.

  82. heragain says:

    Without strong unions, we’d all be trying to make a living selling piecework, on etsy.

    Um, wait…

  83. a.price says:

    heragain…. are you on esty? i LOVE the stuff there.

  84. Aoine says:

    @skippertee – I spit in the FIRE CHIEF’S eye as he was saying his good byes and shaking hands at his “retirement” (actualy his last day on the job)

    it was winter, bad snow, we had to put those winter snow chains on the wagon (fire engine) and drive miles in bad weather so he could wish us all “adieu” on his last day.

    rather narrsissistic move – seeing as we all hated him and he had screwed me over really good years before – I was not happy.

    so we got there – all sat in a circle, he said his piece then went around to hsake everyone’s hand. as he did so they stood up and shook hands – he got to me – I didn’t stand but continued reading the Metro section of the washinton post – I made him wait, finally stood, he put his hand and out and I just looked at it – like is was some odd disembodied appendage

    When he said “well?” I spit in his face – it hit his eye and I walked away

    that’s the story – in a room full of big tough guys I was the only one dumb enough to let him know how we all felt – he had done a lot of bad things over the years and endangered our lives with stupid decisions.

    There was no retribution – the upper management saw it the same way I did – copmplete recompense.

  85. anon40 says:

    What happened to Mr. Tough Guy Joe Cass? I thought he & his “brethren” were on their way to my house to beat me up last night?

  86. Aoine says:

    @anon40 – we setteled that remember>>>

    Let it go – I got your back on the other thread

    and Joe has mine

  87. anon40 says:

    No, I made peace w/ you. Joe Cass made threats & then bailed out on the thread. I think he might be hiding in my bushes. LOL

  88. Aoine says:

    aww – we’re all good

    there’s no bushes in front of your house LOLOL!!