Thursday, September 8, 2011

The Mob Rules (Musical Tribute)

September 08, 2011
Hundreds of Longshoremen storm Port of Longview early this morning

Longview Police Chief Jim Duscha says six guards were held hostage for a couple of hours after 500 or more Longshoremen broke down gates about 4:30 a.m. and smashed windows in the guard shack.

He says no one was hurt and nobody has been arrested.


June 23, 2011
Screeners for T.S.A. Select Union

“We are obviously thrilled with the election results, but more importantly are delighted that the transportation security officers now will have the full union representation they rightly deserve,” said John Gage, the president of A.F.G.E.

August 24, 2011
TSA groping just another day at the airport

The association produced a video in which every person interviewed said they really appreciated the TSA’s enhanced security procedures at airports — procedures often described as “groping.”

9 comments:

nilys said...

I come down on the side of the underdog, and labor and unions now are the underdog. The longshoreman unions on the West Coast are especially well-organized and prepared to defend their livelihood, and I sympathize with that. Naturally, the authorities criminalize protest and dissent. And I suspect that if those politicians, talking-heads and high-net-worth individuals who seemingly yearn for a Hobbesian world of “total personal responsibility” did not expect to be fully protected by the force of the government, they wouldn't be so vocal. Only those deserve liberty and livelihood, who struggle for them everyday.

Stagflationary Mark said...

nilys,

I side with the underdog as well, but I tend to think of my unemployed girlfriend as the underdog (and the 14 million other unemployed workers).

She would definitely be arrested if she held six guards hostage and vandalized property.

I do sympathize with the plight of labor, especially in regards to income inequality. I don't see how cutting brake lines and spilling grain is going to solve the supply/demand problems of too many workers and not enough jobs though.

When there is demand for labor, labor does well. Unfortunately, even low paid workers in China will be replaced with robots and automation. The higher the wages, the higher the motivation for companies to automate. Longshoremen will most likely not be the exception to the rule.

More angry times coming. Sigh.

Mr Slippery said...

I always liked Dio-Sabbath better than Ozzy-Sabbath and Mob Rules is an under appreciated gem.

I expect much more labor unrest and general unrest before this is over. Everyone will lose something. The halves and the half nots.

Falling off the edge of the world

fried said...

NYC is on alert, Greece is on alert for the upcoming speech by the Greek president (5000 cops to be on hand)
an earthquake off Vancouver Island, and the senior German rep the ECB resigns and sets off market tremors.
Oh, and the Chinese suggest "international supervision" of the printing of US dollars.
Another quiet late summer day.I think I'll enjoy it. The future is not looking either restful or quiet.

Stagflationary Mark said...

Mr Slippery & fried,

I present today's stock market commentary.

nanute said...

No wonder the "fish" aren't coming back.

Stagflationary Mark said...

nanute,

Perhaps the fish are being caught in a Skynet.

Troy said...

"which prompted Burlington Northern Santa Fe to indefinitely suspend train traffic to the grain terminal for safety reasons"

Heh. I saw Uncle Warren's angle on buying BNSF instantly.

Stagflationary Mark said...

Troy,

Buffett buying trains was definitely a wake up call in regards to future returns.

I suppose it could be worse. We'll know the game is about over when he invests in beer and coal.

January 6, 2011
Warren Buffett is Betting Big on Coal

Why Warren Buffett Finds Both Beer and Coal Fascinating

D'oh! ;)