Jud and Kara stopped by late yesterday afternoon for a meal on their way back to Kansas City. They had been in Iowa City camping with K's fam. It sounds like they had a good time - though poor Juddy - Kara's family plays a lot of board and card games and he sucked at all of them. And it sounds like they love to give him crap. Good thing he's gotten good at taking a beating!
Kara had to put up with hearing all about the Cyclone game when she got to our place. She could care less about football - so they each had to put up with "stuff"! They brought sweet corn along, and it was great. We also did chicken on the grill and baked focacia bread. I threw a salad together with greens, nuts and cranberries.
Labor Day: I'm glad I have had the benefit of working in factories during my life. That experience has given me appreciation for those who toil week after week to produce the things that make our towns/nation/world go. (How would you like to sort the same widget day after day?) I also have an appreciation for service workers - waiters, travel industry workers etc. (dealing with the public? yuck!) These can often be thankless jobs. A tip of my hat to you all this Labor Day!
It's becoming more obvious to me that the tide is turning against labor. In the 70's - even through the 90's when I worked at Gits, the workers represented by a labor union had some pull. As a non-union person I thought it was over the top. And hearing what auto workers got - when it came to wages and perks, over-the-top. Back then I didn't really know anything about public unions, except that our school teachers had one. Again - I knew their insurance deal was way better than anything the rest of the workers had.
Somewhere along the line, the unions over-did it. So now politicians and others are determined to crush them. Due to that and the fact that they've traditionally supported Dem pols. It's all pretty sleazy, just like most politics are.
One editorial piece I read today said they might as well re-name today's holiday Capital Day - because the people making the $ on their investments have all the pull. Not the worker bees. That seems true to me. The wealth is all at the top, and the owners don't seem to want to distribute it to the workers any more. I don't understand it. How rich is rich enough? I guess you can't be too rich.
Meanwhile the workers, in many cases have been laid off and have had to take concessions in wages and pay more in health care etc. The middle class is losing ground. Does the upper class truly think this is healthy for our country?
When I was little I'd play Monopoly with my sister Cindy. Of course she was wily and would soon end up with all the wealth - so I would get bored/mad and quit. Is that what the rich want? They may want to consider letting a few orange or green properties trickle down into the working class hands...
Okay rant over! It's a beautiful day! I think I'll go read outside. Perhaps a little kayaking later.
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