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Thursday, October 6, 2011

October 24

Mark it on your calendars, folks. October 24th. GO Transit's strike deadline.

I keep my Milk Calendar handy just for occasions like this. That's right, I old-school it. While y'all fiddle with your iPhones (in memory of Steve Jobs 1955-2011) and key shit into your Blackberries or whatever device you use, I flip to my Milk Calendar and scribble in dates.

This month's recipe is Southwest Haystacks and the Honda prize is a generator. A generator! Do you know how handy a generator is? I have no idea how to use one but I'm sure it's a fantastic prize. I don't even know how I'd handle a win like that.

Years ago, my husband and I bought a Princess Margaret Cash or Cars lottery ticket and we received a letter that we had won a Bugatti. For days my husband fantasized about his new car. When the courier showed up with the box, my husband was confused. I thought perhaps the box contained further information about how to claim the car. Nope.

Inside the box was a Bugatti all right. A Bugatti rolling suitcase. My husband was so mad he punted that rolling suitcase out the back door. I retrieved it hours later.

You know what? That rolling suitcase has lasted us 12 years.

Since I got scolded for redirecting people to a new browser window when linking to external sources, go ahead and read the Toronto Star article about the strike deadline. Just don't quit your browser. If you do, just come on back to ye ol' Crazy Train.

22 comments:

Squiggles said...

Stupid Union. The paper (24 hours) had an article about this this morning. And had quotes from the Union's Floating Head saying that Metrolinx played dirty by going in front of the labour board so that the strike didn't happen during the election.

I just about lost it when I read that this morning. To me that was completely petulant and a wonderful display of dirty pool by the Union. Because while the election is occuring, there is no sitting government and therefore no one to legislate them back to work.

That is the definition of low. That is why Unions are losing both members and supporters. Why Anti-Union sentiment is on the rise. Because of those dirty tricks the unions play, on both their members and the paying public.

Taylor said...

Uh, Metrolink is the employer,not the union. The union tried to play by the rules, but the corporation used the stall tactics. The dirty pool remark belongs to the corporation, not the union. Has anyone asked why the Ontario Labour Board took so long to return a report? Wait, isn't their boss the Liberal Government?

Squiggles said...

You obviously didn't read what I wrote. I said both played dirty. But the union did worse because they are complaining that they couldn't strike during the election.

There was an Essential Services Agreement that was signed this past March. This agreement is why Metrolinx took them to the board. Why Metrolinx thought the labour board would side with anyone but the union is insane.

Taylor said...

@ Squiggles, please read the following:
http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/October2011/04/c9481.html

Squiggles said...

Your link does not work.

TomW said...

First, thanks CJ for changing the external site link thing! Sorry I came across as scolding you :-(
(It is a pet peeve of mine, so there was more pent-up frsutration there than you deserved - I'm sorry).

Secondly, there is always a government. There just isn't always a sitting leglislature.

Al said...

@ Tom/CJ,

I guess you cant please them all cause I hate this format for for links,

I prefer it to open in a new page, sometimes I forget it was a redirect and close my browser then have to start again,

I am a little lost as to what the actual issue Tom had with the old way?

You mentioned something about not allowed to do something or other.

I say if it ain't broke don't fix it, cause as far as I am concerned, now, it is broken, just as the comments broke when you changed them from the pop ups

Al said...

I've got a pet peeve too.

People telling other people how to run thier website. LOL @ Tom

Cj, how come you listen to Tom on something like that but you dont retract postings that offend people. (I am just afraid that that is what is coming next, I know it wont come to that)

Anyway I guess I will get used to it, I hate change.

C.J. Smith said...

Hi Al
I only retracted one post.
I don't plan to make a habit of it.

I'm always open to suggestion to see how things fly but generally, I usually set up things the way I *like* them.

People don't like the new window. Others like the target new window.

I think it's best to always target external links in a new tab/window because often users don't realize they've left the original site, quit the browser and then have to start over.

Jen said...

As a compromise/solution, for those you like a link to open in a new window.

Right click on the link, choose open in New Window or New Tab (if you are doing the new IE).

Anonymous said...

Squiggles..
I am not sure where you get your info from " union losing members" but here at GO, we are happy to belong to one.

Squiggles said...

@ Anon:
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/75-001-x/10804/7011-eng.htm

Pay special attention to Footnote 1. Although it deals with the US, it can also be seen here in Canada. I was also talking about Unions in general, not your particular one.

As well, I doubt you are talking about all the members, only your select group of cohorts.

Skin Man said...

I belonged to a union once, and resigned my membership. I still had to pay dues, but I didn't want them to think they represented me.

Anonymous said...

squiggles,
96% of union members voted for a GO strike and 92% of members voted.
I am pretty sure i speak for ALL of us.

Squiggles said...

Did all union members show up and were allowed to vote?

I know that there are some sneaky practices, and I believe one member said that if you didn't show up to some presentation, then you were locked out from voting.

Therefore, yes, you had 96% to vote. But that is only 96% of those that were able to vote.

Be that as it may, Your Fearless Leader was once again re-elected (God Help Us) so the strike won't happen because you will get everything you ever wanted and us poor clients of yours will be paying the price. I just hope I can afford it. It may come down to a choice between hydro and transportation.

lswgirl13 said...

If there is one bright spot to the election, it's that "their" fearless leader lost a lot of ground. Do you think there's any change he'll realize we're sick of bending over and taking it from behind?

Not much of a choice between transporation and hydro Squiggles? Transporation costs will (of course) rise and don't forget that Dalton already HST'ed our hydro. God, I hate that weasel!

TomW said...

Here's why it's a peeve of mine...

If the website defaults to the same window, I can always choose to open it the same window (clicking the link with my scroll-wheel works for me in IE, or right-clicking and choosing the 'open in new tab/window' option)

If the website defaults to a new window, then I have to open it in a new window, whether I like it or not.

So, I don't like not having a choice.

TomW said...

(Even worse is twitter, which opens a new window, and then closes the original window ... except it doesn't, because I get a message box asking me if it's OK that the window be closed. Why?????)

Anonymous said...

squiggles.
ALL union members were mailed ballots with a pre-paid envelope for return. 96% returned their ballots....92% of those were in favor of strike. capiche??
and yes we believe the fearless leader will give us a good raise.

Squiggles said...

Well anon. Enjoy your Anonimity. Because if you strike, I shall vent to any and all picketers. Your selfishness is beyond contemptible.

Don't bother trying to spread your union brainwashing. Enjoy your newfound wealth. But do not expect a whole lotta respect.

Anonymous said...

:(

Annon said...

4 more (or more? who knows when the insanity will end!) years of Premier "Dad".

It's like the movie Groundhog Day (except without the driving-off-a-cliff-with-a-groundhog part).