Happy 4th.... not that you really notice, just a day for beach.

Í have taken a long hiatus from writing.  Partly or mostly because of health issues, which had me very preoccupied.  But as in most happy end stories, it wasn't life threatening, as I'd first thought.  It was stupid, and painful, and made me the world's worst grouch.

And it wasn't the painful part that made me so.  I just STOPPED...  and thought, 'whaddaya doin here?'  Getting your gall out for things you really can't do much about?  Now, at the beginning, the health care debate made me catch fire in a way I'd never cared so much about before.  And I was more than willing to put myself way out there and tell truth to lies.  And didn't care who knew it.  Who else would have experienced both models, the european and the US ones, and make any sort of sense about it?

Having been spent over fifteen years in our system with my very ill significant other gave me the right to speak out.  And know whereof I speak.

Did it do any good?  Doubt it.  Did it make me feel better?  Yes, oh, yes.

If I reached one person...  it was a good thing to do.  And I fully stand by it.  The so-called debate was infuriating, and so long...   well, other topics were obviously needed as fillers.  But it was my main bugaboo.  For any conservative running across this...  it was the truth.

So Happy Fourth of July, you get health care.  maybe.  What is being shovelled under the rug is that the poorest will NOT.  Because, y'know, no one ever talks about 'em.  But it IS a wonderful beginning, and I wasn't sure that the assholes who ruled that corportations have speech weren't gong to strike it down in its' enirety. 

Yay.   Nice catch, them trying to be respectable again.  And heartless as ever, but ok, you take what you can get.

Because I haven't been posting doesn't mean I tuned out.  I do watch cable news via internet.  And that was another concern, going with the choir and being all johnny one note on issues.  I've never followed mainstream opinions of any side.

Things here have been 'interesting'.  There was a several month long fight between the national airline, and their 'daughter' firm.  And they were waaay in debt, so...   they got swallowed up by the german national airline, who had swallowed up the swuss national airline some years ago, and, well, they were gonna have to cut costs.  The german mother firm was very clear about what our whores had to do.

So they went after the unions, and in and uprecedented act, declared the contracts our national airline people had null and void, and they would have to agree to taking on the contract the 'daughter' airline had.  Because, y'know, it's austerity, and everybody has to make a sacrifice.

In this case, the sacrifice was a 25% cut in salary...  and the elimination of severance pay.  Now severance pay is sort of like a 401 K plan...  the longer you work, the more you get, and if you retire, it is a sort of  financial cushion which helps you while you are doing the rigamarole of getting officially retired.  Which for pilots is especially a lot of money.  Whoosh, gone.

Well, it was harsh as harsh can be.  And the unions are strong here.  So for months, they laid out new proposals, hell, they were willing to sacrifice, and make comprimises....  but oh no, the fucking german mothership would have made Romney proud.  Ruthless, is what it was.

If everyone had walked, the airline would have been kaputt, and no one wanted that.  And it involved ten thousand people and their livelihoods.  So when it came down to the wire...  ten percent walked, and the others caved, and swallowed a bitter pill.

And y'know...  when I see all the stuff about Nebraska, and Ohio, and all that's happened there?  I can hardly be surprised. 

That is what oligarchs DO.

As to the morning news on radio...  I get laughing fits, although it isn't funny.  A seemingly endless series of corruption scandals, involving lobbyists who cost the taxpayers money through putting through deals, and involving huuuuge (for austria) commissions, and there's this one guy who still is referred to as a count, altho carrying that sort of title isn't actually legal, but everyone knows he is....  and this 'person' has received a mess of money in 'commisions'.  As he was/is married to a former health commissioner, there was a fun thing about him providing us all with face masks during the avian flu scare, which btw amounted to nothing...  but of course he denies it...  they went to the czechs, the idjits, and he made a killing, and his wife is threatening libel suits all over the place.  He really is delightful, the press love him.  He goes into a hearing, and takes our version of the 5th repeatedly for hours?  And comes out and says, 'We had a nice conversation'.  Reallah....

And as all this happenend while the conservatives were in power, they are very damaged, soooo...  they made up a 'transparancy' law about donating, and lobbyists, and it is so transparent...  well, suffice it to say it's just farce.

The count is fascinating.  We've had colorful figures among us, but this guy is amazing.  my last fractured fairy tale was about him, actually.

I'm still trying to figure out what to do with this blog.  During the health care fight, my goal was set, and it was important to me.  So I haven't really decided yet. 

(This he says sitting in a thunderstorm and it's hailing, and with the winders open, because....  gawwddam...  for over a week it was 38 degrees heat..... which is wilt and die... and my apt thermometer has been stuck at 30.  A breath of fresh air to an asthmatic is a wonderful thing.  At least the hailstones aren't golf-ball sized like north of here.....  And the electric is on...  most of the lines are under ground, ya might wanna consider it for the next milennium.

Have a nice weekend, and enjoy the new thing you've gotten, even if it fully hasn't kicked in yet.  I promise you'll like it.  Just ask anyone in Massachussetts.