Thoughts in Veeberland

[Originally posted December 22, 2005]

NYC will always overcome.  I am quite proud to be from there, though I really don’t fit the typical Manhatten resident.  This strike has really put a lot of people out and yet it seems everyone’s making a great attempt at getting in to work regardless.  I’m sure the casual shopping is down, but they brave the 2-3 hour walks or incredible traffic on the bridges and streets.  What troopers those New Yorkers are.

I really think the TWA is being greedy.  They are arguing because the city wants new employees to pay 6% of their salary towards their pension, which they can start claiming as early as 55.  Most workers across the US can’t really retire until 62 and probably don’t even get a pension.  You’ve got really good benefits already and you’re asking for respect and dignity?  What is that saying about all of the other workers in NY or the rest of the country.  Those people who working for minimum wage and no benefits are just suckers?  The strike really only hurts them.  The rest of the business world is moving on since their companies can afford to have them work from home or to arrange transportation.  The MTA should fee free to negotiate the best contract that they can, but they cannot claim the moral/judicial high ground when they are causing tens of thousands more to suffer.  That’s just rediculous.  At least go back to work while you are negotiating.  The people of NY are not on your side in this.

Most of you know that we went up to NYC this weekend.  We primarily went up to get the car fixed, but Mom and Dad took us out to dinner .  Of course I can’t remember the name of the restaurant but it’s in Astoria and was a fabulous Italian restaurant.  But of course our day had to be more interesting than that…So we go into the city on Saturday to meet up with Sunny and Paul.  I’ll put up some pictures in the gallery somewhere.  It was a very rainy day.  We went out and had lunch at Applebee’s, which was pleasant.  We decided to go down to K-town to have coffee and dessert.  It was rather cold in there and we were pretty wet.  We had our dessert and tried to make our way over to the Empire State Building.  When we got there the security folks there told us that there was zero visibility on the roof.  That was kindof a downer, but so be it.  We made our way back out into the rain. read more »