Labor Day 2015

I my yearly Labor Day post, to remind everyone that Labor Day is not just the day the tourists leave Cape Cod and the end of summer vacation, but the day set aside to honor the American working man, in particular the American Union member. Unions are in grave danger these days, with many forces arrayed against them. Scott Walker has made a career out of union busting, as has every Republican since and including Ronald Reagan. If you like your weekend, your 40 hour week, overtime pay, labor protections for children, OSHA, NLRB protection (however ineffectual) against wage theft and other legal protections you owe it to the union movement. Don't let those gains go by the wayside.





If you want more musical inspiration, The Nation is featuring it's choice of top ten union songs here.

And a little seaside inspiration from the Head of the Meadow Beach. This is one of the Cape Cod National Seashore beaches, a national park created under John F Kennedy to preserve a beautiful part of our national heritage. I probably don't need to remind you that some people would like to see our priceless national parks sold off to private interests (but of course I WILL remind you).

Instead of Raising Goats...

...I will amuse myself by posting screaming goats. Don't say I didn't warn you.

A Delightful Musical Interlude

Sunshine (for a Minute)

For the first time in quite a few days we are enjoying sunshine and (relatively) warm temperatures. It sure cheers me up, even though I know that later today we will be back in the grey box. I tend to respond to grey days with grey moods. Like so many things that happen inside my head I tend to assume that what I am thinking refers to a real thing. If I feel put upon, in low spirits, and annoyed I like to think it is coming from outside, but it's usually coming from inside. Science is proving this wrong, or at best incomplete - the biofeedback loop seems to work both ways. If you are happy you get a smile. If you smile you get happy. To that end, here's a music video that should guarantee a smile:

Union Maid

Labor Day is here again, and once again labor unions are under attack by the oligarchy. Let's not forget who fought for and won our 40 hour week, child labor laws, OSHA, Workers' Compensation, weekends, and so many of the things we take for granted.




Union Maid Words and Music by Woody Guthrie

There once was a union maid, she never was afraid
Of goons and ginks and company finks and the deputy sheriffs who made the raid.
She went to the union hall when a meeting it was called, And when the Legion boys come 'round She always stood her ground.

Oh, you can't scare me, I'm sticking to the union, I'm sticking to the union, I'm sticking to the union. Oh, you can't scare me, I'm sticking to the union, I'm sticking to the union 'til the day I die.

This union maid was wise to the tricks of company spies,
She couldn't be fooled by a company stool, she'd always organize the guys.
She always got her way when she struck for better pay.
She'd show her card to the National Guard And this is what she'd say

You gals who want to be free, just take a tip from me;
Get you a man who's a union man and join the ladies' auxiliary.
 Married life ain't hard when you got a union card,
 A union man has a happy life when he's got a union wife.

Shop Vac Music

Jonathan Coulton has a nice touch with a catchy pop song, even without the clever lyrics. This video is a particularly nice example: