TBay

your right and wrong. right-industrialist find no problem with enslaving 12-yr old kids to mass produce goods. pure immoral greed. wrong-I've worked union jobs in WA, now i work in utah (RTW). i had no bad experiences with co-workers only a few crusties when i occasionally picked up speed), it was the unnecessary union politics that jaded me. i've seen no differnce in the basics; safe work conditions, labor regulations, and wages/benefits that provide me well beyond my means, between WA and UT. why deal with the added hassle of unions when one can move to an RTW state where the competition ensures quality products and where the individual is rewarded for high productivity, effectiveness, 'outshining', etc...? it reminds me of Shark Week: the shark is doin' its business, and here you have these lampreys (unions) that do nothing but latch on and leach off the shark. just because someone attempts to understand why union controlled Michigan is at the bottom of the unempl. rate barrel, he's automatically anti-, the enemy. anyhow, i give you props for calling me out Bennett work (2001) with Lawrence Mishel work (i wont bother to research his funding source (union?)). Bennett (2001) being corrected by Mishel ( late 2001), is an example of how science in general works. modern-day research is based off of errors presented in historical study couple with accruing data. so therefore, i will present a rebuttal (up to 2004) to Mishel's research- http://www.nilrr.org/Real%20Earnings%20PDF%20masterupdate%20Feb04.pdf http://www.nilrr.org/ could be, but poverty is a beast that has many variables. US history tells us that the southern states economically suffered, especially when cotton went global. the economic powerhouse (manufacturing) has always been in the north. nowadays, (the greatest poverty variable) politician pander the southern poor with promises of increased welfare if they return the favor with just a vote. Even, before the 1935 Taft-Hartley admendment (RTW Act)unions did very little for the south. even if industrialists moved shop to the south, would you think they would give up the stellar welfare benie's for work...shahhh right! on the otherhand, unemployment is a function of business- i.e., business sinks = unemployment, business moves = unemployment, business takes profit loss = unemployment. i, along with others, are still curious as to the close relationship of high unemployment and union controlled states. never trust anything you read on the internet.

i dig the 'im-goin-to-make-sure-he's-really-effed-up 'spotting' technique. check it out, glacier rated sunglasses on in the shade in a cave, and i quaratanee he's seriously fighting back the pump of keeping his arms out. that dude needs his 'coil catcher badge' hangin off his pants revoked.

Lets take a look at numbers- here is a list of indicating the unemployment rate for each state. http://www.jobwatch.org/ima/jobwatch.org.20040127.table3.pdf cc.comers should note: the pacific states are effin up the national average (5.6%). i'll give a good reason later. here is a map indicating the Right-To-work-States (23) and Union States (28). http://www.nrtw.org/rtws.htm Now the numbers (i used Excel)- Unemployment Rates Union States low: 4.0%(Mass.) high: 7.7%(AK) avg: 5.5% RTW States low: 3.2%(N.D.) high: 6.4%(TX) avg: 4.8% Now to fill in the blanks where the BLS graph (alone) j_b quotes misconceives. Lets take a quick look at a long-time union stronghold, Michigan, coming in at a whopping 7.2%. http://www.mackinac.org/article.asp?ID=5937 (stats posted 11/03) -note the results of the research stated in the article, "...In fact, George Mason University economist James Bennett found in 1994 that after adjusting for the cost of living and taxes, workers in right-to-work states took home over $2,800 more each year than workers in non-right-to-work states. In 2001 David Kendrick of the National Institute for Labor Relations Research did similar calculations for nine Midwestern states and found that take-home pay was higher under right-to-work laws." looks like j_b failed to mention that the chart does not take into consideration the adjusted cost-of-living and taxes. marylou, in response to your response of my response,clearly stated in the article "...The main obstacle to attracting new employers is a poor labor climate. Employers looking at Michigan see a state with high labor costs. Our state has the second highest per-unit labor costs in the nation. These costs in turn increase the cost of goods made in Michigan, putting employers here at a disadvantage and discouraging new employers from setting up shop in our state. As global trade brings more and more competitors into every industry, that burden becomes more and more difficult to bear, difficult enough to which they pick up shop and move elsewhere(italics added)." marylou, what companies are leaving WA you ask? spend a weekend going door to door in Pierce, King, and Snohomish counties (4th worst rate)or Portland suburbia (OR tied for 2nd) and ask where there previous employers moved to? organized crime anyone- from stated article, "...In Michigan, nearly 900,000 workers are forced to pay dues to a union without regard to whether or not they support its political agenda or collective bargaining demands. Tens of thousands of Michigan workers are union members, not because they want to be, but because if they aren’t they will lose their jobs. This legally mandated subsidy in the form of dues adds millions of dollars to union bank accounts." keep in mind that when you become a statistic, it will be i and other non-union workers that will afford your welfare, and as for your fat-cat-bosses, well they'll empty the union bank accounts into log-cabin castle tax shelters here in park city (trust me on this one, my employment allows me access to all property tax accounts in and around park city and i know who's who, you will be suprised). as, Benjamin Franklin, one of our founding fathers stated(and predicted), "They who would give up an essential liberty for temporary security, deserve neither liberty or security." once again, thank you unions for what you have done and what you have undone (and are undoing).

In the past- Organized labor was effective during the US Industrial Revolution(which happen to coincide with the US Immigration Era), where they lobbied and secured safe working conditions and reasonable compensation. The Case Today- Unions no longer have the term 'reasonable' in their vocabulary, and as for safe working conditions, hell most everyone's work condition is safer/healthier than the homes you live in. these days its Unions that are chasing away the jobs to Right-To-Work-States like Utah (where i currently reside)and over seas. Companies are 'fed-up' with the asinine demands of Unions. Companies (one's with some sense of american pride left) realize that in the Right-To-Work-States they know that they can get an honest worker for honest pay and that competition tends to bring out the best; unions remove competition and breed high-priced medocrity. But, unfortunately for all, globalization in inevitable, and jobs are lost to overseas and automation. Unions are just expediting the process. thank you (unions) and good night.

TBay is legit, my friend, i'll dial in my bio later. come on now, dont give credit to gregw, just cuz of my timely response and my total number of posts that equal the number of cams i trundled off of Iron Hawk. i am amased though at your lack of ability to tell someones sexual preference from writing style? yeah, and i can just mentally hear the faggoty lispe of my writings. FYI-the pro gay/lesbian agenda(as with union/socialist ideology) tends to on the liberal platform, my previous response if you couldnt tell, had a conservative/republic conotation. late

here it is in a nutshell. -gregw (inovative, self-motivated, and determined)opens a business -gregw advertises fair/competative wages/benefits. -prospects see add in paper, understands gregw offer wages/benefits (compares to gregw's competition), responds, interviews, and is hired. -business is good for gregw, employees, and community. -employee(s) (enter toptimmy and gang) while on vacation sees super-rich guy pull up to indian creek in an Hummer H2 and pulls out 108 Camolots (12 per size). -employee(s) covets super-rich guy, gives into impulse, dumps the Xterra and 109 Camolots onto credit cards. -employee(s) is now well beyond his means, life becomes very stressfull. And then becomes raging mad when, at the end of the year, he only receives the national average 3.0% wage increase. -Not understanding their own predicament, employee(s) pick up the phone... -enter 'www.laborparty.org' -'www.laborparty.org' gives severe grief and demands rediculous wages/benefits by means of organized crime upon gregw and all other business owners. -gregw (along w/ Boeing, IBM, and countless others)says "WTF?" (has no idea that employee(s) is disgruntled do to their own demise). -gregw takes advantage of capitalism/free trade, moves business offshore. -now disgruntled unemployee(s) sits midday at local public library adamantly defending labor unions on electronic message boards. oh yeah, and sprays the typical victicrat banter, "F@#k Bush its all his fault, blah blah blah..." -gregw continues to be innovative, self-motivated, wealthy, and in general, happy, all because he acknowledges and overcomes all his own faults in life. -community falls apart, unemployeed union member falls into the victicratic downward spiral,loses all dignity and self-worth and sucks from the teet of mother welfare, demanding greater taxes on the prosperous, so that welfare won't end up like Darigold product. -last but not least, fat 'www.laborparty.org' bosses sit at poker table with cuban cigars counting the endless stacks of money collected from every increasing outa work union member dues. prosperity scorecard: gregw - winner (by honest methods) 'www.laborparty.org' bosses - winner (by dishonest methods) unemployee(s)/union members - loser the end

Outsourcing is not the culprit, its Automation (Evidence of effective US education). it use to be that i would be the one to keep my finger on the button as the cup filled up and then handed it to the drive-thru clerk. now, the drive-thru clerk simply places the the cup under the spout (goes back to whatever they do while it fills) and 'presto', the cup is filled and i'm out of a job. here's a peak into the reality of jobs Now and in the Future: http://www.automationworld.com/articles/Departments/336.html

huh? spent some time in the canadian rockies this month. I had the opporitunity to climb with OP gear along with my well trusted BD gear. contrary to stereotypical beliefs (i.e., OP product is like unto REI quality, therefore OP=REI=Shit)and the cons presented in ClimbingMag ice screw review, we tended to rely more on OP screws when the situation required the 'one-shot-to-get-it-right-cuz-i'm-flamin'-placement.' Dru is right, before starting the placement of any ice screw one should shove it into a pick hole or chip/plate off the layer of 'magic shell'. i do think the OP screw is advantageous over the BD screw in starting the placement. the OP screw has a shorter lever arm, therefore reducing the 'wobble effect' at the start. My experience resulted in the confidence of reaching for an OP screw, stabbing the ice once, rocking it once to the right, and then grabbing the 'brodie-knob'to finish it off. On the otherhand, the BD screw has to be rocked back and forth a few times to seat it, and because of its lengthy lever arm with the 'brodie-knob' located at the end, there will be an increase in wobble effect if not seated good. faster one can get the screw in the less one has to hang on one arm and battle shrinking headspace. when called upon the OP screw does its job. in less-than-optimal ice, an OP screw held a 35 foot leader fall on the second pitch of Whoa Whoa Capitaine!. I'd say, buy the 4/$100 on gearexpress, spend some quality time at the base of some ice and practice a technique of placing a screw before hopping on the sharp end.

You forgot posion ivy/oak leaves. check it, three years back while climbing along Potash Road (Moab) a friend, who shall remain nameless, decided to squat in a nearby bushy slot canyon, no need for ass-wipe he said, there's plenty of broad leaf plants and shrubs. he underwent one of those thirty-plus-wipe shits using the wrong leaves and ended up in the local clinic for three days spreadin' it in a stir-up chair