What it's all about

I can think of no better way it lead into Labor Day weekend than by sharing this great op-ed about the labor movement yesterday and today by my friend Larry Matheney, secretary-treasurer of the WV AFLCIO. Larry also gives a shout out to one of my heroes, WV native, UAW, labor, civil rights, and human rights leader Walter Reuther.

HONESTLY? Here's a reality-based look at Paul Ryan's speech. And here are a bunch more.

RAISING THE MINIMUM WAGE. Just do it.

WASTEFUL MILITARY SPENDING. Some days are better than others with WV's junior senator Joe Manchin, but he's right on target this time.

GOAT ROPE ADVISORY LEVEL: ELEVATED

Show up and smile

Earlier this month, presidential candidate Mitt Romney held a rally in Ohio which was intended to show that coal country was solidly behind him. It turns out that those miners who attended were told to do so by their employer. The event was mandatory and unpaid.

Another example of democracy at its finest.

SPEAKING OF COAL, here's some interesting news in the ongoing Upper Big Branch federal investigation.

THE ECONOMY ISN'T GROWING MUCH but poverty is.

WHAT MAKES INEQUALITY WORSE? Declining union membership.

HEALTH CARE REFORM. Most West Virginians favor parts of it.

CULTURE, CUSTOMS AND TRADITION aren't just for humans anymore.

GOAT ROPE ADVISORY LEVEL: ELEVATED

Two urgent items and then some

This blog was established to draw attention to the burning social issues of our day. I'm not sure what happened to that plan.

However, I would like to say thank you to everyone who has sent in good wishes for our Great Pyrenees Arpad, who, as reported here, broke his leg last week.

I am pleased to report that Arpad, perhaps more accurately referred to these days as Tripod, is doing much better. Last night he walked the perimeter of the Farm and barked at any and all nocturnal malefactors. Today he's gone farther and faster than ever on his walks and seems to be doing better all around.

The Pod abides.

Secondly, I received an email from the Spousal Unit. After reading this post about, among other things, Patrick Swayze's mullet in the movie Roadhouse, she wrote that his haircut was in fact not a mullet and sent the following link with mullet pictures to prove her point. After perusing the site, I still say Patrick was wearing one.

What do you think, Gentle Reader? When is a mullet a mullet?

This issue may not soon be resolved, but it does occur to me that Arpad might look good in a mullet. I know he may not like the cut, but then again he isn't very mobile these days. He should have thought of that before he broke his leg.

I THINK I'M JEALOUS. The Gazette ran this great story yesterday about a retired WV state trooper hiking the Appalachian Trail. He's almost done. That has always been a dream of mine, although the odds of it happening are pretty remote.

REWRITING THE GOSPELS.  What would Supply Side Jesus do?

GOAT ROPE ADVISORY LEVEL: ELEVATED

Big fights. Bigger hair

 

 When the Spousal Unit is on the road, I sometimes, when not completely overcome with grief and longing, watch videos that she would not be very interested in. This is how, for example, I got through the Sopranos. This week, I watched one that people who know of my fondness for the martial arts (and soft spot for movies about them) have been urging me to for some time.

To wit, Roadhouse starring Patrick Swayze, which apparently has quite a following and is a particular favorite among club bouncers. It was a pretty fun film, complete with a cartoon character bad guy, vehicles with giant wheels, romance and lots of smashing things.

There were plenty of fights and they were pretty big, but they were nothing in comparison with the hair. This film was released in 1989, which apparently was the golden age of the mullet. Patrick had one that couldn't be beat, although the one worn by his love interest played by Kelly Lynch came pretty close.

The big hair thing faded out most places by the early 90s, although it persisted in southern West Virginia a good bit longer than that.

Anyway, it was an entertaining cultural artifact. Now I feel like a better person.

(Technical comment: the throat technique used by Patrick could probably cause death in some cases, but I seriously doubt it would break the skin in the way depicted.)

TWO FOR THE ROAD. Most Americans believe the rich pay too little in taxes and most would support raising taxes to make Social Security viable into the future.

GOAT ROPE ADVISORY LEVEL: ELEVATED

Legitimate what?

El Cabrero is admittedly pretty slow on the uptake. When I first heard of Rep. Todd Akin's "legitimate rape" comment, I first thought it was just Whackadoodle. Then somebody explained the ideas, if you want to call them that, behind the words and I realized it wasn't just stupid. It was evil. Creepy too.

The chain of thought runs like this: if one assumes that the female body can block conception in the event of rape, then if conception occurs it is "proof" that it wasn't really rape. If you follow that twisted logic to its conclusion, then one could imagine a rape defendant asserting that conception was proof of innocence.

It really is like the medieval test for witchcraft wherein one threw the unfortunate woman in deep water. If she drowned, she was innocent but if she floated she was guilty and should be burned.

Yeesh.

EXPANDING MEDICAID. When the time comes, just do it.

CAN YOU LEARN IN YOUR SLEEP? Maybe.

ADVICE FOR FOREIGN POLICY WONK WANNABEES here.

GOAT ROPE ADVISORY LEVEL: ELEVATED