Alright. I have to hat tip Brett for finding something neither Elon Musk or pussy hat related.
This is my review of Anchor Steam Beer:
The first interview I had after I left the Air Force was with Union Pacific. Yes the railroad! I attended a job fair in Colorado Springs and dropped off a resume to one of their recruiters with no expectation they would call me in for any reason whatsoever. Turns out they did group interviews and called me in for an opening for diesel electrician apprentice. 28 year old me was bored, temporarily out of work, not terribly interested but drove to the industrial part of Denver and showed up anyways.
Based Mickey Mouse
They had a 10 minute video with the usual HR stuff and then had the local union head talk to us for 45 minutes. It was the usual bullshit that was not appealing to me, but the one part that turned me off was the seniority based promotions. This included anecdote about an engineer in Texas that was still working in his 80’s. That’s the system and them’s the breaks the union guy said. That kind of communist bullshit is probably why railroad workers are constantly subject to injury.
This was followed up with a 30 min panel interview where they discussed the results of my skills assessment. I’m a mediocre electrician but public schools left me adept at standardized tests. That probably got me a call back but my answer when asked, “do you have a relative that works or ever worked for UP?” my retort of, “yes, my great-grandfather” probably sealed the deal.
I declined their offer. Those assholes laughed at my great-grandfather. I wasn’t joking about that.
What Brett found this nice human interest piece from the Guinness Book of Records.
A centenarian is still working for the same company…for 84 years. Thankfully he works in sales and isn’t driving trains…
Anchor Steam is considered among the first in the craft beer movement. Its been a while since I had it so when I found it I though, “why not?” By a while I mean several years, its a bit of a rarity in Arizona. Still a clean amber ale. Nicely balanced and still hits the “better beer” mark between industrialized lagers and the pretentious hipster juices everyone here likes to bag. Anchor Steam Beer: 3.5/5
Anchor is on my bucket list. I have never seen it out here in Flyover.
Anchor was all over KY. And Indiana, IIRC. So some parts of flyover country have it.
Found it in Minneapolis. My DIL is going to bring me some next time they come up.
I may have tried it when I lived in SF but I don’t remember. I’ll give it a go if I see it here.
I like it. I used to get it when I stayed in California. It is available in Texas as well now.
They used to make a fine porter as well.
And if Union Pacific is anything like the Long Island Rail Road, it’s more than likely that most of this guy’s clock-time is spent on a beach in the Caribbean.
LIRR is a public transit agency, UP is a private business(*).
*like all railroads, they get powers and privileges beyond what other private businesses get
Railroading isn’t dangerous because of seniority, it’s dangerous because it’s a fucking dangerous industry. Every rule in the rule book is written in blood as they say, and it’s a thick rule book.
The outrages of seniority or other similar systems have waned as I aged. Unlimited wanted and limited resources. Someone is going to be left holding the short end of the stick and any method has pluses as well as minuses.
The outrages of seniority or other similar systems have waned as I aged.
Not for me. Seniority still outrages me. Best talent should fill the job. Period.
I agree. Honestly if somebody came along that could do my job better, please take it. I will do something else and learn from that person.
I initially read that as learn from prison. Make of it what you will.
Best talent should fill the job
If only that were so.
I’m not even sure anyone specifically disagrees with that as such.
The question, as always, is how do you measure talent? In the
computer industry, the managers have almost zero ability to
measure the talent of employees. This has led to the use of
certifications as substitutes for a measure of talent. The growth
of requirements for degrees has, at least in some part, the
same impetus.
Surviving a knife fight requires talent. Make the programmers go into the ring of fire!
….this may be why I keep getting passed over for management.
+1 Kings Row
Railroading isn’t dangerous because of seniority, it’s dangerous because it’s a fucking dangerous industry.
I don’t disagree, but I can’t imagine anyone here thinking somebody like Ol Joe mumbling his way at the helm of a locomotive improving the situation.
Anything with large moving objects tends to be on the dangerous side of things.
Speaking of, I was at a cargo port one time walking between the containers when one of the cranes rolled past the two foot opening at the end of the space between the boxes. There was so much noise that you couldn’t hear it coming and the stacked connex boxes prevented any chance of seeing it unless you peeked out first.
The guy I was with saw the look on my face and said “Yeah, you need to look both ways before exiting the row. We had a guy forget that last week and they had to scrape him off the pavement.”
If there’s one thing I think we can agree on, it’s that it’s more dangerous than being a cop.
1. I’ve told the story before about how I passed up the opportunity to become an engineer. One of very few deep coulda-woulda-shouldas, because I was afraid to move out of my comfort zone.
2. Is there any libertarian case AT ALL for the formation of a union? Further, is there any libertarian case to be made that unions once were necessary to combat owner abuse (e.g., sweatshops) but outlasted their usefulness?
2. Is there any libertarian case AT ALL for the formation of a union?
Freedom of association. If labor wants to negotiate as a group, no problem. If management wants to negotiate with the group no, problem. If management tells the group to fuck off, no problem
The problem is government tipping the scale in favor of unions and preventing businesses from telling unions to go fuck off.
Or unions demanding that employees join or suffer the consequences.
I was annoyed enough at the closed shop rule where paying the union was a condition of employment.
Closed shops are not possible if the business can tell the union to fuck off.
Close shops depend on the government tipping the scale in the favor of unions.
But if management agrees to the closed shop, then outsiders have no right to a job that doesn’t come with the obligation to join the union.
I was just reading an interesting/infuriating article on this very topic.
The Myth of Compulsory Union Membership
Employers are free to post employee rights (Beck posters) if they aren’t already required to do so as a federal contractor/subcontractor or under state law. There’s nothing stopping anyone from looking up the same on DOL’s or NRLB’s website either. They aren’t children. Fool and their money.
Right. But knowing your rights is one thing, securing them is another:
So the problem of a party not following the law will be fixed by passing further laws? They’re already ignoring it.
So what is it you’re arguing here? First you blame the individuals and employers, and now…what? You’re arguing no laws should be created to force the the unions and NLRB to comply and that employees should just go on fighting for their rights one at a time?
Look, the redress for an employer or a union violating the current law (which includes not joining a union) is to file a complaint with the NRLB and/or file a lawsuit. Workers already have the right not to join a union. FEE is whining that workers for a) too dumb to figure out their rights and b) misled by wording and somehow mandating a specific wording will fix underlying problems that are already illegal is just asinine.
Nice article. I recently donated to FEE, they were added to my list (headed by IJ).
Yup. You got it.
Thank you for the thoughtful answer. I asked because I’m not familiar enough with unions to be able to parse these things out for myself.
This exactly.
I worked at five different companies in my career that had unions. In only one case did the company not end up bankrupt or closing the union facility. In the other case, the plant marches on but robots now outnumber the factory unionized employees. I worked several other jobs where the employer deliberately paid about 10% higher wages than prevailing union wages, so workers fought to come work for us. Higher productivity more than offset the higher wages.
I would add that a union to be useful both to workers and employers should be something more than a scheme to support parasites. The union should be involved in training/apprenticing/mentoring young workers – which provides better employees to the business (and saves business some training expense).
Regarding #1 – I just turned down a director position because I felt I would not be as effective as I am now in my current job. There are challenges in work, sure. But then there are jobs which I know are outside my abilities and I chose to not take that job.
A good director is as important as a good employee. Customers/other groups often have unrealistic expectations when it comes to work outside of their expertise. A good director will back up their staff when dealing with such requests. A bad director will put more effort into pleasing those who make impossible demands and heap it all on the staff. Mind you, sometimes the staff is featherbedding, but knowing the difference is part of the role.
When I was younger, I was more prone to do this, but nowadays, I pretty much refuse to move out of my occupational comfort zone. I’m pretty well established and have plenty of work doing what I’m already good at.
And you know what the thing is about your comfort zone?
It’s comfortable.
I was 26, so it was too early for me to get that comfortable.
There have been a lot of opportunities begging to be taken and I was scared, so this is/was a pattern with me. I don’t change until I’m backed into a corner (like…now).
Is there any libertarian case AT ALL for the formation of a union?
Freedom of association. Workers are free to unionize or not. Employers are free to recognize it or not.
Would unions exist in a world without the government putting its fingers on the scales? I think so. I think they would be more like a mutual aid society.
Sure. Unions are employees engaged in free association. It may be wise or unwise but it’s clearly permissible.
I generally can’t stand unions but see their utility for particularly dangerous work. Mine workers need a union. Like all humans, they will ultimately abuse their power and damage their industry. But going back to when cave ins were a cost of doing business and black lung disease was common, a union makes good sense.
F*ck. Meant as a reply to Mo.
I was thinking about miners in particular.
I was thinking about banging his daughter Clementine.
? herring boxes without topses… Ugh, sorry.
My local Total Wine has been out of Founders Oatmeal Breakfast Stout for at least a month. Any of you beer industry insiders know if something is going on at the brewery?
I’m in Flagstaff today, and I saw it on the shelves here.
Big Brew Day
The American Homebrewers Association encourages homebrewers to brew in public to recruit new brewers.
Our beer club will be hanging out at a local craft brew pub, brewing beer on the patio, and serving samples. Today, it is my duty to get a bunch of strangers tipsy.
The good news is that it is about 70 degrees and sunny.
Excellent
You are the hero we need.
Someone get kinnath a cape!
They really should do this on a Saturday that isnt a major holiday in one state.
Especially when it is a drinking holiday.
You’ve got to love Alaska. From a web site explaining our ongoing special Congressional election:
Ph’nglui mglw’nafh Cthulhu R’lyeh wgah’nagl fhtagn!
I don’t think he can afford to with the cost of maintaining non-euclidian properties these days.
Is that a new label? I seem to remember Anchor Steam as having a more old fashioned and cluttered appearance.
Yes, it did.
It is, its partly why I bought it because I thought it was something new.
Yeah, unfortunately they changed their classic label about two years back soon after the conglomerate bought them. I loved the old labels, the new ones are just kinda generic.
https://www.anchorbrewing.com/beer/anchor_steam
Anchor Steam is good beer.
Passing on a union job is a good thing.
Had Anchor Steam on draft on my first visit to SF in 1979. Terrific (but maybe it was just the cache). Many years passed before I ran into it again, in a bottle this time.
Meh. Either my tastes changed, its taste changed, or both.
Thanks for the review, MS. I like Anchor Steam.
Now I want beer.
I second the thanks. MS once again educated me. I thought it was a pilsner. I don’t know why but I did. Thanks to MS I know better.
It reminds me of Boston Lager, except its an ale.
I wish had been a real episode.
https://i0.wp.com/www.powerlineblog.com/ed-assets/2022/05/279896114_10223463544231321_3608464497842285568_n.jpg?resize=402%2C600&ssl=1
Full LOL at TJ Hooker: The Next Generation
Wife and I got back from some errands, as we pulled up she mentioned it was nice that our new dog had gotten over chewing up the chair on the deck. We come inside and I’m about to let the dogs in, and I have to say “you spoke too soon”. He hadn’t just chewed on the chair he previously did, he also did a number on the other one. Not a huge deal – those chairs are there for the dogs, but it was one of those classic moments.
Man, I haven’t had an Anchor Steam in many moons. I don’t know if you can find it around. I might have to look.
I saw some Sierra Nevada Pale Ale the other day. I used to drink it a lot; my girlfriend liked it (I did, too). The last time I had it, it seemed really really citrus-y.
I learned everything I need to know about unions in the summer of my freshman year in college. What a mob of drunken shiftless malingerers.
Crooked a/o Dem? or do I repeat myself?
Must have been in the aughts when I overheard a veteran Trader Joe’s employee lamenting the time she’d wasted working for one of the big supermarkets. “They took my dues but never did anything for me,” was the gist.
Read through the RR job deaths and it’s obvious most of them are self inflicted. And it’s a low number overall.
Try trucking.
Or logging.
Or try not walking in front of a train.
An Anchor Steam was my first legal beer. In the North Beach in SF. This was before they stooped to bottling. There was a lot complaints about them selling out when they did that.
Daily Quordle 103
8️⃣6️⃣
5️⃣4️⃣
quordle.com
⬜?⬜?⬜ ⬜?⬜??
⬜⬜?⬜⬜ ⬜⬜?⬜⬜
⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜
⬜⬜?⬜⬜ ⬜⬜?⬜⬜
⬜⬜?⬜⬜ ⬜⬜?⬜⬜
???⬜⬜ ?????
????? ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛
????? ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛
⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜
?⬜?⬜⬜ ???⬜?
⬜⬜⬜?⬜ ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜
?⬜?⬜⬜ ?????
????? ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛
Sometimes I think Trump is a stand in for Chauncy Gardner.
*joins in the chorus of boos*
Just say no to OZ.
Doesn’t matter to me, I won’t be voting in the primary and even Oz would be better than whoever the Democrats put up.
The bloviator who spoke about the dangerous man with his dangerous book made me think of this song.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JoVL1Zs6WTw
“He may look dumb but that’s just a disguise…”
According to my model, you’re all as good as dead
The Biden administration is issuing a new warning that the US could potentially see 100 million Covid-19 infections this fall and winter, as officials publicly stress the need for more funding from Congress to prepare the nation.
The projection of 100 million potential infections is an estimate based on a range of outside models that are being closely tracked by the administration and would include both the fall and winter, a senior administration official told CNN. Officials say this estimate is based on an underlying assumption of no additional resources or extra mitigation measures being taken, including new Covid-19 funding from Congress, or dramatic new variants.
The White House is sharing these estimates as officials renew their push to get Congress to approve additional funding to combat the virus and as the nation approaches a coronavirus death toll of 1 million. Officials have said the White House will commemorate the moment when the US surpasses 1 million deaths from Covid-19.
The Biden administration has been sounding the alarm for weeks that additional funding is needed to continue the federal Covid-19 response, even as it seeks a return to “normal” with many pandemic-era restrictions lifting.
Shameless.
Try to contain your excitement, guys.
*kicks pebble*
“an estimate based on a range of outside models“
I LOLed.
Theory: if the Dems get creamed in the mid-terms, Biden and Congress are going to try and go all-in on covid restrictions before the new congress sits. Purely out of spite.
Theory2: Dems try to go all-in on covid lock-downs, etc., before the mid-terms to push more people into voting by mail. They seem to do better at that (and that’s not a conspiracy claim).
The Dems didn’t do better in ’20 with one single exception – who had the good fortune to be running against a human lightning rod.
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2022/05/biden-regime-warns-covid-infect-100-million-fall-just-time-midterm-elections/
*yawn*
Is this all they got left?
That and ZOMG! IF YOU CANT GET ABORTION AT 10 MONTHS ON TAXPAYER DOLLARS YOU ARE LITERALLY A SEX SLAVE!!!!
Killing babies is healthcare!
Looking for advice: I’m tired of giving Unilever money.
I want to switch away from my current bar soap. Any sugesstions?
Duke Cannon? I’ve been very happy with their shampoo.
Dr. Squatch?
Something else?
Dr. Squatch. If you need another to confirm, ask Spud. STEVE SMITH APPROVED
Thanks MS.
Health-food store? Soap sounds simple to make, simpler than beer. What qualities or scents are you looking for?
I don’t really have any specific criteria. Mostly not made by Unilever and doesn’t suck.
Find somebody local. Farmer’s market, maybe.
He doesn’t want to rub his balls with lye. Its really that simple.
DR. SQUATCH.
HIM SOAP SEAN UP MOAR BETTER THAN OTHER STUFF.
I love this stuff. Mysore sandal soap.
Wonderful lather and scent.
https://www.amazon.com/Mysore-Sandal-Soap-Pack-4/dp/B00404LTUW
Got a Trader Joe’s near you? They have cromulent bar soaps.
I tired long ago of chasing bar soap around.
Duke Cannon bar soap is good stuff try one of the military three bar bundles. It lasts quite a while.
A few parallel economy suggestions. Some are more in the scented soap bar space, but others have more comprehensive offerings.
https://dissidentsoaps.com
https://vibeysoapco.com/
https://www.thegoatfarmsoap.com/
https://avsoapco.com
https://www.btmsoapery.com/
http://gnsoap.com
https://havamalsoapworks.com/
https://burlapandlacesoap.com/
http://www.torsalonproducts.com/shop
Grr, I posted a bunch of URLs and thought I may be able to sneak them through moderation my not linking them…
Breaking up the links since it got moderated the first time. These are all parallel economy soap companies. Most are just scented bar soaps, but some have fuller offerings.
https://dissidentsoaps.com
https://vibeysoapco.com/
Next two
https://www.thegoatfarmsoap.com/
https://avsoapco.com
And 2 more
https://www.btmsoapery.com/
http://gnsoap.com
That’s a lot of links, Trashy.
I’m gonna bookmark BTM.
Thanks.
And more
havamalsoapworks.com
burlapandlacesoap.com
torsalonproducts.com/shop
Oh, and I’d be neglectful if I didn’t mention that my wife has a beautycounter account, and they have a men’s line. I don’t know if they have regular soap and shampoo. I use their beard oil and aftershave.
Lava.
I didn’t realize bar soap other than Ivory was a thing.
Dial ftw.
Anchor is my hometown brewery and I once shook the hand of the former owner, Fritz Maytag, when I was 16 after a brewery tour with a glass of Anchor in my other hand. It’s now been sold to a big conglomerate, so I don’t feel the same way as I used to about them, but they still make damn good beer. Steam is just utterly drinkable and their Anchor Liberty was the first modern IPA in the United States. It is much more akin to a hoppier pale ale than the current hop bombs that are popular, a very nicely balanced IPA that I wish we would see more of. As Juris noted above, they make a truly excellent porter, which is a bit hard to find out of the Bay Area, but BevMo would likely be your best bet.
I met a Stroh once as a kid; friendly fellow.
Scary numbers. Covid? Bah. Here is a true disaster which I do not want to see return.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CqGeAmVu1I
That was a chilling and fascinating video.
I am going to have to watch again at half speed because I could barely read the captions in time.
Thanks for sharing.
My mother’s and mother-in-law’s flowers got delivered today. They are both over the moon. So here’s my rec: bloomstoday.com.
Also, my son brought me flowers Thursday night for Mother’s Day. He wanted to get the good bouquet before they were all gone.
Awww! Good kid! ? ?
Wife’s getting a margarita basket (from Sam’s) picked out by the 5 year old because “mommy loves margaritas” ??
I got the 5 year old a bouquet from Sam’s for her birthday on Wednesday, and my mom got a different bouquet from Sam’s for mothers day. Both are really nice, came with vases, and were cheaper than just flowers at most online flower sites. I’ll have to check out bloomstoday, though. I haven’t heard of that one.
Nice. Wife gets the bedroom and bathroom cleaned, and I am replacing the substrate in the fish tank. My labor is enacted.
I got my mom this:
https://www.monasterygreetings.com/product/trappist-preserves-bestsellers-12-jar-sampler/Trappist_Preserves_Samplers
She’s happier about it than I’ve seen from her in a long time.
I have always speculated that Rodger Goodell is a drunken buffoon. A monkey in a suit.
Today, I got a little confirmation from the former CEO of Pape John’s who claims he was told just that. That Goodell is a drunken idiot.
I’m sure drunk Rodger Goodell could still first.
I’m sure a drunk Ted S. could still be a complete embarrassment to the human race, suggesting ridiculous things like Goodell being able to First.
100,000,000 infected??
Are there enough of us left for that? What with the Winter of Illness and Death we’ve just been through.
Never mind Net Neutrality.
I’m too dead to care.
If you want to get all weepy over Mother’s Day, watch this: vocal coach reaction video to Tool’s Wings for Marie
Daily Quordle 103
4️⃣5️⃣
8️⃣7️⃣
quordle.com
⬜⬜?⬜? ⬜⬜?⬜⬜
⬜?⬜⬜⬜ ⬜?⬜⬜?
???⬜? ⬜???⬜
????? ⬜???⬜
⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ ?????
⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜ ?⬜⬜⬜⬜
⬜?⬜?⬜ ⬜?⬜?⬜
⬜?⬜⬜⬜ ⬜?⬜⬜⬜
⬜?⬜⬜⬜ ⬜?⬜⬜⬜
?⬜⬜⬜⬜ ?⬜⬜⬜⬜
?⬜?⬜⬜ ????⬜
?⬜?⬜⬜ ?????
????? ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛