Decisions, decisions

[susandennis]

I need to take a return back to the Amazon return place. So, while I'm out, why not pick up some lunch. But lunch from where? Between here and there, there are more than a few delicious and easy order-online choices. Do I want poke? Do I want Chinese? Teriyaki? Bagel sandwich? And, also, my vaccination donut from KK which is, conveniently right on the way home.

That will be the thrill du jour. Nothing else on the menu.

Not even any baseball. I do still have two interesting yarn projects going on and a third one planned.

The Mariners continue to unimpress. I just got an email to take a survey about the game I plan to attend on April 7 (yes, the game that was two days ago). The survey was not only out of date and poorly written it was also poorly coded - required questions when no answer was appropriate, etc. I toyed with the idea, yesterday, about sending them feedback on my experience. I didn't because there was really no way to do that effectively. They clearly are not interested in what I thought. My sales guy might ask and I will tell him. But, as an organization, they are a mess. As a business, they seem to be doing fine so what the hell do they care...

So notes on the big news... I never heard of DMX until his heart attack. Prince Phillip's death feels like it means hers is not far behind. King Charles? I'm just not seeing it. And finally, Alabama Amazon employees nix the union. I was raised in a strictly, actively non-union household. The father of my best friend in college was the president of a national railroad union and we lied to my father about what her father did for a living. After my father loved her like I did, we told him - years later. He still did not take it well. I have feelings about unions. I was surprised that the Amazon union fight was started in Alabama. It seems like a very unlikely spot. If they really want to unionize Amazon, they would have started somewhere with more entrenched in organized labor.

Biggie turned his bed into a toy this morning and was hilarious.







I think poke. Just placed the order online. Off to get it all done now.

Comments

[chocolate-frapp.livejournal.com]

there are two types of Anglophiles; the type that is interested in royals and the type that is interested in writers, actors, comedians and musicians. I'm firmly entrenched in the latter group.

[susandennis]

turns out, i am not at anglophile. but i am interested in world affairs.

[mairi-dubh.livejournal.com]

I had thought that because Charles divorced Lady Diana Spencer, Princess of Wales, he became ineligible to inherit the crown. AND her death, he married a divorced woman, which is also a no-no for an heir---an actual heir ---to the British throne, another reason to be "disinherited" from reigning.

So, his having divorced Diana would have been...expunged?...with her death, but unless the Duchess of Cornwall's first husband is also by now deceased, then Charles is married to a woman who is a divorcée and can't become King of the United Kingdom.
Yes?
And of Diana's sons, William is the elder and in line to inherit the throne from his grandmother.

At least, that's what I think I understand, but I might be having one of those Robert McCloskey moments with myself.....

[rsc.livejournal.com]

My understanding is that an agreement was reached whereby he could marry Camilla and still inherit the throne, but she could not take the title of Queen (as the King's wife has traditionally done). Times have changed since 1936, when marriage to a divorced woman was enough to force Edward VIII off the throne.

[mairi-dubh.livejournal.com]

H'eh.

What I wrote, above, was my understanding based on what had been reported at the times he a) divorced Lady Diana and b) married Camilla.

But whatever, I must agree that times have indeed changed.

All of this having been said, however, I find I don't spend much time or energy on royals when we get right down to it.

Thanks much, however, for the updated info! :^)

[cinnamontoast.livejournal.com]

I'm only interested in the royals because my mother identified so heavily with the Queen. They were the same age and Elizabeth was the figurehead that led England through some very, very tough times. She taught a generation of women to carry on with grace and dignity. (It helps to be fabulously rich of course, but still...) When Elizabeth is gone, my interest will disappear. She was made of tougher stuff.

The Harry/Meghan interview was undignified, disgusting and ill-timed considering what was going on with Phillip. I'll never be okay that. They are both narcissistic jerks.

I agree with you about the union stuff. That was never going to get off the ground in a right-to-work state like Alabama. They would have had much better luck in New York or California, but even in those states, they would have failed. Private companies can just pull up stakes and move, leaving employees in the dust. Look what happened when people tried to maneuver around Amazon locating a warehouse in NYC. Amazon just sacked their plans and moved in elsewhere.

The state representatives won't risk that, so it's not gonna happen. The only strong unions left are those who represent government workers. Go figure.

I love the wild-eyed look in Biggie's eyes in the third picture. Demon eyes. Heh.

[mairi-dubh.livejournal.com]

Things must have changed radically since I worked for one of the U. S. Departments Of _______. We had to sign an oath that we would not strike---no matter what.

We had unions a-plenty, but other than finding about 500 different health insurance companies and plans for us to choose our health care coverage from, they were not even paper tigers. More like paper chipmunks.

[cinnamontoast.livejournal.com]

I dunno how much they've changed for government workers. I belonged to one when I worked for NY State in the late 1980s and early 1990s. I was a member of NYSUT (https://www.nysut.org/). I haven't kept track of that particular union, but they look active from their web site.

The unions seem to be pretty healthy for government workers - They have health care, a good wage and COLAs, which is more than most private companies are offering now. Most privates would rather do the temp/independent contractor/H1B thing because it cuts down on their costs dramatically.

[mairi-dubh.livejournal.com]

" If they really want to unionize Amazon, they would have started somewhere with more entrenched in organized labor."

Like, Detroit?

[richaarde.livejournal.com]

Nah, Michigan is a right-to-work state.

[mairi-dubh.livejournal.com]

Did I miss something? What happened to the UAW? (seriously and sincerely: not trying to be snarky, here.)

[richaarde.livejournal.com]

Yeah, they elected a bunch of Republicans, and in 2013 they managed to turn the state into a right-to-work state.

https://www.mackinac.org/yes-michigans-right-to-work-law-has-hurt-the-uaw

[mairi-dubh.livejournal.com]

'Kay.

And, thank you.

[carriea31.livejournal.com]

I really think Prince Charles will get skipped right over in favor of William. I don't know how that would work on paper, but I just don't think anyone wants him to be king. Of course, no one is asking me. Hahah.

[adafrog.livejournal.com]

lol Biggie.
Why did he not like unions?

[susandennis]

He was in the upper management of the companies he worked for and believed that it was his job to ensure his employees had the best possible work life. Unions took that responsibility from him and also robbed him of the opportunity to run his business as he saw fit.

[adafrog.livejournal.com]

Ah. I can see that.

[msconduct.livejournal.com]

Wow, I'm bemused by the number of Americans who think we can just skip over Charles because we'd prefer William. It doesn't work like that, I'm afraid. Charles is second in line to the throne and unless he dies before the Queen, King Charles it will be.

[richaarde.livejournal.com]

At the very least, the unionization effort against Amazon brought some bad press that might make for some change in that company.

[howeird]

If Charles becomes king he will probably follow tradition and change his name. Macbeth might be the logical choice.

But I don't think he will inherit the throne. Sometime during my youth I remember QE2 saying she would abdicate in favor of Charles and retire when he turned 50. He's now 72. Her mother lived to be 101 and she is "only" 94. She may outlive him.

But my money is on her designating Prince William as her successor.

[rsc.livejournal.com]

But my money is on her designating Prince William as her successor.

I may be wrong, but I don't think she gets to do that.

[howeird]

According to my many British cousins, you are correct. But there's the King Edward VIII precedent (married a divorcee, forced to abdicate). On the other hand Camilla is already Princess of Wales, not some foreigner.