Sunday, June 10, 2012

The End of Car Talk and Other Signs of the Apocalypse

Say it ain't so, Tom and Ray!  Don't leave us! And I'm not just saying this because Car Talk featured this post of mine on its website a few years ago...

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And could it be that there might actually be an INTERESTING political convention this summer?  Oh, please, please, let it be so!  Imagine the hijinks!

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I lost a Follower.  I can only assume it is someone dismayed by my defense of unions as the only bulwark against the unfettered power of corporations and other employers.  There were some interesting comments on that post, by the way.  RobinH's comment was notable for its evenhandedness, grounded in experience:

I've worked in manufacturing for 25 years, for both union and non-union companies. As a salaried worker, my compensation has been fair in both kinds of businesses. I've seen one union that did a great job- protecting workers, and negotiating for pay and benefits- and another that did a lousy job--the union reps were more interested in using their 'union duties' to get out of doing work than in representing the interests of workers. I've seen employees treated fairly in both kinds of businesses as well.

At the same time- I know my history. In the pre-union days, corporations did not hesitate to use their power over employees to maximize profits- our health and safety laws, standard 40 hour work week, and overtime pay- just to name a few- we owe to the presence of union organizers. I think Cassi has it exactly right- corporations have money and political clout- to keep them in check we need unions with money and political clout, otherwise individuals are left trying to resist corporate abuse without any backup at all.

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David managed to break the glass plate that turns round and round in the microwave.  I'll give him kudos, however, for cleaning the entire mess up before I even got downstairs to check out the damage.  "Good job," I told him.  "I guess I won't cancel your birthday tomorrow."

You gotta be tough with kids, or they'll eat you for breakfast.  Or at least kill you with their whining over the type of cold cereal you bought them... 


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My post title doesn't really make sense, but I'm leaving it as is.  After all, we don't really know whether breaking glass is a sign of the apocalypse or not, do we?  Maybe I should Google it.  Just as soon as I am done Googling my microwave model to see if I can buy a replacement plate...


[Microwave image: Wellsphere]


9 comments:

  1. Nick told me about Car Talk last night and I actually got a little teary. I have always wished those two were my brothers. Can you imagine Thanksgiving?

    Lose a follower, gain a follower--my number seems to change daily. Don't sweat it.

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  2. Life without Click and Clack . . . is it even possible?

    A follower who doesn't like common-sense, civil discourse is expendable.

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  3. My daughter burned white chocolate chips in our microwave yesterday. She was making icing for brownies --as if brownies need icing, as I keep telling her!

    They weren't white when she was finished, and I haven't tried to clean up the black stuff that spattered inside the oven yet. Ahh . . . learning to cook.

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  4. Well, I have you on my blog roll, which is like having followers maybe?

    I'll miss Click and Clack. My grandma was the first person I knew to listen to them, and when she'd pick me up at college to go to her house to do laundry she'd try to explain about this show that was about cars, and even though she cared nothing about cars she enjoyed it so much. Having them go is like losing a little bit of my gram again.

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  5. I've never listened to NPR once and even I'll miss them.

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  6. I was once on Car Talk. It is completely bizarre to me that they are old enough to retire, let alone actually doing so, because they are two of the wittiest brothers around. They will be sorely missed!

    On a completely unrelated note, how does one break a microwave plate and is it replaceable?

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  7. I've been a car talk fan since I bought my first car in 1990. I think I even tried to call into the show once, but I can't remember what happened.

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  8. Tom and Ray are retiring? NOooooooo!
    Our oldest used to listen with us and laugh at all the appropriate times -- when he was a baby! I guess he loved their voices, too.

    Your title makes sense to me.

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  9. No! Say it isn't so! And wow -- I can't believe I am just hearing about Click and Clack retiring. It's almost a week old! I just got a new job and will have to get used to not having time to do...anything else...but boy do I feel behind. And bummed. I will miss them tremendously.

    :(

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