Jeep Workers Give Un-Welcoming Party for Dr. Z

(Toledo, OH) Several dozen UAW members held a protest outside the Toledo Jeep assembly facility this morning to protest corporate actions that have resulted in a net decrease in employment.

The protest was timed to coincide with the arrival of DaimlerChrysler Chairman Dieter Zetsche, better known as "Dr. Z," who is in town to celebrate the rollout of the new Dodge Nitro.

George Windau, a body shop millwright, said that laid-off skilled trades workers have been passed up during the rollout.

"The company is using outside contractors to do work that, under contract, should be performed by union tradesmen," he said. "Dieter Zetsche's appearance is a slap in the face to unemployed and under-employed Jeep workers."

Bill Pearsall, a machine repairman at Jeep, took issue with the overall job cuts at the facility since hundreds of millions of dollars in tax abatements were given to DaimlerChrysler.

"There were once 3500 Jeep employees here who built the Cherokee," he said, shaking his head. "Now, with all the outsourcing to the supplier park, it looks like there will be only 350 Jeep workers to do the same work."

My calls and emails to Daimler Chrylser have not been returned.

Many union employees have been hard hit by the outsourcing, said electrician Cal Buckmaster.

"Some of these folks have been without paychecks for a long time," he said. "Meanwhile, we have people from the old Jeep Parkway plant who are competing for work here."

Absent from the protest was UAW Local 12 president Dan Henneman, although he roared past the group in his pickup truck at a high rate of speed.

"There goes our fearless leader," quipped Buckmaster.

Most of the passersby were supportive, honking horns and waving. One Jeep production worker, however, expressed irritation at the group for the unauthorized protest.

Windau said that any new Nitro vehicles that Dr. Z views today will be "created for show."

"We have major problems with the robotic assembly units, and there still hasn't been a Nitro that was built entirely by the line," he said, adding that the rollout vehicles have largely been built by hand. "Instead of laying off Jeep workers, maybe they should fire the robots."

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Some of those that work forces, are the same that burn crosses.
--Rage Against the Machine

So Who Won?

Left: Lebanese civilians returning home, photo courtesy of AP

With all sides declaring victory in the 34-day war between Israel and Hezbollah, the question on many minds is simple: who won, and who lost?

Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah declared an unequivocal victory for his movement.

"We are before a strategic and historic victory for all Lebanon," he said in an address broadcast over the group's Al-Manar television channel.

Syrian President Bashar Assad denounced US aims in the region while obliquely praising Hezbollah.

“The Middle East they [the American government] aspire to ... has become an illusion,” he said in Damascus. "We tell them [the Israelis] that after tasting humiliation in the latest battles, your weapons are not going to protect you — not your planes, or missiles, or even your nuclear bombs ... The future generations in the Arab world will find a way to defeat Israel."

US President George Bush commented that Hezbollah suffered defeat in its war against Israel, and argued that the war has given a significant boost to the "freedom agenda" he has tried to bring to the Middle East.

"Hezbollah attacked Israel, Hezbollah started the crisis, and Hezbollah suffered a defeat in this crisis," Bush said. "Hezbollah, of course, has got a fantastic propaganda machine and they're claiming victory, but how can you claim victory when at one time you were a state within a state, safe within southern Lebanon and now you're going to be replaced?"

Israel's Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was less ebullient than President Bush, noting certain "deficiencies" in Israel's prosecution of the war, but vowed to continue his nation's efforts to defeat Hezbollah.

"We will continue to pursue the leaders of Hezbollah everywhere and at all times," he said. "This is our moral duty to ourselves, and we have no intention of apologizing or asking anyone's permission."

Olmert initiated the war against Hezbollah with two goals - to eliminate the Islamic group's military capabilities and to free the two captured soldiers.

A month after fighting began, however, Israel has achieved neither goal, while Hezbollah remains armed, though reduced in strength. In the opinion of this pundit, it appears that Hezbollah has gained the upper hand in this round of hostilities.

Missed by many news outlets, however, was Hezbollah's declared intention to pay compensation to those Lebanese civilians harmed by the war. Nasrallah vowed to immediately begin paying money to families living in 15,000 homes completely destroyed in the Israeli bombing campaign.

"From tomorrow, we will pay compensation, a certain amount of money for every family to rent for one year, plus furniture for those whose houses were totally destroyed," he said.

This sort of social welfare is the type of activity that has helped Hezbollah ascend to become something much more than a mere "terrorist" group. This is also why a military campaign is useless against a foe that is well-entrenched in the streets and hearts of many civilians.

Rapid Rhetoric: VARSOVIENNE

This is an irregular feature - both in frequency and oddness - dedicated to a word I came across that I have never previously used.

Varsovienne - n. A polka-like dance of Polish origin, dating back to at least 1850.

The word is of French origin, roughly translating as "the girl from Warsaw." The Varsovienne is danced to music in 3/4 or 3/8 time, and combined elements of the waltz and the mazurka. It is closely related to the Schottische, which my third-grade gym teacher taught us.

OTA Links

(Toledo, OH) On Tuesdays, I perform my duties as a member of the Open Trackback Alliance and highlight sites and posts that I found to be noteworthy.

Follow this link to learn more about the project, which was developed by Samantha Burns.

Other interesting OTA blogs I visited this week: TMH's Bacon Bits, the unusual Quietly Making Noise, the wretched hive of scum and villainy at Pirate's Cove, Canadian-style politics at Grandinite, the good fun at 7 Deadly Sins, and my must-visit, thrice-daily trips to Liberal Common Sense.

Gunmen Sieze Two Fox Journalists in Gaza

Left: Fox reporter Steve Centanni

(Gaza City) Two Fox News journalists were taken against their will Monday in Gaza, according to the network's Jerusalem bureau.

A Fox employee in Gaza said that those abducted were reporter Steve Centanni, a US citizen, and an unnamed cameraman from New Zealand. Radio New Zealand is reporting that the captured New Zealander is Olaf Wiig.

Left: Freelance cameraman Olaf Wiig

Known militant groups in Gaza denied having any connection to the abductions. There has been no word of any demands made by the kidnappers.

The Committee to Protect Journalists condemned the kidnappings.

"We are gravely concerned about our colleagues' safety and call for their immediate and unconditional release," said Joel Simon, CPJ's executive director. "These are well established journalists who are not participants in the conflict. They should be treated accordingly and freed."

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Laughter gives us distance. It allows us to step back from an event, deal with it and then move on.
--Bob Newhart

On Being Home

(Toledo, OH) No matter how much a person enjoys a vacation, almost nothing compares with the feeling of pulling up in the driveway after a long trip.

The excitement of returning home increased after each turnpike mileage sign that highlighted Toledo: 174...119...83...72.

Then, finally, seeing the house, opening the door, and being home.

I am a creature of habit, and - try as I might - I cannot duplicate my routines when I am on the road. Nor can I replace my comfortable bed, my gardens, my books, or any of the other items I take for granted when I am at home.

I missed my dog, my lawn mower, and even my creaky front door that needs oiling. While a vacation offers many diversions and opportunities to expand our horizons, it is the everyday and the humdrum in our lives that ground us.

And it is so very good to be home.

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Never seem more learned than the people you are with. Wear your learning like a pocket watch and keep it hidden. Do not pull it out to count the hours, but give the time when you are asked.
--Lord Chesterfield

Wandering in Georgetown

Left: M Street in DC's Georgetown neighborhood

(Washington, DC) I passed up a journalism opportunity covering the peace protest at Lafayette Park in favor of a couple of hours strolling around the Georgetown area.

Frankly, after refinancing my house, the $100 or so I could have scraped up filing a story just didn't have as much appeal as it would have before we closed. I hope that the thirty thousand protesters will forgive me, but it was just too nice of a day to raise a fist against the war machine.

Georgetown was incorporated as a town in 1751, and was originally part of the British Province of Maryland. There are quite a few buildings in the area that predate the American Revolution.

Left: The Old Stone House

Built by Christopher and Rachel Layman in 1765, the Old Stone House has weathered the political and meteorological storms that have passed through the area. Featuring stone walls that range from two to three feet thick and a beautifully manicured garden, the Old Stone House stands defiantly against commercial sprawl.

After periods of decline following its annexation by Washington DC in 1871, Georgetown has now become an enclave of wealthy elites. The large number of upscale boutiques and interior decoration establishments are testaments to the fact that Georgetown is now big money.

Left: Live jazz by Project Natale at Georgetown Park

Sitting in the shade, sipping a strawberry-kiwi smoothie, and kicking back listening to cool jazz was pleasureable. Even hearing clichéd crowd pleasers such as "Girl from Ipanema" did not break my relaxed mood (I might normally run from that song), and Project Natale delivered a sublime, lyrical rendition that was recognizable by everyone while providing enough improvisation to keep jazz purists entertained.

Left: PNC Bank now occupies the Farmers and Mechanics Branch building of Riggs National Bank

An example of Georgetown's ability to maintain its historic past while accommodating the present is the PNC Bank branch at Wisconsin and M Streets. Formerly a division of Riggs National Bank, the building was remodeled in 1989 to restore the facility to its former architectural glory.

Left: Sleeping homeless man near Georgetown Park

And what trip to any DC site would be complete without seeing dozens of homeless people? This man was attempting to sleep on the sidewalk as tourists and the well-to-do tried to ignore him.

This scene is typical of the contrasting extremes in the American capital, a disparity that persists despite well-intentioned efforts to bring change.

Malfunctioning Pedestrian Signal

(Washington, DC) This Georgetown traffic signal seems to be indicating something other than a safe street crossing; I'll leave to the imagination of readers exactly what this sign means. I would normally posit that you can "click to enlarge," but that might be construed as overly suggestive.

The malfunction appears to be a combination of traffic signals.

At the left is the signal for a safe crossing: a white human outline walking. This person seems a bit hurried, but not exhibiting any of the strange appendages of the first photo.

At least, no visible appendages are apparent.

The next photo is of the "Do Not Cross" variety, featuring an orange hand in the upraised "Stop" position.

Even more interesting is the fact that the malfunctioning sign flashes (pun only slightly intended) on and off as the light is about to change, making the orange appendage seem, well, throbbing.

Feel free to create your own caption for the first photo in the comments section. I am intrigued to see the level of depravity to which visitors might sink.

Visiting Mount Vernon

(Mount Vernon, VA) Having sone time on my hands this week during a trip to Washington, DC I took a side trip to Mount Vernon, the estate of George Washington.

One of the few completely self-sustaining historic sites in and around the federal district, Mount Vernon's $13.00 entrance fee reflects something of the true cost we might face if government subsidies were removed from public museums and other tourist destinations.

Mount Vernon is a working farm, with fruit groves, gardens, and livestock. The goal here is to recreate as closely as possible what the estate looked like when Washington was its master.

Left: Peaches in Mount Vernon's orchard

One could spend days at the hundreds of acres at this site and not absorb everything. There is also a variety of rotating exhibitions and thematic tours, so a person could return to Mount Vernon and have a different visit each time.

However, no matter how hot it gets, a person should never sneak into one of the orchards and sink his teeth into a juicy, blood-red peach, letting the sweet nectar dribble down his chin. There are obviously not enough trees for every visitor to get his or her own piece of fruit, and you probably wouldn't like the taste of a pesticide-free peach under a hot August sun, anyways.

Ahem...