Please see here for the full article.

A few key excerpts:

Only about 7 percent of grocery workers hired after the strike are covered by employee health insurance, compared to 94 percent under the old contract, according to a study by UC Berkeley’s Center for Labor Research and Education.

The study also found that after the new contract, about 31 percent of grocery workers leave their jobs each year, compared to 19 percent before the strike, and that only 52 percent of workers hired after the strike stay with their jobs more than a year.

Newly hired workers must wait 18 months before becoming eligible for health care benefits, and many choose not to be covered because of high co- payments, the union official said. Family members do not become eligible for health insurance for 30 months, he said.

Some workers are reportedly still paying off loans they made to cover expenses incurred while they were on strike three years ago.

When I point out headlines, this isn’t the stuff I go for… But rarely am I able to point to something and say, “That was the point of our demise.”

We were part of that strike. Right as it was ending, Poe finished school started his new career. Not before having to cross the pickets to go back to work two weeks before the end. He was with them for almost 5 years, working nights. We had finally started making headway financially – getting on to solid ground. But then the strike happened. I’ve faced poverty before. But never before had we actually need a charity to give us gifts for the kids for Christmas.

In order to live for needs only (groceries, utilities and the like), we had to owe my parents money for the rent and max out our credit cards as we couldn’t live on my salary alone. Thank God my employer saw fit to count the strike as a “change in life” and add us mid-plan year, so we would have health insurance.

Today? I still owe my parents back rent – if things go to plan, that portion of what we owe them will be paid off in a few months. The cards? Two are still maxed out, and I’m hoping to make headway with our tax refund this year.

This strike was the reason we’re not currently halfway to our goal of buying a house. Instead we’re at ground zero living paycheck to paycheck.

I’m still very bitter.

I found some entries from that time in my archives. There are a whole lot more, you can look at the archives around these dates to see them:

Things are not looking up
Nothing is Good
Life is pretty on Edge

A Blogging Chicks Carnival Entry

An excellent article which can be found here, by Ruth Rosen.

A couple of snippets that caught my eye:

The media constantly reinforce the conventional wisdom that the care crisis is an individual problem. Books, magazines and newspapers offer American women an endless stream of advice about how to maintain their “balancing act,” how to be better organized and more efficient or how to meditate, exercise and pamper themselves to relieve their mounting stress. Missing is the very pragmatic proposal that American society needs new policies that will restructure the workplace and reorganize family life.

Most institutions, in fact, have not implemented policies that support family life. As a result, many women do feel compelled to choose between work and family. In Scandinavian countries, where laws provide for generous parental leave and subsidized childcare, women participate in the labor force at far greater rates than here–evidence that “opting out” is, more often than not, the result of a poverty of acceptable options.

I don’t have any solutions. I can simply tell you what has happened recently in my life to illustrate the points in this article.

I personally do not work by choice. I work because I have to. We need my money to make it. My husband, though in a technical job, makes less than me. I really wish that I could stay home and that I did have a choice. But I can’t. It would be better for my kids – who both have needs that are very difficult to meet in a dual income home.

We have put together an intricate net of care for the kids. Poe get ready and takes Logan to our daycare provider – a woman who runs it out of her home – in the morning on the way to work. I get ready and take Joseph to school on my way to work. Poe works earlier than I do. After work Poe goes to both Joseph’s after school care (note: that’s 1 school and two daycares and two job places so far) and picks Logan up as well. I get home about an hour after they do. In case of school closure, Joseph can go to Logan’s caregiver. In case of illness, my parents can take them. However – Now that my mother is so ill, she can’t be around the cummunicables such as colds and flus, and that’s now taken out of the equation. When you have two special needs kids – one with multiple doctor’s visits, and the other other with behavioral issues and learning disabilities causing many many school conferences. None of which get to be scheduled during lunch hours.

Recently, Poe’s workforce moved to a farther location. This now means he can’t pick up both kids by closing time. He requests a change in his schedule. By a half-hour. Is willing to do anything to do that – reduce lunch, come in earlier whatever – but he needs to be out the door by 4:30 now that they moved so far away. The answer? No. He told them they’d have is resignation the next morning. This situation was avoided as the office went to bat for him. All over a half hour. We tried to maybe move my schedule, which was a difficult sell as studio hours are set. But that wouldn’t have worked anyway, because I cannot drop Joseph off before 8am, without paying for yet another session of the on-campus care, which we cannot afford. And, mine’s the job that has to be kept – not ’cause it’s more important – oh no. I have the all important health benefits, because we couldn’t afford the co-premium from Poe’s company.

The juggling that makes all this happen is astonishing. And quite frankly, the employers don’t seem to give a rat’s ass about your kids or your problems. They just want the work done. Ever told your boss your kid’s sick and you need to stay home? Heard that resigned sigh? That’s the not giving a rat’s ass part.

You know, because cleaning up vomit’s a vacation.

I’m sick of the hamster wheel. I’m just sick of it.

According to reports out of the United Kingdom, a Dutch TV reporter handcuffed herself to Hugh Grant at last Friday’s Amsterdam premiere of Music & Lyrics, the actor’s new romantic comedy costarring Drew Barrymore.

Grant was attached to the woman, identified as Cielke Sijben, for about 10 minutes, reports said. During his enslavement, the leading man kept his on-screen cool, and, per the Daily Express, continued down the red carpet, hanger-on and all.

Full Article Here

I’m sorry, but this is funny. Just start imagining it.

I was thinking about the awards last night. While I’m thrilled with the most of the results… The show? Not so much.

First off? Um? Those shadow dancers? Poe said this when he saw them, “You just know someone in production said ‘Hey guys! I saw these guys on the internet and it would be SO COOL!'” Which sums it up I think.

I think Ellen did an excellent job of hosting.

But everything was just too damn nice, liberal, and politically correct. Really. Which translates into BOOooooooring.

In summary… The films I truly wanted, and worked on, to win Best Animated, Best Film, and Best Directing all won. I’m ecstatic and happy for some of the people I know. And have simply heard of from legend.

Congratulations to the winners, and to all the nominees – good work. I know how hard the industry professionals work to make entertainment for the rest of the world, the long hours, the dedication.

NOMINATIONS BY CATEGORY – 79TH AWARDS – On Commercials I’ll bold the ones that have won. And any personal snippets that I have noticed… Also – I’ve put an ** next to the ones I’ve worked on.

Performance by an actor in a leading role
Leonardo DiCaprio – BLOOD DIAMOND**
Ryan Gosling – HALF NELSON
Peter O’Toole – VENUS
Will Smith – THE PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS
Forest Whitaker – THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND

Performance by an actor in a supporting role
Alan Arkin – LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE
Jackie Earle Haley – LITTLE CHILDREN
Djimon Hounsou – BLOOD DIAMOND**
Eddie Murphy – DREAMGIRLS
Mark Wahlberg – THE DEPARTED**

Performance by an actress in a leading role
Penélope Cruz – VOLVER
Judi Dench – NOTES ON A SCANDAL
Helen Mirren – THE QUEEN
Meryl Streep – THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA
Kate Winslet – LITTLE CHILDREN

Performance by an actress in a supporting role
Adriana Barraza – BABEL
Cate Blanchett – NOTES ON A SCANDAL
Abigail Breslin – LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE
Jennifer Hudson – DREAMGIRLS
Rinko Kikuchi – BABEL

Best animated feature film of the year
CARS
HAPPY FEET** (I so want this one to win) WOOO HOOOO!!!!
MONSTER HOUSE

Achievement in art direction
DREAMGIRLS
THE GOOD SHEPHERD
PAN’S LABYRINTH** (remote)
PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MAN’S CHEST
THE PRESTIGE

Achievement in cinematography
THE BLACK DAHLIA
CHILDREN OF MEN
THE ILLUSIONIST
PAN’S LABYRINTH** (remote)
THE PRESTIGE

Achievement in costume design
CURSE OF THE GOLDEN FLOWER
THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA
DREAMGIRLS
MARIE ANTOINETTE
THE QUEEN

Achievement in directing
BABEL
THE DEPARTED** WooHoo!!
LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA** (remote)
THE QUEEN
UNITED 93

Best documentary feature
DELIVER US FROM EVIL
AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH
IRAQ IN FRAGMENTS
JESUS CAMP
MY COUNTRY, MY COUNTRY

Best documentary short subject
THE BLOOD OF YINGZHOU DISTRICT
RECYCLED LIFE
REHEARSING A DREAM
TWO HANDS

Achievement in film editing
BABEL
BLOOD DIAMOND**
CHILDREN OF MEN
THE DEPARTED**
UNITED 93

Best foreign language film of the year
AFTER THE WEDDING
DAYS OF GLORY (INDIGÈNES)
THE LIVES OF OTHERS
PAN’S LABYRINTH** (remote)
WATER

Achievement in makeup
APOCALYPTO
CLICK
PAN’S LABYRINTH** (remote)

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original score)
BABEL
THE GOOD GERMAN**
NOTES ON A SCANDAL
PAN’S LABYRINTH** (vaguely)
THE QUEEN

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original song)
“I Need to Wake Up” – AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH
“Listen” – DREAMGIRLS
“Love You I Do” – DREAMGIRLS
“Our Town” – CARS
“Patience” – DREAMGIRLS

Best motion picture of the year
BABEL
THE DEPARTED**WOOHOO!!
LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA** (remote)
LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE
THE QUEEN

Best animated short film
THE DANISH POET
LIFTED
THE LITTLE MATCHGIRL
MAESTRO
NO TIME FOR NUTS

Best live action short film
BINTA AND THE GREAT IDEA (BINTA Y LA GRAN IDEA)
ÉRAMOS POCOS (ONE TOO MANY)
HELMER & SON
THE SAVIOUR
WEST BANK STORY

Achievement in sound editing
APOCALYPTO
BLOOD DIAMOND**
FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS** (remote)
LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA** (remote)
PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MAN’S CHEST

Achievement in sound mixing
APOCALYPTO
BLOOD DIAMOND**
DREAMGIRLS
FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS** (remote)
PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MAN’S CHEST

Achievement in visual effects
PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MAN’S CHEST
POSEIDON**
SUPERMAN RETURNS**

Adapted screenplay
BORAT CULTURAL LEARNINGS OF AMERICA FOR MAKE BENEFIT GLORIOUS NATION OF KAZAKHSTAN
CHILDREN OF MEN
THE DEPARTED**
LITTLE CHILDREN
NOTES ON A SCANDAL

Original screenplay
BABEL
LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA** (remote)
LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE
PAN’S LABYRINTH** (remote)
THE QUEEN