Don't blame the other nations for walking out on climate talks.

Before I get in to deep, I just want to say I love America and I don't want to live anywhere else. Now, who in the hell do these dumbass politicians, or lobbyist, or whoever it is representing us in the climate talks think they are by telling other countries to stop using so much fossil fuels. We use more than anybody. America and the other fortunate, wealthy countries have alot to learn from the less industrialized countries on fossil fuel consumption. They aren't industrialized so they don't use that much. Even the ones like Brazil that are becoming a major player get most of their power from renewable energy. They got pissed off in the 70s when gas prices were outrageous and now make therir gas out of sugar cane. These countries have every right to walk out. Until renewable energy is cheaper, fossil fuels will still be king and there is no way around it. I guess another point we are trying to make is that these less fortunate countries need to stop cutting down forrests. The point they are trying to make is they make more money by turning these forrests into farmland and they need the money. Nobody is going to take us seriously untol we lead by example. I myself would love to have my house covered with solar panels to keep these blood sucking energy companies from sending me $400 electric bills, but I can't afford them. Being the planet's police is what these other countries hate about us. We can't keep our nose out of other people's business.

The BCS stands for "Bowl of Corporate Shit"

For years now we have had to endure this outrageous scam from the BCS that is supposed to put the top 2 teams together for the National Championship. I think they have got it right a couple of times, but for the most part they have failed miserably. There are great college football programs that go undefeated and and still don't get to play for the championship. This year, their are 5 undefeated teams and only two of them get to compete for the title. That whole bunch of garbage that says the regular season is a playoff is crazy. This is the most popular and profitable college sport and yet it is the only major college sport that doesn't have a playoff system. I do send out my congrats to Texas and Alabama, but Boise State, Cincinatti, and TCU also need a chance to prove they are the best. What does the BCS do to solve this? They make Boise State and TCU replay last year's Poinsetta Bowl at the Fiesta Bowl. Aren't they suppose to pair them up with a powerhouse like Florida or another top 10 team from a major conference to prove their relevancy. They did a couple of years ago when Boise State beat Oklahoma. I guess that was to much for them and made them realize their system is flawed. Cincy went undefeated andwon the BIG East and are still left out of the championship game. The same went for Auburn's undefeated season a few years back. I found an article that says it all and I can't wait for the author's book to come out. It will detail all of the big business and lobbying that the BCS has for their system. Here is a link to that article http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/news?slug=dw-ncaafplayoff120709&prov=yhoo&type=lgns. This article also shows how easy it would be to have a playoff system and still have bowl games. Read it and see what you think.

Has anyone seen this economic recovery I hear so much about?

The stock market is climbing and the Obama administration is pointing out all these jobs that are being created. I have heard reports of home prices rising and profits returning to companies that have been barely hanging on. On the other hand, I myself see more foreclosures, rising unemployment, and more banks and hometown stores going out of business. It appears to me that politicians and the news reporters are trying to blow smoke up our ass. I don't believe none of it. With rising unemployment comes higher unemployment taxes on businesses who have had layoffs. Do you really think that they can afford to hire new employees when they are barely making it and having to pay higher taxes. I'll give you a good example of how the economy is doing. I have been in construction for 10 years and have journeyman status in 3 crafts. I don't get many calls for work these days so I was excited when I did get a call from a recruiter. I was working out of town at a low paying job, but it was a job atleast, when my cell phone rang. She told me all sorts of good things like: the job is 10 miles from your house, 3 month duration, and for a Boilermaker craft. "Great" I said, "how much does it pay"? My mouth dropped when she told me. The job paid $18/hr and on top of that, we had to pay for our own drug test. Ok, for those of you who think $18/hr is good, its not. $18/hr was top pay 10 years ago and what most apprentices are paid now, and who ever heard of an employee having to pay for their own drug test. Average pay for journeyman is around $30/hr, or it was anyway. The bad thing about this is their were people lined up to take the job because of the lack of work. When people are forced to take jobs at almost half of their normal pay, 2 things happen. You either get a crew of unskilled workers that lied to get the job, which in turn makes the jobsite unsafe, or you get a crew of angry skilled workers that aren't going to do a damn thing because they are getting paid helper wages. Texas Workforce offices are still packed with job seekers along with most recruiter offices. Things are not better Obama, and the only way to make it better is job creation. Tax breaks are cool, but people have to earn money from a JOB before they are entitled to tax breaks.

Cheap airfare for the Holidays

Cheap airfare for the Holidays

Metallica winds up tour of USA

Metallica winds up tour of USA

Ironworkers and Riggers fight back in California

As we all gathered for the safety meeting at 6:00 am Saturday morning, the safety man ordered everyone up to do a serries of stretches and excercises. Surprised by the lack of enthusiasm for a morning workout, The safety man singled out a few workers that chose not to perform the exercise and ordered them to go home for three days without pay. Since when is this a violation of safety? What the man didn't count on was the coworkers of the men sent home gathering their things and getting in line for the bus home behind them. Mangement has been pushing workers around and getting away with it for some time now due to the lack of jobs, but we finally reached our breaking point. We are already getting screwed out of travel pay and per diem and most of us are from out of state. When the plant operators and S&B mangement saw the support of 50 workers lined up behined the workers that were sent home, the decision was reversed. The safety man ended up quitting when he saw the mess he created. What we need to learn is there is strength in numbers. Mangement has pushed us around for long enough because they know we are in a bind because the lack of work. So I say to you all, stand together and fight back, the job can't be done without us.

If you don't know someone, forget getting the job.

Unlike the few years before the recession started, getting a job as a contractor is damn near impossible if you don't have a contact on the inside. Job lists are quickly filled with workers that are mainly kinned or friends with supervisors, management, and Human Resources. Although this seems unfair(and it is), employment will mainly be obtained in this way until the economy rebounds. Not only is this hiring practice unfair to qualified workers, it should be illegal. Manning up jobs this way leads to a crew less experienced which in turn make jobsites unsafe. Companies might as well just take their job hotline numbers and e-mail addresses off websites. Over the past year, when I have completed a job and started looking for another, I am always given a number to call to get my name on a list. The thing about this is, the number goes straight to a recording that tells you to leave a name and number and we will get back to you. I have yet to get a human on the phone. Management is looking out for themselves, family, and friends for consideration on jobs and don't even bother to hire the most qualified applicants. Unfortunately, this is life and how it will continue to be for a long while. If you really want to use the internet for jobs, I suggest http://www.indeed.com/. It will search all employment sites to find the listings you are looking for, but act fast when you see a post. Jobs fill fast these days and the number of applicants looking for jobs have grown exponentially lately. The best way to find work is by calling friends and family or past coworkers. This is the law of the land right now and you have to network to find jobs. Also, don't wait around for a recruiter that promised work soon to call you back. I have one recruiter that has been saying "any day now" for a month. If you are offered a job, take it. If the recruiter finally calls you back, make your decision to leave your job or not on job duration. Being on a jobsite is your best way to meet new people that have solid job leads and to show off your skills.

Per diem may be a thing of the past for workers.

Being in the construction business for 10 years, me and the rest of the craftsmen have always been paid per diem when working 60+ miles from the house ranging from $35 to $100 a day depending on location and company we work for. Since the recession hit, companies have slowly but surely been omitting this from our paycheck. The companies I work for are based in Houston, Tx but we are sent all over the country, coast to coast on jobs. Per diem was paid to us to help out with motel rooms and eating expenses while working out of town. Since jobs are hard to come by these days and big corporations like Chevron, Exxon, and other major oil companies know this, per diem is almost non-existant now. They know that people are going through hard times and will work for a lot less than they used to. I have 10 years experience in my crafts which are boilermaking and rigging, and have seen my hourly wage slashed by $10/hr in the past 1 1/2 years, and I see no sign of wages hitting bottom. Now with per diem and travel pay being cut, I guess I could say my pay has fallen $15/hr. I have to take these jobs to support my family, even though the pay is falling, there is no where else for me and others in our crafts to work. If I raise hell, they just tell me to go away and they will find someone else to fill my spot because they know there are 100s, if not 1000s that will work for less. Eventually, things will get better and jobs will be more plentiful, but it will be a long time before our per diem is reinstated. They have seen what they can get away with paying us now and they don't mind kicking us when we are down.