Unions Up / Bosses Down

There was this news last year.

And there is this news again!

With the bulk of the gains credited to public sector workers, I am curious to see these stats next year now that pretty much all local and state governments are in fiscal crisis freakout mode and are slashing services (jobs) like crazy.

PS: it is amazing that the BLS still using the term Hispanic!

Karaoke Site is Up

You can see it here.

Saturday Night Action

Katie, Peter, Dierdre, and I biked to Kezar Stadium in Golden Gate Park to see the SF Bay Bombers compete against the Orlando Thunder for a local roller derby title. The competition was a brutal struggle for glory with frequent outbreaks of fist fighting and ponytail yanking. Our fellow spectators were mostly families and hardcore Bombers fans but there was also a smattering of young people and geriatrics.

How naive was I to think that I could soon take this up for a hobby! GET REAL! Those barbarians would take me out in the first lap. I admit that the authenticity of the violence is somewhat contestable (Katie and I say the pain is bona fide; Dierdre and Peter cry WWF). However the fact that the sport commands the use of ass pads speaks to the endless possibilities for physical and psychological suffering - least I not forget the unsuccessful efforts in Coney Island.

I apologize to all three of you readers for the lack of posts lately. Work has been keeping me busy (contract negotiations! hostile inter-union fighting!) and my social life hasn't consisted of much more than dinner parties and watching Peter's DVD collection (ah, the single life!). I also joined a reading group for radical women. All of this has left me with little time and little content to report.




SPI

Tokyo, Japan: Better Late Than Never

Outside festival outside of Yasukuni-Jinja; traditional/modern life


Obama candies?/peace cranes at a Buddhist shine in Ueno Park


Ueno Park


Buddhist shine on January 2nd; no karaoke at Uneo Park


Akihabara; Hachiko landmark Shibuya Station in our neighborhood


The Emperor and Imperial Family at the Imperial Palace for their annual appearance


A strange religious gathering on New Years Day


Large Buddhist temple grounds on New Year's Day




Sumida-gawa






Tsukiji Market






Harajuku teenagers




Line outside of A Bathing Ape


Prada Aoyama designed by Herzog & de Meuron


Maid Cafe


Shibuya at night


Piano Bar




Roppongi with Mr. Takara


Phillip ate a fish eye/brain

I have been back from Japan and back to normal life for three weeks now and it gets harder and harder to fill this post (which has been in "save draft" for many days) with all of the notes and observations from our rich trip. Let me just put these pictures up now and revisit the commentary (specifically around nationalism and fashion!) at a future date when time and attention permit.