Tuesday, July 29, 2008
The airport is presumed innocent
PANC is a prime example of why most communities wait a certain period after a notable personality passes on before naming a certain entity (bridge, building, airport, horse stable, etc.) in their honor. I can only hope that KSJC doesn't ever find itself in a similar predicament.
Friday, July 25, 2008
The F word
An Alaska Airlines Executive VP has dropped the strong hint that coupled with capacity reductions for the fall schedule and for '09 that personnel reductions will be necessary and that no department or employee group will be immune. Apparently starting with a 5% percent reduction in Management starting on September 1st (how will we ever survive without them?).
Whether this is a negotiating ploy waits to be determined. The pilot contract has been open since the spring of last year and talks recently have gone nowhere as big ticket items (pay, retirement, medical, scope protections, etc.) are still in play with both sides far apart. The NMB has recently assigned a mediator to facilitate further discussions.
Our contract has several provisions to help spread out the flying to try and stave off furloughs, and discussions must be made on this specific issue. The last time furlough notices arrived to those affected was just in time for Christmas (back in the early 90's) - that was a negotiating ploy (do you think any of those guys have a lot of love or loyalty for the Company?).
The Company however remains in total control of their operation - from which routes they fly (or don't), what airplanes they order (or park), where staff is based (or closed), who gets hired, and when they need to scale back (including furloughs).
It'll cost the Company a lot of money to furlough since many folks need to be retrained for their new positions (Junior Captains downgrading to FO's, forced moves that the Company must pay, etc.) and it takes time.
It might also be more cost effective to offer an incentive for senior pilots to retire early as they make the most money, take the most vacation days, and are the ones who're generally out on sick leave most often. The Junior FO's who may be furloughed are a relative bargain and it'd be wise to try to retain them if at all possible.
So the decision to furlough is not to be taken lightly, as it is generally not for the short term. Let's hope that the right decisions are made by those competent enough to fully understand the consequences.
Whether this is a negotiating ploy waits to be determined. The pilot contract has been open since the spring of last year and talks recently have gone nowhere as big ticket items (pay, retirement, medical, scope protections, etc.) are still in play with both sides far apart. The NMB has recently assigned a mediator to facilitate further discussions.
Our contract has several provisions to help spread out the flying to try and stave off furloughs, and discussions must be made on this specific issue. The last time furlough notices arrived to those affected was just in time for Christmas (back in the early 90's) - that was a negotiating ploy (do you think any of those guys have a lot of love or loyalty for the Company?).
The Company however remains in total control of their operation - from which routes they fly (or don't), what airplanes they order (or park), where staff is based (or closed), who gets hired, and when they need to scale back (including furloughs).
It'll cost the Company a lot of money to furlough since many folks need to be retrained for their new positions (Junior Captains downgrading to FO's, forced moves that the Company must pay, etc.) and it takes time.
It might also be more cost effective to offer an incentive for senior pilots to retire early as they make the most money, take the most vacation days, and are the ones who're generally out on sick leave most often. The Junior FO's who may be furloughed are a relative bargain and it'd be wise to try to retain them if at all possible.
So the decision to furlough is not to be taken lightly, as it is generally not for the short term. Let's hope that the right decisions are made by those competent enough to fully understand the consequences.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
What me worry?
Recent conservative hysteria about gays in the military has reared its ugly head again (it must be election time!).
I am confounded about the supposed tough-as-nails straight-and-narrowly Pentagon types who're running scared of what is a personal choice sexual preference between two consenting adults. WTF?
Personally if I was in the military (pick-a-branch it doesn't matter), the thing I'd be most scared of is bullets. Now if the top brass had a ban about openly armed people being prohibited from serving in the US military, I'd be for that.
I am confounded about the supposed tough-as-nails straight-and-narrowly Pentagon types who're running scared of what is a personal choice sexual preference between two consenting adults. WTF?
Personally if I was in the military (pick-a-branch it doesn't matter), the thing I'd be most scared of is bullets. Now if the top brass had a ban about openly armed people being prohibited from serving in the US military, I'd be for that.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
3 days straight...
...that I've been out riding a bike - possibly a new 2008 record!
Sunday I pushed the fixie up and down the hills of Gig Harbor with my eldest on back to drop her off at the YMCA. A lot easier riding without her on the way home, but I missed my "O Suzanna" singing partner.
Yesterday I had a wonderfully long 3 1/2 hour ride in America's Finest City - San Diego - with America's Finest Weather. Though maybe not America's Finest Drivers. While I was stopped at a signal near UCSD a car behind beeped at me. I was in the bike lane and turned to look at the beeper. She sorta motioned for me to move with her hand so she could make the right turn. She had her windows down (saving on the a/c) and I asked her if she was colorblind? She said no. I asked her if she was illiterate? Again she said no. Then I pointed to the "No Turn on Red" sign that was just above my head, all I got was an Oooooo. I'm still not sure if that counts as an apology for beeping at me?
Today I actually did a CR while on layover in Orlando at Lake Louisa State Park. After flying the all-nighter in from PDX this morning and getting a paultry 4 hours sleep I finished about 10th overall in the first chase as we sprinted for 7th. Not too bad for a sleep deprived old guy in the "A" group with minimal training and a bum knee racing on a clown bike.
Tomorrow l'alpe du Huez! OK I won't be actually there riding up the epic 21 switchback climb but mentally I will. I did get the chance in 2000 to ride it and (without knowing where the TdF finish actually is) I finished in just about an hour. Not amongst the great times by the pro's - the record by Pantani (tainted by...?) is 37 minutes and change - my time is more than 50% slower. But considering that it was unaided by any artificial substances, without ever previewing the course, and was on a 27# touring bike (see above pic) - I'm proud of my effort. Go Christian, you can make up some time on your rivals & combined with the ITT of your life on Saturday, you can still finish on the podium in Paris.
Sunday I pushed the fixie up and down the hills of Gig Harbor with my eldest on back to drop her off at the YMCA. A lot easier riding without her on the way home, but I missed my "O Suzanna" singing partner.
Yesterday I had a wonderfully long 3 1/2 hour ride in America's Finest City - San Diego - with America's Finest Weather. Though maybe not America's Finest Drivers. While I was stopped at a signal near UCSD a car behind beeped at me. I was in the bike lane and turned to look at the beeper. She sorta motioned for me to move with her hand so she could make the right turn. She had her windows down (saving on the a/c) and I asked her if she was colorblind? She said no. I asked her if she was illiterate? Again she said no. Then I pointed to the "No Turn on Red" sign that was just above my head, all I got was an Oooooo. I'm still not sure if that counts as an apology for beeping at me?
Today I actually did a CR while on layover in Orlando at Lake Louisa State Park. After flying the all-nighter in from PDX this morning and getting a paultry 4 hours sleep I finished about 10th overall in the first chase as we sprinted for 7th. Not too bad for a sleep deprived old guy in the "A" group with minimal training and a bum knee racing on a clown bike.
Tomorrow l'alpe du Huez! OK I won't be actually there riding up the epic 21 switchback climb but mentally I will. I did get the chance in 2000 to ride it and (without knowing where the TdF finish actually is) I finished in just about an hour. Not amongst the great times by the pro's - the record by Pantani (tainted by...?) is 37 minutes and change - my time is more than 50% slower. But considering that it was unaided by any artificial substances, without ever previewing the course, and was on a 27# touring bike (see above pic) - I'm proud of my effort. Go Christian, you can make up some time on your rivals & combined with the ITT of your life on Saturday, you can still finish on the podium in Paris.
Monday, July 21, 2008
Elevators
Why can't the elevator techies design a keypad for floor selection where if you make a mistake and enter the wrong floor or get in behind some joker who's hit all the floors that you just punch the floor number and it deselects that floor - SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO STOP THERE!
Friday, July 18, 2008
From Tyler Hamilton
Overheard at Tour of Qinghai Lake where Tyler now holds the overall lead - after the last two mountain stages came back together on the descent, Hamilton gambled that the same thing would happen today; "I didn't have the acceleration to go with the Iranians," he said. "They have proven that they are the strongest climbers in the race. "
The Iranians?
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