Blinded with Science (and Industry)

This Friday, being the first Friday of the month, was the branch meeting of the Chicago Wobblies. Of itself, that is nothing special, but Lang agreed to go with me to this meeting. Although I've tried hard not to proselytize her, it has been ever more difficult as her job has increased her hours, reduced her sick days, and jerked her around. I don't like seeing workers treated like crap, especially when they are friends. So I've been trying to get Lang to see that she is not, in fact, Middle Class because the Middle Class is a myth, built on exploitation and designed to keep the more privleged faction of the Working Class content as the Employing Class jerks them around!

Anyway, the meeting went well on a number of levels. It was a good and productive IWW meeting, and Lang seemed to enjoy being there. It's not like she suddently felt the spirit of Joe Hill move her, causing her to join the union on the spot -- but she did say that she would go back to another meeting.

After the meeting, we went out with a college friend of Lang's who was visiting from Connecticut. It was fun; conversation consisted of old college stories, musings about Connecticut & New England, and much punning. Interestingly enough, he seemed impressed that I could quote Shakespeare.

Saturday afternoon was spent, at last, at the Museum of Science and Industry. A fun time was had by all [two of us]. I hatched plans to kidnap the baby chicks from their exhibit, as this would probably be easier than snatching a buffalo from work. It is a tad odd to see the juxtaposition of science AND industry, though. This changed the feel of the museum slightly, relative to other science museums that I have been to (e.g. Boston Science Museum, Liberty Science Center). I think that I like the pure science museums a bit better.

Now I'm off to install Linux on the new laptop, hopefully making it co-exist peacably with the pre-installed copy of Windoze 2000 Pro.

Blinded with Science (and Industry)

This Friday, being the first Friday of the month, was the branch meeting of the Chicago Wobblies. Of itself, that is nothing special, but Lang agreed to go with me to this meeting. Although I've tried hard not to proselytize her, it has been ever more difficult as her job has increased her hours, reduced her sick days, and jerked her around. I don't like seeing workers treated like crap, especially when they are friends. So I've been trying to get Lang to see that she is not, in fact, Middle Class because the Middle Class is a myth, built on exploitation and designed to keep the more privleged faction of the Working Class content as the Employing Class jerks them around!

Anyway, the meeting went well on a number of levels. It was a good and productive IWW meeting, and Lang seemed to enjoy being there. It's not like she suddently felt the spirit of Joe Hill move her, causing her to join the union on the spot -- but she did say that she would go back to another meeting.

After the meeting, we went out with a college friend of Lang's who was visiting from Connecticut. It was fun; conversation consisted of old college stories, musings about Connecticut & New England, and much punning. Interestingly enough, he seemed impressed that I could quote Shakespeare.

Saturday afternoon was spent, at last, at the Museum of Science and Industry. A fun time was had by all [two of us]. I hatched plans to kidnap the baby chicks from their exhibit, as this would probably be easier than snatching a buffalo from work. It is a tad odd to see the juxtaposition of science AND industry, though. This changed the feel of the museum slightly, relative to other science museums that I have been to (e.g. Boston Science Museum, Liberty Science Center). I think that I like the pure science museums a bit better.

Now I'm off to install Linux on the new laptop, hopefully making it co-exist peacably with the pre-installed copy of Windoze 2000 Pro.