This is the post that helps the later post appear.

I cannot explain it.

When It's Too Icy for a Bed Race. . .

This photo suggest that children in other countries (okay, in Dusseldorf) are forced to race one another, dressed as Santa, in order to obtain gifts on Christmas. Poor children. Of course, if we instituted such a program here, it might be a way to deal with childhood obesity, through a Darwinian "only the fast thin kids get gifts" rationale.


We could even make the adults do it. One guy apparently thought he could substitute his boxing robe for a Santa suit. Don't worry, he'll get ding-ed at the finish line.

It's more likely, of course, that Americans will start to act like the Russians, and dress their pets as Santa. I wonder if we would let guinea pigs run as our proxies in the Great Christmas Dash.

I don't know why I am blaming the Russians for this nonsense (although this is a Russian guinea pig). It was probably the English who invented the pet costume. And they wonder what happened to their empire.....

Downer in Lowndes County

You may recall my earlier post about Teamsters' organizing in AL. I am pasting today's post from The Union Lawyer in its entirety here:

Around our office, we sometimes talk about getting at least one victory a day. I haven't had one yet, but this sure ain't it. Workers at the Daehan Solutions plant in Lowndes County, AL, voted not to be represented by a union yesterday. I had written about this earlier, surprised that the NLRB was moving so quickly on the unfair labor practice charge. Here's an excerpt from the article that I found strange:

"The company has good pay and benefits, and good and safe working conditions, which is probably why the union attempted to sway the voters with inappropriate and offensive appeals to racial prejudice," Debruge said.

What Debruge referred to was a handbill distributed at the plant Tuesday that he called "racially inflammatory." Both sides accused the other of unfair tactics as the election drew nearer.

The handbill stated, "Thirty-seven years ago, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gave his life fighting for union workers in Memphis, Tenn. Let's keep his dream alive Nov. 30, 2005. Vote 'yes' union."

Teamsters organizers said Wednesday that the handbill didn't come from them.

I guess it is not strange; race is the sine qua non in AL but it can hardly ever be discussed in public or polite company. I would hazard a guess that this flyer was only one side of a "racially inflammatory campaign".