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Comment Re:and furthermore... (Score 1) 213

Why do I need your real name, or the thing you claim is your real name?

You don't on slashdot, engadget, cnn and other general interest sites of (inter)national scope.

I do want your real name on Facebook, Patch and local interest sites where we are more likely to cross paths in real life because we have similar interests, friends etc. I do use my real name there and I find it creepy to have discussions on line with people who know everything about me and they might be sitting right next to me but I don't know who they are. It's creepier when they address me by name like we are pals. I refuse to engage in conversations with pseudonymous users on local boards. It's like talking to your neighbor over the fence but he's wearing a hood.

Comment Re:Whiners... (Score 1) 574

I don't like pay per view. That's why I never used Amazon (who is coming up with their own unlimited streaming) and iTunes. Just because I started streaming a movie it doesn't mean I watched it. 4 out of 5 times I fell asleep in the first half hour. It may 3-4 tries and several days till I actually watch the whole thing.

Comment Re:Whiners... (Score 1) 574

I'd like to add that Netflix has thousands of classic and foreign movies that I never got to watch on cable TV at any price. I couldn't care less about new Hollywood releases. They can delay them for 3 years for all I care.

Comment Re:Doesn't always go that way, though (Score 1) 254

I saw a trial in Glendale, CA of someone cross examining a cop for an hour for a radar ticket. He was amazingly good but he lost. The cop had all his paperwork in order. The defendant got some recognition from the judge though. He got the fine reduced to nothing pleading poverty and he got to go to traffic school which is almost never granted AFTER a trial.

Comment Movies are about ordinary people... (Score 1) 298

Movies are about ordinary people in extraordinary situations. Even superheroes are ordinary people "infected" with extraordinary abilities. Scientists and intellectuals in general are never shown favorably. Even when they have good intentions, they tend to do the bad/wrong thing. It started with Frankenstein and it never stopped. Actually it started with the Bible and Eve wanting to eat from the tree of knowledge. Eve was the first scientist and where did that get us? We got kicked out of Paradise. Avatar has nothing to do with science. Maybe to the /.ers who are interested in "how did they make this'. To the average person/kid the only thing it inspires is to fight heroic battles while flying on top of dinosaur like creatures. This can easily be accomplished with the purchase of the video game version of the movie.

Comment Start comparing IT to creative workers unions (Score 2, Insightful) 715

I'm tired of reading comparisons of IT workers to steel workers, auto workers and pipe fitters.

The arguments I read here go like this: "Blue collar workers belong to unions. IT workers aren't blue collar workers, therefore IT workers don't belong to Unions".

I'd like to compare IT workers with film industry workers. Production designers, casting directors, location managers, writers and directors.

Are you aware that those actors, directors, writers who get paid millions of dollars are also union members? So much for the "you can't advance to your full potential if you are in a union" argument.

But I wanted to talk more about the average film industry worker who makes $70,000-$150,000 working 100-200 days a year. I'm one of these people. I've worked for a total of 20 years. 15 years non union and five years union after we organized our sector.

We are still freelancers. We may work for 5-20 different employers every year. There is no seniority. Each party chooses to work with whoever they want for whatever amount they want. There is a "minimum" pay scale but 90% earn above the minimum.

Except on shooting days when we have to be on set a certain time we choose how we spend the day, how many hours and what type of work. Sure we have to complete a given task but it's up to us how we go about it. If it takes too long or we don't do it right we get laid off or we don't get hired again.

This is how it was before we became union and this is how it continues to be after we became union. Nothing has changed.

The only thing that changed is now we have health and pension benefits with one of the best health plans in the country.

Couldn't I afford to buy my own health insurance? Yes, I could but with insurance companies repeatedly wiggling out of their obligations when you need them the most I wouldn't want to. One person vs Huge Insurance company = FAIL

BTW when we were collecting cards to unionize the only people that refused to sign where those who were already receiving union health benefits through a spouse or a second job.

Comment Re:heh (Score 1) 715

It's interesting that every single person in the article is against it except for a dnc congressman.

Every single "person" quoted in the article is an employer or employers trade organization. No employees were interviewed.

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