The View from the Rig

Mundaka · 2005-08-10 09:37:21

Cobra Commander · 2005-08-10 10:08:07

The first response that comes to mind is simply "fuckin' a." Right on and I hear ya.

Followed by welcome back, good to see you around here again.

Its strange -- I'm not a trucker, I've got a degree and come from the middle class, but the experience of driving a truck has caused me to look at my own social class with a kind of horror.

I know exactly what you mean. While I come from a middle-class background and currently work in a white collar enviroment, I can say from experience that spending a little time working the fields with immigrants offers a very useful expansion of one's perspective.

Its almost as if your education matters more than your actions -- or maybe I've been fantastically unobservant before now and its always been this way.

Been that way as far back as I can remember. Not all that long of course.

Hope we hear from you when you get back from Canada. I'll bring the beer and Cheetohs.

Palomar · 2005-08-10 10:09:13

Its funny the looks I get when I crawl out of the big rig at highway rest stops and start doing pushups and jogging, the looks I get from the yuppies are disturbing, to say the least: sort of a combination of surprize and anger -- as if it is not a truck drivers place to be in shape. You really get the feeling that you are stepping on their territory, the place from which they look down on those they perceive to be their inferiors. Its strange -- I'm not a trucker, I've got a degree and come from the middle class, but the experience of driving a truck has caused me to look at my own social class with a kind of horror. I don't think I've ever seen -- or at least haven't noticed -- so much unwarranted arrogance. Ever watch a V.I.P. office temp -- with 2 inch fingernails and a cell phone surgically attached to her very important ear -- wander onto the freeway at 35 m.p.h. and expect you to slow 40 tons of howling tires and steel from 75m.p.h. to 35 m.p.h. in as many feet (and then give you the finger?)

*Hi Chris. Maybe the yuppies are simply surprised to see a truck driver doing exercises and jogging (in place or actually jogging); ignorance on their part. There is a stereotype that truckdrivers all have pot bellies, snack on junk food and have greasy burgers for "meals." I know of a lady who has actually -lost- weight since she's worked in that capacity; previously she was assistant manager at the local hospital's cafeteria.

Good luck getting back on the road. Canada? Haven't been there since a very small child.

As for the username change: http://daphne.palomar.edu/mlane/PLACES/ … tm]Palomar Observatory

Lots of good memories associated with the name (though I've never been there) from Sky & Telescope articles I read in childhood and teen years, etc.; Palomar used to be one of the main headliners in astronomy news.

--Cindy

P.S.:

(remember when we were 18 and looked sexy on a diet of beer and cheetos? What happened? We used to be cool!)

There's only been 1 time in my life when I've been able to eat what I want without worrying: In college, working for McD's; running my head off for hours at a time. I actually started -losing- weight while eating as I'd have liked. Hasn't happened before nor since...maybe I should work for McD's again, lol. No freedom of food for me.

P.P.S.:

Its almost as if your education matters more than your actions -- or maybe I've been fantastically unobservant before now and its always been this way.

No, that is a correct observation. Doctors, for instance, are never wrong and never lose track of their reports. It's always the transcriber's fault or the Medical Records Dept.'s fault...you know.

Mundaka · 2005-08-10 11:08:06

Mundaka · 2005-08-10 11:34:51

Palomar · 2005-08-18 12:35:20

As for the username change: Palomar Observatory
Ah! A worthy handle. Have you considered joining the astronomy club in Las Cruces? They have an awesome telescope in a small observatory right on the NMSU campus, next to the track. You could save a fortune in eyepieces alone that way. Sure beats my trips out to the Dark Sky site our local club has (45 dollars in gas in my ... inhale ... 1979-dodge-ram-4wheeler-with-360-c.i.-4-barrel-gas-sucking-but-I-love-it-road-pig-eco-warrior-night-terror...whoosh!)

*Funny truck description, teehee. The LC astronomy club requires its members to be willing to share their telescopes with the public. I'm not, and mostly (98%) out of sentiment. Have had my 'scope since 16 years old, worked hard and saved up for it (babysitting, mowing lawns, that sort of thing), etc. Lots of memories with families and friends, and now my spouse occasionally looking at a comet or nebula or planet with it. I just can't comprehend lots of strange hands handling it.

No freedom of food for me.
Your part Native American right? Does the American diet -- bad enough for us whities -- affect you more adversely?

A great-great grandmother was Native. Other than that, I'm a Pale Face. Lol! I doubt the Native aspect has anything to do with it. Generally I have a very similar body type to my mother's aunts/female relatives. Good old genetics. But I've managed to keep my weight down and steady; in fact have lost some recently. I'm going for the ultra-skinny look.

Maybe this thread should be in Free Chat?

--Cindy

Aetius · 2005-08-19 17:49:53

Right on, Mundaka! As a factory worker, I can totally relate to how you feel. I also share your observations about society in general.

My personal opinion though? Americans will never colonize anything in space. My bet is that Mars will eventually become a Mandarin-speaking world. The power elite in America are too busy getting rich, now that our industrial base has been packaged up and shipped off to China. America's opportunity has come and gone as far as space colonization is concerned.

Rxke · 2005-08-19 18:05:53

Whoa, How did I miss this one!

Hi, Mundaka, great to hear from you!

I call what you described the 'magical suit effect'

no matter what an asshole one might be, once they wear a nice 3 piece suit, they automatically are 'above' the rest. It's so weird.

And the scary thing is, we are ALL brainwashed to look up to them, (if even grudgingly)

I ALWAYS assume people with suits to be at least modestly errr... civilized, but in 80 or mor percent of cases they turn out rude bastards, with no respect for people in plainsclothes (I did gazillion of unskilled jobs, despite degree blahblahblah)
And we, the educated ones, are also BRAINWASHED to look down on the working class, left or rightie, you just step in lock with your peers, deriding the cliché beerbelly, amusement-series staring couch potato with the fsked up car and ugly wife...

And then you work in a factory, and discover these people are mostly VERY ok, and if they're rude or angry, it's out of sheer exhaustion, misery, moneyproblems, and other modern-day-slave issues...

Oh, and all too familiar with them big boys getting mad looks when they figure out your languageskills are better than theirs (for instance)
They're scared, I think.

(Rambling at 2 AM, again...)

Palomar · 2005-08-20 08:40:47

*With me it's all about character. If someone's nice and etc., fine. If they're a jerk, not fine. Doesn't matter how rich, poor, in between, whatever. I'm rarely, if ever, impressed with externals. It really is "what's inside" that counts.

--Cindy

Rxke · 2005-08-20 11:41:20

You're missing the point. I meant: on first sight.
people in suits seem more 'civilized' at first sight, but it means nothing.

Still, we fall for it, every time again. Saying externals doen't make an impression, I don't believe that for a second. It's in our genes to asses situations and other people visually, before interacting with them in any other way.

(Except on the intarweb, heehee. There it is in 99% of the cases just the opposite. Hmmm... Interesting thought. )

Palomar · 2005-08-20 13:44:33

*Hi Rik. I was speaking in general, and not in response to your post. But I'll answer anyway:

people in suits seem more 'civilized' at first sight, but it means nothing.

The Savage in the Three-Piece Suit; there was a book by that name.

Still, we fall for it, every time again. Saying externals doen't make an impression, I don't believe that for a second. It's in our genes to asses situations and other people visually, before interacting with them in any other way.

Agreed, but that's not quite what I meant (innocent communication gap here). Sure, I'll recoil from a dirty, squalid person and automatically respond more favorably to someone who is clean and well groomed.

But what I meant is that a well-to-do person who is a jerk won't get the respect from me which a poor and nice/courteous/conscientious person will. I've known physicians I wouldn't give the time of day to (been there/done that); I've known humble mop-pushers who I'd sit and have coffee with. Ultimately it's the character which counts.

I'm not a label-looker, I don't care where people shop for their clothing, what brand their shoes are, what model/make vehicle they drive. Yes, occasionally a flashy sports car will get my attention or some old jalopy; but all these things pass away eventually anyhow. Of course I've known my share of people who judge others solely on externals: If you're too fat, don't drive a brand-new prestigious car, live in the "wrong" zip code, don't purchase your attire at Dillards or Macy's, etc., etc., you're not good enough for them; I mean they're obsessed with and fixated on externals; slaves to fashion and trends, etc. I'm not that way. I could afford nicer this-and-that if I wanted; but I'd rather put that money away for the elder years.

I don't even -like- shopping [ ]...except for books and groceries. Clothing? Shoes? Go in, see what I like, know my size already, grab off the rack, checkout. I spend maybe 1 hour per year shopping (for items other than books and groceries and b-day/holiday gifts). No kidding.

--Cindy

Rxke · 2005-08-20 16:22:07

re-read my post; re-read yours.

-sigh-

Sometimes hard being non-English. Only now I see I sounded snotty-nosed know-it-all.

I write too telex-like, often...

"You're missing the point" -sigh- I recoil in shame for my bluntness.

The Savage in the three-piece suit, hmmm... Sadly, that seems to be a thriving species.

Cobra Commander · 2005-08-22 05:56:00

My personal opinion though? Americans will never colonize anything in space. My bet is that Mars will eventually become a Mandarin-speaking world. The power elite in America are too busy getting rich, now that our industrial base has been packaged up and shipped off to China. America's opportunity has come and gone as far as space colonization is concerned.

America is at its best when seriously challenged from outside. If China so much as looks like they're going for permanent settlement of Mars there is no doubt in my mind that a relatively small but driving chunk of the American people, the spine if you will, would kick into action and drag the rest of the country along with them.

We can do it and as soon as we think someone else will do it we'll be all over it.

clark · 2005-08-22 16:58:30

My inflamatory response has been deleted.

I love you. I want to have your puppies.

Mundaka · 2005-09-05 10:34:41

Mundaka · 2005-09-05 10:39:48

Mundaka · 2005-09-05 10:51:34

Mundaka · 2005-09-05 10:56:01

Mundaka · 2005-09-05 11:06:18

Mundaka · 2005-09-05 11:08:15

Cobra Commander · 2005-09-08 05:28:08

Well Bud, this is one of the few times we disagree: for example, right now we are being challenge from outside, by a group of loosly organized, slow to adapt, religious fanatics. Somebody (meaning "W") has tried to do something and he wound up dividing the country.

America has always been a divided country, from the Revolution on down. It doesn't take unanimous support to get something done, just enough to secure funding.

It would probably come down to the old rule of thirds (the political, not photography variant). For nearly any given action, a third will support, a third will oppose, a third will simply not care, not know or not understand. 33% approval plus some slick marketing and we're set.

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Re: The View from the Rig

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