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March 28, 2007
Who is going to support the service workers near you?
The U.S. seems to be moving towards a service-based economy. Ya want fries with that?
On the origins of WASMI: There once was a company that used to be. In the present tense in the past, this company was well-ordered and productive. Everybody worked well together, and played nicely. Along came a giant IS-eating monster and consumed the well-being and morale of the company, as well as (eventually)the well-being of the customers and finally the jobs of most of the employees. The few who were left, left. THE END.
The evil monster in the case of the WASMI-verse lied about the reasons for some of the layoffs. I was told by the president of the company that I had been retained while another staff member was laid off because I was "more qualified." Right now, I would be spewing obscenities at this if you could hear me over the deafening roar of the internet. The fact is, the other staff member was actually the most productive, most experienced, and hardest-working member of the staff. She RULED, and I drooled! I could only ever walk in her shadow until the end of time, she was so efficient and her greatness in the workplace is undisputed.
There was only one small problem...or, in the monster's eyes, a BIG problem: her salary was bigger than mine (deservedly so, I might add.)
The bottom line was, she got canned, and I stayed (briefly. Until I could get the hell out of there.)
Well, I keep reading about this type of scenario. Today, there was another one in the news, this one by Circuit City. Except they at least didn't lie about it, they came right out and said, "We are canning all of our older, experienced salespeople because they make too gosh-darned much money! We're gonna replace 'em all with young whipper-snappers who'll be glad to work for us, cheap!"
A model-horse acquaintance told me that she had been laid off from Circuit City today after having worked there for twelve years! One of her co-workers was also let go, at age 70 after also having spent twelve years there.
I have just one question for our government, both state and federal: Who the heck is going to be buying the stuff that places like Circuit City sells, and the cars that companies like Ford and GM build? Everybody is being downsized or replaced by cheaper, less-skilled labor(sometimes provided overseas so that the recipients of the wages aren't even in the United States.)
I have long said that every low-wage service worker in the county in which I live is being supported financially by somebody else who has a "real" job(be it their parents, a spouse, boyfriend, etc.) The cost of living is much too high for anyone who works for these low wages to live on without assistance. What is going to happen to all of the people in the U.S. when everybody is forced to work for service-sector pay because there are no other jobs available? There will be nobody left to buy fast food or electronic gadgets because it will all cost too much. Then, of course, those jobs will go away, as well and it will all be anarchy because people will be starving in the streets.
okay, I'm done with my rant.
Posted by Jessica at 02:55 PM | Comments (1)
March 23, 2007
Kai, the Most Wonderful Horse Ever!
Well, I think he is! Read on and see what you think!
Ways in which Kai is perfect: Let's see: He stands still when being groomed. He nuzzles with his muzzle and lets you know that he's very fond of you...expecially when you have treats in your pocket! He stands still while being tacked up. He stands still for the vet and farrier. (There is one thing he doesn't stand still for, but we'll get to that!)
He is nearly bomb-proof. Running, barking dogs and madly dashing cats have no effect on him. People yelling don't phase him. Trains going by, tractors, cars, etc do not bother him.
He is short and compact, just my size! His temperament is wonderful, he is friendly and lovable!
He is middle-aged and calm.
I think he's just perfect!
Uh, except that one thing he doesn't stand still for...mounting! I think Kai has a sense of humor. He waits until the rider is on the mounting block with foot positioned to go into the stirrup before swinging his haunches away from you. Then he looks at you innocently. He knows that you can't get on him unless you have an assistant standing on his off side. This is his only bit of mischief!
The saddle fits him extremely well, so this isn't the problem. He's fine while doing up the girth and while riding. He just apparently wants to express his idea of something funny (and possibly get out of doing some work in the process!)
Fortunately, it does not work! Despite Kai's best efforts, everyone who has ridden him has not been deterred!
Posted by Jessica at 10:41 AM | Comments (1)
March 09, 2007
Rosemund, Julip Cob Mare
One of my fave Julips is Rosemund, my chestnut Cob Mare. Clive is the name of the rider. (Please don't make jokes about Clive's leg position, he's a sensitive guy!)
Posted by Jessica at 12:18 PM | Comments (0)
March 06, 2007
Interesting Horse Information
Well, it's interesting if you really like horses a lot, but if the topic bores you, then skip this post!
I would like to talk about some of the terminology used amongst horse people. Specifically, the incorrect usage of said terminology, which really annoys me.
Use the terms correctly and you at least sound like you know what you're doing around horses.
I have learned these things over the many years in which I've owned horses (reading every book I could on the subject,) as a member of 4-H when I was in high school, the college classes I took on the subject, and the trainers I've had. I am by no means an expert, but I encounter some very obvious blunders quite frequently, so I'd like to talk about them here.
Height of Horses: Horses are measured in a very old, traditional way: in a unit of measurement called a "hand." One hand equals four inches. Therefore, a horse that is 14hh (the "hh" stands for the words "hands high") is 56" tall.
The height is measured to the last tuft of hair at the withers, by the way.
Any partial hand is given as the amount of inches the horse exceeds the hand. This amount will follow a "period" after the main height. For example, a horse that is 14hh plus two inches would be written 14.2hh.
I cannot tell you how many times I have had a person tell me that their horse is "15.5 hands" or something like that. A hand is four inches, remember? Their horse is probably 16.1hh (but if they don't know the terminology, they probably didn't measure it correctly in inches anyway, so just nod and smile when you hear a horse described this way.)
Horse Colors: In 4-H, I learned that the correct term amongst horse people for a very dark bay, almost black horse with reddish or tan on the muzzle and/or flanks was "brown." A brown horse does have black hair almost all over its body, including the mane,tail and legs but not the muzzle or flanks.
It seems like almost nobody uses this term any more. Or if they do, they are talking about a chestnut or a bay horse, because they are not a horse-person and don't know any of the correct horse color terms.
I had a brown horse once, and everybody I knew except me called him "black." There is a woman out at the barn I board at who has a brown horse, and she calls him "black."
The only people I know except myself and serious model horse showers who use this term correctly live in the U.K.!
Snaffle Bit vs Curb Bit: A snaffle bit is a bar that fits inside of the horses mouth and is joined directly to the reins by some sort of rings, either dee-rings, o-rings, eggbutts, etc. There are NO shanks and NO curb straps, the bit uses NO leverage. ANY bit, no matter what the shape of the mouthpiece, that has shanks and uses leverage is a curb bit.
There is an almost universal tendency over here in the U.S. for horse people to call any bit with a jointed mouthpiece a "snaffle." It is NOT the shape of the mouthpiece that makes a bit a snaffle. A snaffle can have a solid or a jointed mouthpiece. It is the type of action on the horse's mouth (direct or leverage) that determines snaffle or curb.
Sires and Dams: The sire is the father, the dam is the mother. A dam has "produce." A sire has "get." A foal is "by" a sire but "out of" a dam.
I can't tell you how many times I have heard somebody say, "My foal is "out of" Mister Big-Name-Stud. No, it isn't. It is BY the stud. Only mares can give birth, thus only mares can have a foal "out of" themselves.
Parentage: Foals are "by the same sire" if they have the same daddy. They are only called half-siblings if they are out of the same dam.
I'm sure I will think of lots more stuff to add, but that is all for right now.
Posted by Jessica at 11:47 AM | Comments (0)
March 01, 2007
Magpie Arab from my collection
This light grey Arab made by Magpie probably in the 1990's is in my collection, thanks to a friend over in England!
Because this model horse was in an eBay auction over in England that didn't allow overseas bidders, I was very happy when my friend Laura kindly offered to bid for me. I really like Magpies a lot, and this one came with loads of accessories (a rider, tack, and even a jump.) He fits right in in my stable.
Since I bought my first Magpies several years ago, I have added a number of them to my little herd! The company over the years produced Hunter, Arab, Welsh, Shetland, Foal, and Donkey models. Currently, only the Hunter, Arab, Welsh and Foal moulds are used.
From what I understand, Magpies were first produced as Dream Ponies by a company called Swallow Horsetoys, who first advertised a product called a logbook in 1969. The model horses soon followed, and were designed by Jay Swallow.
Eventually, the company changed hands and became Magpie models. The company went out of business in the mid-late 1990's, as U.K. production costs caused a sharp rise in prices which caused a drop in sales.
The Magpie moulds were out of production for several years until Jan Adams bought the rights to produce them. When the company began manufacturing again in 2003, I started adding a few to my herd. Happily, they are still made in the U.K., which can account for what some consider the high costs of their products. (Magpies are made of a very thin, hollow plastic that resembles cheap toys from the orient.) However, they are hand-painted in the U.K. and obviously, the living expenses for their employees far exceed those of employees in third world nations.
Posted by Jessica at 03:43 PM | Comments (0)