My email is clogged with various pitches from publicists on the strike. So far I’ve gotten offers of
- a medical expert to discuss how the hospitals are coping with operating on skeleton crews
- an Internet discount travel agency announcing “they are offering one lucky commuter an all-expense-paid luxury Caribbean getaway for two including a dedicated car and driver.”
- the same discount travel agency offering an expert to comment on how holiday travelers can prepare to reach airports in time
- how a city charity that delivers meals to the elderly is coping with the strike
- how an Internet poker site saw a record number of players from the nyc area today. (“At first we didn’t know what was going on with the flood of players we were getting from New York City,” the company’s COO is quoted as saying. “Then we realized that the transit strike they’ve been threatening since this past Friday finally took place.”)
- a foot expert offering fixes on coping with long walks. (“Elevate Your Legs – Lift your legs above your heart while lying down to help reduce swelling”)
- a labor expert from a local university who could comment on the strike
I haven’t taken anyone up on any of ’em.
Hey can you send the foot guy’s name my way, I need the help. When you haven’t worked out in 4 years and are suddenly forced to walk 9 miles your body gets mighty confused. 🙂
Another pitch ?
A blog post (not mine) has the effects of Katrina in inspiring the strike in NY
http://www.myleftwing.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=4765
nyceve blogs: When the help gets uppity, we get angry, don’t we?
I see a group who are reminded daily from Bloomberg, Pataki, Bushco that they are under assault. They are right. Anyone in this country trying to survive in the middle class has seen nothing but financial erosion (and for many financial ruin) for the last five years. Think the bankruptcy bill. I see people who have seen their friends and neighbors losing jobs. Lose health care. Forced to work at Wal Mart for minimum wage jobs.
It is a bogus argument, IMO to say, they are doing better than me, therefore they should just shut up and get back to work. If they do that, we’ve all lost. And yes, the strike is hurting many, many innocent people. But to blame the strikers is to look for the wrong villian. That strikes me as vintage blame the victim.
More than anything, I see people who saw the callous disregard of the government to the Katrina survivors. I see people who saw that catastrophe and are saying over my dead body. If I don’t protect myself, my family, my future, who will? Not Mr. Bloomberg. Not the MTA. These people know, there is no safety net any longer in America.
You abandoned my brothers and sisters in New Orleans. I learned well that I am nothing more than your servant.
I see people who are saying f.. you and your comfortable lives…
As someone who works in publicity, I can only laugh so hard at those and think of what laughs editors must have had over some of the pitches i have had to make in the last three years!