Who said that ain’t workin’?
Some of you may remember Dire Straits with their tribute to the working man with their hit song “Money for Nothing“. It was a narrative about a blue collar worker lamenting the fact that rock and roll stars make millions for playing “that guitar on the MTV”. While being a musician generally doesn’t fall under the auspices of manual labor, it is still a type of work. It was Mark Knopfler Who said that ain’t workin’. And, he should know. With a net worth of somewhere around $100 million dollars, the song was really about him. Well, it’s labor day today. Does that mean Musicians can’t celebrate? Who said that ain’t workin’? Actually, that was us, last year, when we explained the origins of labor day. But, labor comes in different forms. It can be physical, mental, and/or emotional.
labor day celebrates the people who built this country. It was mostly immigrants toiling on the railways, highways, byways, and physical infrastructure. That’s why it’s ironic that the people who benefit the most from labor day are the Monday through Friday office workers who haven’t done a day of physical labor in their life. But, on closer reflection, everyone who works toward a goal can claim some type of labor. While construction workers and other trades where physical exertion is a trademark show labor in it’s stark externally visible form, some workers bear the brunt of labor internally. The clerk crunching numbers for 8 hours a day works out a different set of muscles. And, the monotony can be grueling. And, health professionals, especially mental health workers, internalize the emotional scars of their patients every day. They are all manifestations of labor.
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The Ones Who said that ain’t workin’ need to look deeper
So, we officially recant our assertion that office workers shouldn’t celebrate labor day. The mundane existence of the typical Suburban office worker is enough to cripple someone emotionally for life. While they may have the trappings of a seemingly cushy lifestyle compared to blue collar workers, most are merely zombies, blindly following conformity. And, the cost of maintaining a household to keep up with the Joneses is constantly going up. With the cost of everything from housing to transportation, and all the niceties of life, it’s a wonder anyone can afford a living. And, thanks to corporate greed and the ineptitude of politics, the tilted track keeps tilting further. You keep running, but the goal keeps getting tougher to reach.
Some people have forebears who worked diligently to amass wealth. By leveraging their profits and hiring a team of people to maintain their wealth, the beneficiaries of that original hard work simply live off that wealth. But, even most of them do “work”. Whether it’s being a head of a corporation or charitable organization or adventure seeking like the people climbing Mt Everest, they do keep themselves busy for the most part. But, some just spend their inheritance on frivolity. When you hoard that much wealth, you spend, make, or lose more in a day than most workers earn in a lifetime. So, the scale of economy is way off. While the rest of us run the tilted track with an ever-increasing slope, they aren’t even on the track. To them, a burger could cost $5 or $5,000. It doesn’t matter. To the rest of us, it certainly does.
What’s wrong with this picture?
And, politicians aren’t doing their job. Thanks to Partisanship, they think their job is to automatically deride or destroy what their co-workers are doing instead of what their real job is: to identify problems and come up with solutions. They do not deserve Labor day off since they don’t do the work they are hired to do. From a policy perspective: Dems generally want to raise wages and benefits. While republicans want to give more rights to businesses to do whatever they want to do. The answer is somewhere between.
who said that ain’t workin’ must have meant this:
If you increase pay for employees, the cost of goods and services goes up. All you’ve done is moved the poles at the same rate. Now, a McDonald’s employee makes $10/hour and Pays $10 for a Combo Meal. If that same employee makes $15, the combo meal will cost more to make. Thus, the price goes up to $15. Net gain = 0.
Last year, McDonald’s had a net profit of over 26%. Most free standing restaurants are lucky to make a 10% profit. So, they could easily afford to pay their employees more. But, thanks to the view that companies can do whatever they want, it’s taboo to tell them not to price gouge.
And, this holds true to most corporations. If you have a small mom and pop operation, though, the difference between a 5% and 10% profit is make or break. So, when they say they can’t afford to pay someone more, chances are, they can’t, especially in the restaurant industry, where 90% of restaurants don’t make it past 5 years. But, they do take care of their employees to the best of their ability, because they actually value their workers. And, they value their reputation in the community. To McDonald’s, Exxon, and Walmart you’re a number, a widget. You can be replaced with a machine. So, if larger corporations put the same care into their products, people, and community standing as small businesses, they would treat their workers right and wouldn’t pass the cost onto the consumer.
What about the service industry?
People in the service industry like hotels, restaurants, and leisure activities have to work while you enjoy your long weekend. Who do you think is turning down your bed in that fancy hotel, and making and serving your dinner? These are workers too. When you play, they make sure your playtime goes smoothly. But, we don’t get a special day off (with pay). There is a National food service workers day on September 25. But, guess what, that’s usually a pretty busy time of year in the industry. Good luck getting that day off. And, who is going to wait on them, the accountants and junk bond traders? The people who said that ain’t workin’? I don’t think so. And, what would the general population do if service workers took a mandatory day off?
So, in reality, labor day is a sham. The first labor days celebrated the people who built this country. But, now the ones who keep it running are left behind to fend for themselves. Advertisers say “America runs on DunKins”. Well, think about who runs Dunkins. It’s people making somewhere in the vicinity of minimum wage taking your order, making your coffee, and mopping the floors. They don’t get to celebrate labor day. Meanwhile, the fat cats at corporate headquarters and stock holders enjoy their share of a 17% net profit.
Of course, stock holders want to see a larger number when it comes to profitability. But, at what cost? Despite Gordon Gecko’s impassioned speech about how greed is good in the movie Wall Street, it doesn’t help the everyday worker. I prefer Elwood P Dowd’s quote: You must be Oh so smart or Oh so pleasant. I recommend pleasant.
It’s not communism
People tend to conflate Russian and Chinese Communism with “Worker’s rights” since Those socialist and communist nations bastardized the terms and concepts associated with true communism. They use monikers like worker’s party to sound like they are for the working man. But, in reality, they are anti-working rights. And, there are oligarchs and “royalty” who profit off the toil of ordinary people.
Worker’s rights is actually the epitome of capitalist society. We all know the adage you have to spend money to make money. Well, part of that expenditure is maintaining a happy, healthy, productive workforce. If employees aren’t taken care of, it shows in the work.
Who said that ain’t workin’ should be referring to the heads of corporations
And, the company heads and their enablers are more like the Communist oligarchs and leaders enriching themselves off the blood, sweat, and tears of their underlings. And, just like a psychologically unfit person, these same people use the art of “projection” to accuse people supporting worker’s rights of being “communists”, when in fact, it is they who are acting like the despots of the communist regimes who they vilify.
Sharing the wealth isn’t a communist ideal; it’s the bedrock of Christianity:
Leviticus 25:35: “If your brother becomes poor and cannot maintain himself with you, you shall support him as though he were a stranger and a sojourner, and he shall live with you.”
This is why we have welfare and other social programs in our government. But, we wouldn’t have to spend as much if the wealthy and corporations shared the wealth along the way. A living wage is a start. That doesn’t mean you have to pay people ridiculous amounts of money. But, the cost of living needs controls.
Who said that ain’t workin’ should help Change the political system
So, the problem is with our politicians. What they do: That ain’t workin’. That’s the definition of a hostile work environment. Republicans try to “own the libs”. And, both sides spend all their time trying to destroy whatever the other side says. Think about it. If you went to work everyday only to have your coworkers automatically try to get you fired, you’d never get anything done. And, that’s what happens with our 2 party system. And, the accountability system is to vote them out after 2, 4, or 6 years? Most jobs get annual reviews. And, productivity is measured on daily, weekly, and quarterly bases. If you ask MTG or AOC what they did the last 3 months they’ll say: I trashed the ideas of my opponents.
These are your co-workers. Not your “Opponents” or Enemies. We’re all Americans. Our government representatives are supposed to be working for the betterment of the country, not for their own self interest.
So, when we say That ain’t workin’, let’s direct it at the government and demand that they stop fighting and start working. I’m sick of people “fighting” for you”. You’re not hired to “fight”. You are hired to work. So, until you, the politicians do some actual work: NO LABOR DAY HOLIDAY FOR YOU!
But, for the rest of us:
Meanwhile, the rest of us follow the concept John Lennon made famous in his song Beautiful boy: Life is what happens while you’re busy making other plans. As such, most of us who actually do something productive deserve a little downtime for Labor day. And, I’m sorry to let you know: Service workers, you still have to work. Maybe we should get the politicians to come make our food today. They are hired to serve the American people.
But, since that ain’t happening, Looks like we’re cooking for ourselves. So, here are some recipes to make labor day a culinary delight and celebrate the working man.
Spicy Mead Glazed Chicken Wings with Charred Apple Salsa
Ingredients
- 2 Dozen Chicken Wings
- 1/4 Cup Chopped Shallots
- 1/4 Cup Honey
- 1 Tbsp Chopped Fresh Garlic
- 2 Cups Mead
- 1 Cup Lime Juice
- 2 Tbsp Chopped Fresh Jalapeno or other hot chili pepper
- 2 Tbsp Chopped Fresh Cilantro
- 1 tsp Ground Fresh Cumin
- 1/2 tsp Ground cinnamon
- avocado oil for cooking
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- 1 tsp Corn starch
- For Salsa:
- 1/4 Cup Chopped Fresh Onion
- 1 tsp Chopped Fresh Ginger
- 2 Tbsp Avocado or coconut Oil
- 1/2 Cup Chopped Fresh Red Bell Pepper
- 1 tsp Chopped Fresh Jalapeno
- 1/4 Cup Lime Juice
- 1/4 Cup Mead
- 2 to 3 each Hearty apples, cored and quartered, skin on
- 2 Tbsp Chopped Fresh Cilantro
- 2 Tbsp Chopped Fresh Scallion
- 1/2 tsp Ground Cumin
- 1/2 tsp Chili Powder
Instructions
- Saute the shallots and garlic for the marinade and glaze in a little oil over medium heat until translucent. Add in the rest of the ingredients except for the Cornstarch and bring to a boil. Stir as needed. Allow the flavors to blend and the liquid to reduce by about 10%. This should take about 1 to 2 minutes over high heat.
- Mix the cornstarch with a little water and Whisk in. Keep cooking until it becomes lightly thickened. Remove from heat.
- Place chicken wings in a bowl and pour about 1/2 of the glaze in with the wings. Toss to even coat with the mixture. Refrigerate the wing for at least 2 hours, overnight if possible so the marinade can work its way into the wings.
- Make the salsa: Preheat a grill. Toss the apples with a little oil, Mark them on a grille until they are just cooked. Don't burn them, but leave some marks. You don't want them mushy. Let them cool. Then dice them and all your vegetables. In a pan over medium high heat, heat some oil, Saute the onions and ginger. add the lime juice and mead. Bring to a boil. whisk in the spices. Remove from the heat. mix all ingredients together. If you want a more dippable salsa, pulse it in a food processor.
- Preheat an oven to 550 degrees. Spray a sheet pan with pan spray and spread out the wings evenly. roast for about 20 minutes, they should get some good color, but be careful not to burn them. If they aren't quite cooked, leave them in for a couple more minutes. Take the wings out, glaze with the mead mixture. Pop back in the oven for a few minutes until the glaze adheres to the wings. Serve hot with the Apple salsa.
Lemon Verbena Chick Pea Puree with Spring Vegetable Hash
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Dried Chic Peas Or 4 cups cooked
- 1 Cup Diced Sweet Onion
- 1 tsp Ground Cumin
- 1 tsp Chopped Fresh Garlic
- 1/4 Cup Lemon Juice
- 1/4 cup Chopped Fresh Lemon verbena may substitute lemon balm or lemon Thyme
- 1/4 Cup Chopped Fresh Scallion
- For Hash:
- 1 Cup Cubed Sweet Potato
- 1 Cup Cubed Golden Potatoes
- 1 Bunch Asparagus
- 1 Cup Chopped Fresh Spring Onion
- 1 Cup Cubed Fresh parsnip
- 1/2 Cup Chopped Fresh Herbs (parsley, Dill, Thyme, Oregano)
- Water for cooking
- Olive Oil For Cooking
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- Balsamic reduction/syrup to drizzle
- High quality Olive oil, preferably flavored, like basil or chive for drizzling
- Micro Greens to garnish
Instructions
- Cover the beans in water in a large vessel. Allow them to soak for about 4 to 8 hours at room temperature. They should almost Triple in volume.
- Heat a little olive oil in a heavy pot over medium high heat. Saute onions and garlic until translucent. Drain and rinse the beans. Add to pot and toss until well coated with oil. Stir in the cumin. Add water to cover by double the volume of beans. Bring to a simmer and cook until tender (about 20 to 30 minutes). When tender, strain off liquid. But, reserve some of the liquid for pureeing.
- Put the beans into a food processor and puree until smooth. Scrape down the sides occasionally. Add some cooking liquid as needed to help it get smooth. Add in the lemon juice and continue blending. Add in the lemon verbena. Then, with the machine still running, drizzle in 1/2 cup olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Transfer mix to a pan to keep warm.
- Make the hash: Heat some olive oil in a saute pan over medium high heat. Add in the potatoes and cook until they begin to caramelize and soften. Stir as needed. Then add in the Onions and parsnips and stir. Cook until slightly colored. Add a little water and cook down until the potatoes are tender, but not falling apart. Then, stir in the asparagus and season with salt and pepper. The asparagus should cook in seconds. Fold in the herbs last minute and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Spread the puree evenly on the plate and artfully present the hash. Drizzle the plate with a splash of Balsamic and flavored oil. garnish with micro greens.
Notes
Caribbean Spiced Grouper with Vanilla Mango Salsa
Ingredients
- 4 each 6 ounce boneless grouper fillets
- 1 tsp Chili Powder
- 1 tsp ground Cumin
- 1/2 tsp ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp Ground Allspice
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- Coconut Oil for cooking
- 2 Tbsp Chopped Fresh Cilantro
- 1 whole lime
- For the salsa
- 1 cup Fresh Mango (Peeled and diced about 1/4 inch)
- 1/2 cup diced sweet onion
- 3 Tbsp Chopped Fresh Cilantro
- 1 Tbsp Chopped Fresh Hot chili (Jalapeno or serrano is fine, step up to habanero if you want really spicy, but cut back on amount a bit)
- 1/4 cup diced bell pepper (Red, green, yellow, or orange)
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp Ground Cumin
- 1/4 tsp Ground Allspice
Instructions
- The toughest part is peeling and cutting the Mango. The Method that I have seen most success with is to place the mango on a cutting board. Cut off the two ends. Stand it up, and slide a knife down as close to the skin as possible to remove the skin in 1/2 to 1 inch strips, repeat until you have fully peeled the Mango. You should be able to see the top of the pit in the middle of the flesh. Carefully, slice down alongside the pit on both sides to cut the mango in half. Then, you can go back and cut the remaining flesh around the sides of the pit, feeling your way down with the knife. Mango flesh is very soft, when ripe. You will be able to tell if you are cutting into the pit, because it is very hard.
- Make the Salsa. Once you have cut all your fruits and vegetables, mix all the salsa ingredients in a bowl. refrigerate for about an hour or more for the flavors to blend.
- Mix all the spices and cilantro for the fish. Let the fish sit for about an hour to absorb the flavors of the spices. Then, heat a thin layer of coconut oil in a saute pan over medium high heat. When the oil is just below the smoking point, place the fish in the hot oil. Allow it to cook 3 to 4 minutes, then flip over to the other side. Let it finish cooking through. The amount of time, depends on the thickness of the fish fillets. When they are cooked through, squeeze some fresh lime on them and remove from the heat.
- Plate the Fish, and top with the mango salsa. Serve with Rice and Beans and seasonal grilled Squash or to be more authentic to pre-Columbian times use our Sweet potato succotash recipe.
Notes
Bourbon Blueberry Minted Mimosa
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Fresh Blueberries
- 2 Cup Orange Juice, preferably fresh squeezed
- 2 Cup Champagne or sparkling wine
- 4 Oz Bourbon
- 1 Oz maple Syrup
- 2 Tbsp Fresh Mint Leaves
- Oranges, blueberries and mint to garnish
- Turbinado Sugar to rim glasses
Instructions
- Place blueberries, maple, and mint in a pitcher. Muddle together with a muddling stick or wooden spoon. Mix until flavors are well blended.
- Add in the remaining ingredients except garnish. Stir to mix flavors.
- Dip the rims of 4 champagne glasses in water and dip them in turbinado sugar. Pour the drink into each glass. garnish with oranges, blueberries, and mint. Enjoy.