In Cars After The Age of Oil where the question was asked "how you will get around after the Oil Age, kossacks?" it sure looks like the free market is finally taking action.

It is time to start planning for the coming age and to get our government interested in this new era too. There are many actions that should be taken at every level of government.

Since so many of the suburbs have grown into multiple dwelling units, many Americans who would be able to commute to work without burning a drop of gasoline will end up having no place to plug in their new automobiles and the time for that action is now.  

In this free market multiple dwelling units will not invest in installing electric outlets at tenant parking spaces. While it it certain that these actions will be taken in co-ops and condominiums someday, that day will be a long time coming and rental tenants who have no say will never see that day without government assistance.

In order to fill the promise of lowered emissions and lessened dependence on foreign oil our government has to start incentives to get landlords, and condominium boards installing electric outlets at tenants' and shareholders' parking spaces.

   

It is a matter of fact that most of what we hear about on trade unions in the United States' media stream generally deals with negative stuff that perpetuates the perception that anything and everything union is bad. Whether that negativity comes from people who are anti-union because they don't know what it is all about, or it comes from within our own ranks - rarely do we hear anything positive about labor unions in this country.

My goal here is to combat that negativity and share a little of what I'd been up to in the last five days.  I believe that if anyone who reads this happened to be with me throughout the trip, they'd change their minds about how unions really work, and work together.

I have compiled this reference material in preparation for a series of blog entries about the Owosso Fire Department and the Owosso Department of Public Safety.  I am seeking comment, corrections, etc.  I am interested in both sides of this story, but the City of Owosso always gets the last word in the media and at the council meetings.  I am trying to give the firefighters a greater voice.  As such, I would especially like to hear from anyone who is a firefighter, or who shares the concerns of the Owosso firefighters.

While I admit that I have a soft spot for labor, the City's actions just do not make sense to me.  In matters of fire safety, does one believe 18 men who are trained to be firefighters, or 1 man who is trained to be a police officer?

Summary: Dispute between the Owosso firefighters and the City of Owosso over the way the Fire Department is organized and managed.