today is human rights day. did you know that? i didn't until i was standing at a rally with hundreds of union members and a giant rat, holding a sign that said "SAVE OVERTIME!" the rally was outside the department of labor, where i almost got a job, and had a subtle anti-bush, anti-chao tone to it.

at some point the aft's chief of staff told me and one of my intern buddies to push our way to the front of the crowd that was standing behind the podium, facing the cameras. neither of us was bubbling over with union spirit (must we revisit the solidarity forever fiasco?), yet there we were, surrounded by people who kept saying things like "right on!" and "shaammme!!" at the speakers. then, who comes down from the DOL but the venerable ted kennedy himself. he's literally within stroking distance. (we restrained ourselves from stroking, but others did not.) and, i have to say, if i wasn't full of the union spirit before, i certainly was as he was speaking. how can you not shout "right on!" when someone says things like, "if you work 40 hours a week, 52 weeks a year, you should not have to live in poverty in the united states of america!"

there were also a good number of references to the coup that will most certainly take place in November.


The rat gets around.

and here's me. you can't see me cause i'm standing right behind ted kennedy. holding one of those blue aft signs.