Drink much on Saturday?

 

Yeah but he will be in with the really cool crowd in the NFL... You know... Ryan Leaf... Jamarcus Russell... Manziel... those guys

 

I don't really understand what he was doing on the sidelines in the first place. He was suspended. If he wanted to go to the game, he should have bought a ticket like the rest of the student body.

 

While I'm on my soapbox, why did ABC feel the need to put a camera on him during the game? He should have been persona non grata. He hasn't learned a damned thing.

Rant over.

 

The two surveys in question aren't necessarily trying to be statistically acurate. A more accurate description of them is "politically accurate". An elected official doesn't care about the opinion of someone who doesn't participate in the political process. I suspect there is a roll for Wilson polling which is statistically accurate but it is simply a data point to determine where there may be a divergence from what the politically active think and what the general population thinks.

Our system is set up so those who actually attend meetings and propose resolutions are heard the loudest. Sometimes that leads to a vocal minority driving the agenda. As good as technology is now I think we could do more to make participating easier. In my opinion more people involved means a better system.

That said, if you are reading this you have probably already taken the survey so I'm not going to say take the survey. Instead you should tell everyone you run into to take the survey. I'm talking about the ALPA survey since they actually represent us.

 

Well a few weeks ago we had a government affairs guy ride in the back from DCA. He stopped up to say hey and we asked him what the biggest issue for Delta was right now. He said if we can't get Japan to let us move our entire NRT operation to HND and get good slots (I guess we have slots that are almost impossible to make work) then we will shut down the whole operation in Japan and over fly everything. We asked him how likely that was and he said, "Didn't we just announce that we were parking 4 747's" and gave us that look.

 

Not getting those slots and not having a partner in Japan (ANA/JAL) effectively cedes the whole operation to oneworld and star. When the widebody RFP becomes an order, that will be the beginning of the NRT drawdown, which has really already begun.

 

The last 5 trips I have flown, only one of the pilots (CA and JS) knew the DALPA survey was out. None seemed to care, but maybe as the deadline approaches the interest increases.

 

That is my experience as well. Three pilots I work with in the reserves did not even know about the survey nor did they seem inclined to fill out.

 

Now, ask yourself why that is...

I've got several theories, probably a combination of two.

1. some are lazy.

2. some are so p/o'd after 4-8-3-3, they figure it's a waste of their time.

The MEC is going to do what ever they want, (CDO anyone? Reduced profit sharing anyone?) and feel that the survey is just a ruse to appease the angry mob.

My last trip both Capts were working on it, neither F/O was...