Thanks to those of you who kept me and my co-workers in your thoughts and prayers. Now that I no longer have to worry about a strike (not that I like my job, it's just that I'm glad to have it) and the holidays are coming up, I can blog about a subject that's more enjoyable. One of my favorite movies is Ben-Hur, which turns 50 soon. I think at one time I memorized every scene in sequence and much of the dialog, though I'm a little rusty on it now. It won 11 Academy Awards, a record that lasted 38 years before being equaled by Titanic, and later by Return of the King. My mom had told me that she and my dad went to see it in its initial release. My dad wanted to see it largely because of the chariot race scene, which is considered one of the classic action scenes in cinema. I remember when it made its television debut in, I think, 1971 on CBS, though I don't remember much about it at the time and hadn't heard of it before. There have been rumors circulating for years that a stunt man was killed while filming the chariot race scene, but they have been discounted. I have the 4 disc DVD set, which includes as a feature the 1925 or 1926 (depending on the source; it's usually listed as 1926) silent version, one of the biggest blockbusters of the silent era, if not the biggest. Several actors were considered for the title role in the 1959 version before Charlton Heston won it. Among them were Rock Hudson Paul Newman, Marlon Brando, Kirk Douglas, and others. It's a little difficult to imagine Brando in that role, but then it would have been difficult to imagine him as Julius Caesar. It's difficult to imagine anyone giving a better performance than Heston, or even equalling it. My only peeve, if you can call it that, with the movie is that the ending, while glorious, was a little predictable. A movie sequel could be made out of the epilog in the novel upon which it was based. I wish someone would.

Here's a relevant quiz:

1. What movie won the most Oscars before Ben-Hur?

a) Gone With The Wind

b) All About Eve

c) From Here To Eternity

d) Gigi

2. What 19th Century novelist wrote the novel?

a) Herman Melville

b) Charles Dickens

c) Alexander Dumas

d) Lew Wallace

3. What 20th Century novelist was an uncredited contributor to the script?

a) Irving Wallace

b) Gore Vidal

c) Irwin Shaw

d) Pearl S. Buck

4. Who played the lead in the 1926 version?

a) Ramon Navarro

b) Rudolph Valentino

c) Harry Houdini

d) Douglas Fairbanks

5. Cathy O'Donnell, who played Ben-Hur's mother, also played Charlton Heston's mother in what other movie?

a) The Greatest Show Show On Earth

b) The Ten Commandments

c) A Touch Of Evil

d) Will Penny

As always, I look forward to your answers and comments. If my PC permits, I'll try and blog again before Thanksgiving.

http://www.ufcw99.com/negotiations.html

I went to work this morning feeling very upset, thinking today would be my last full day of work for a long time, but moments after I arrived, I was informed that the union and the company had reached an agreement. It was a huge sigh of relief on the part of every employee. Exactly what happened that made them reach this agreement remains to be seen. I tend to believe both sides blinked. The company, which is the Number 1 supermarket chain in Arizona knew their reign would be in severe jeopardy in the event of a strike during the holiday season, and the union knew that many of their members were extremely disenchanted at the prospect of being forced by them to strike at such a time without a vote, and already saw a loss in membership, with many more threatening to quit. This agreement still has to be voted on, but there is little doubt that it will pass overwhelmingly. Life still has its problems, but this was a ton of bricks that has just been lifted from my shoulders. It's been a very tense week, and now it's time to give thanks to God and St. Jude.

In a few days, again if my PC allows it, I'll blog again, and maybe throw in a quiz. Thanks for your comments and prayers (is anyone else having trouble posting comments?).

Here's a link to a press release on the union website:

http://www.ufcw99.com/negotiations.html

Don't believe a word of it! It's all propaganda. I know for a fact that the vast majority of union workers are opposed to this strike, and want to work over the holidays. We at least want a chance to vote on it. The union claims that we voted for it in September, but that's a half-truth. There was a vote, but it was at a rally that was attended by relatively few members, and I'm told by some that it was a stand-up vote, no ballots. Also, negotiations were still going on at the time, and most of those who voted did so to give the union more leverage at the bargaining table, not because they wanted to strike. It was a preliminary vote, but the union stubbornly stands on it as final. At any rate, that's their excuse for not allowing a "revote", even though one co-worker says that he was told by someone who attended a union meeting that the local union president promised there would be no strike without another vote (though I can't verify that he actually said that).

Many of my co-workers are living paycheck to paycheck and don't know how they'll be able to keep their homes. Forget about Christmas presents for their kids. One co-worker, a big, tough-looking guy, was almost in tears when he said that if there's strike, he'll lose everything. All for a contract offer from the company that most of us find acceptable. This union seems intent on being the Grinch who stole Chritmas from its own members.

Thanks to those who left comments. I tried to post a comment, but I was unable to get it posted. I'll keep you posted, as long as my computer lets me. Please keep me and and my co-workers in your thoughts and prayers.

P.S. The above banner is a statue of St. Jude the Apostle, the patron saint of desperate cases. He was reveared by, among others, Danny Thomas, who named a children's hospital in his honor. Jamie Farr, too. Heading into the eleventh hour, I hope he'll listen to me too.