The ol' hoghead is a retired locomotive engineer who retired after 32 1/2 years (Dec. 1971 to May 2004) of engine service. I worked on the Southern Pacific, Rio Grande/Southern Pacific and wound up on the Union Pacific Railroad (1977 to 2004) and never was fired for anything. (You would have to understand railroading to appreciate that last statement). I worked from El Paso, Tx to Valentine, Tx.(156 miles) Sanderson to Valentine, Tx.(152 miles) El Paso, Tx to Sanderson, Tx(311 miles), Sanderson, Tx to El Paso, (311 miles) and finally Del Rio, Tx. to Alpine, tx (208 miles). For those who don't know, the engineer operates the locomotive and controls the train while the train is moving.
In my working life, I have been a member of the Int'l Assn of Machinist and Aerospace workers (when I worked at Boeing in the Seattle area)(1967 to 1970) and the United Transportation Union (which I quit) (1971 to 1975) and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers (est. 1863)(1975 TO 2004). Railrosd employees are required to belong to a union by the Railway Labor Act.
I generally voted democRAT until the demoRATs ran Jimmy Carter for pres. I voted for Ronaldus Magnus in the '80 election and have voted Republican since that time.