Those Rotten Managers?
Despite what the locked-out bloggers are saying, CBC management isn’t the evil empire.

They’re doing the right thing in regards to Vancouver R3 contractor Alexis Mazurin. Alexis was at Burning Man last week when he suffered a massive heart attack. Since then, he’s been in a coma in a Reno, Nevada hospital, and his family has been racking up hotel and travel bills while there taking care of him. Today, in an email distribution, R3’s manager Steve Pratt says:

“I wanted to let you all know that Krista Harris [CBC radio director of operations]has talked to both Alexis’ mother and his sister, Nathalie, on the phone. Krista let them know that CBC will be covering all of the family’s travel and accommodation costs.

As far as bringing Alexis back to Vancouver, we have assurances that he will not be moved until the doctors there say he is ready. And all medical expenses will be covered as long as he is there.”

Of course this is the right thing to do, regardless of whether Alexis is permanent staff or not (he’s not).

The Gem Gets Gutted.
The CBC usage police must be squirming. CBCers out on the picket line have been wreaking havoc with the CBC Gem – that’s the official name of the corporation’s logo. It’s also their registered mark, and as such, is protected by copyright. CBC lawyers are usually pretty quick to send cease and desist orders to anyone futzing with it, and under normal circumstances employees aren’t allowed to shave a whisker off the old Gem. Interesting no-one is saying squat about the unholy concoctions being created to adorn picket signs across the country.

Locked out podCasts? Oksurefinebye.
In the old days at CBC, before DNTO was even a glimmer in C. William Smith’s mind, there was a fine Saturday afternoon show called The Radio Show, hosted by Jack Farr. oksurefinebuy was Farr’s way of ending any conversation, no matter whether his guest was at the beginning, middle, or end of his story. A very handy device, for Jack.

In any event, reading the Toronto Star’s summary of the locked-out CBC podCasts brought it all back to me. Says the Star: Oh My Pod. Don’t Give Up Your Day Jobs, then goes on to eviscerate the podCasts posted by out of work CBCers. The review’s bad enough – but it begs the question. If these folks don’t actually have a day job to not give-up, what are they to do ? Oksurefinebye.