Four days without a post and I am starting to feel funny, so its Monday, four days after Thanksgiving and there's still plenty to report on. I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving and that no one ate more than I did (or else you'd be pretty sick), I was at my aunt's house and the amount of food was enough for 60 people, not the six that were in attendance. Meanwhile halfway across the world, there are hundreds of Indian workers that provide a small slice of New York's infrastructure, but barely get anything in return for their hard work.
From The New York Times:
The scene was as spectacular as it was anachronistic: flames, sweat and liquid iron mixing in the smoke like something from the Middle Ages. That’s what attracted the interest of a photographer who often works for The New York Times — images that practically radiate heat and illustrate where New York’s manhole covers are born.
When officials at Con Edison — which buys a quarter of its manhole covers, roughly 2,750 a year, from India — were shown the pictures by the photographer, they said they were surprised.
“We were disturbed by the photos,” said Michael S. Clendenin, director of media relations with Con Edison. “We take worker safety very seriously,” he said.
Nevertheless, these disturbing pictures will not do a damn thing in changing where Con Ed buys their manhole covers. If anything, design specifications might phase out this Indian company's contract sooner or later. Con Ed will continue to follow the pre-eminent policy of buying the cheapest product that fits what they want to place on top of the thousands of holes in our city's streets and sidewalks. That goes for the city of Syracuse and New Orleans as well.
When you are walking down the street today, make sure you remember where that heavy piece of iron came from....and give thanks that they are not too badly injured for Con Ed's reduced price.
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