Raise The Minimum Wage Because... Rodeo Clowns!

The NY Times looks at life on the minimum wage without making much sense:

Crossing Borders and Changing Lives, Lured by Higher State Minimum Wages

ONTARIO, Ore. — Carly Lynch dreams of a life one day on the professional rodeo circuit, but for now she commutes 20 miles from Idaho to this small city in eastern Oregon to work as a waitress. There are restaurant jobs closer to home, but she is willing to drive the extra miles for a simple reason: Oregon’s minimum wage is $1.85 higher per hour than Idaho’s.

“It’s a big difference in pay,” said Ms. Lynch, 20, who moved last summer from her parents’ home in Boise, 30 miles farther east, to make her Oregon commute more bearable. “I can actually put some in the bank.”

So a twenty-year old is no longer living at home due to a higher minimum wage. Breakthrough stuff!  Eventually we get more on Ms. Lynch:

Ms. Lynch is one of the many minimum-wage migrants who travel from homes in Idaho, where the rate is $7.25, to work in Oregon, where it is the second highest in the country, $9.10.

...

Ms. Lynch’s story illustrates some of the competing narratives of the minimum wage debate. When she took her Oregon job last year, at an Irish-themed restaurant and bar called Mackey’s, she got more hours at higher pay, allowing her to compete in more barrel racing events, her rodeo specialty. Two months ago, she even bought a second horse, a gelding paint named Blue Duck.

What kind of a country are we living in where a young lady with rodeo dreams can only afford one horse? Raise the minimum! Spend Other People's Money!

But Mackey’s owners also told her that she would have to work harder than before for that money. Higher labor costs meant getting rid of the dishwasher, for one thing, said Angena Grove, who owns the restaurant with her husband, Shawn. And whereas Ms. Lynch covered three tables at a time in her old Idaho job, Mackey’s waitresses, with the owners helping out, cover five.

“You work for the money,” Ms. Lynch said.

I am delighted to learn that Ms. Lynch is working harder and moving on up as opposed to slacking to success but the Times is not exactly leading with a particularly desperate and impoverished minimum wage earner.

Next woman up!

Jackie Heintzelman, 32, a bartender and server at the Little Palomino, another restaurant and bar in Ontario, also commutes from Idaho. She said the higher Oregon wages, and additional hours, had improved her life, allowing her to quit a second job cleaning houses during the day and to pay her bills on time.

“Everything is paid for, and that is a luxury in itself,” Ms. Heintzelman said. She said she even managed to take a recent weekend trip with her boyfriend.

So she can work a few less hours and spend quality time with her honey. Good to know, but is this why we are raising the minimum? Next!

Many low-wage workers in this region said that what mattered as much as, and sometimes more than, the actual wage was the number of hours worked. Angela Lowry, 41 and a single mother, recently landed a full-time minimum-wage job in a thrift store in Ontario, and said she was thrilled to have it. She will get a paid vacation for the first time in years, she said.

But the job has trade-offs. As Ms. Lowry’s income surges toward $18,000 a year, from about $10,000 at her previous part-time minimum-wage job at Kmart, the government assistance she receives — helping her pay for food, rent and after-school day care for her 7-year-old son, Darian — will all go down.

“You make a little more, they take a little more away,” she said. “But I understand that — it’s got to be fair.” She added, “I am really fortunate and blessed.”

So full-time beats part-time. The jury remains out on whether the ObamaCare employer mandates (if they are ever enforced) will create a push towards part-time work. Will greedy, heartless employers respond to the new incentives by dumping their full-time workers? Time will tell!

Who else does the Times offer? They close with this vignette:

Darin Hill, 39, has been a minimum-wage worker for 19 years on a farm and feed lot outside Ontario, supporting his wife, Cathy, and their two children on about $300 a week. He often gets lots of hours, sometimes 60 or more per week, and that helps, he said. So does the fact that his wife raises pigs. But the trick to getting by, he said, is learning to simplify one’s needs and desires.

“You can’t have a lot of ‘I wants,’ ” he said.

Twenty years at the minimum wage? This is exactly the sort of person progressives want to benefit by raising the minimum. Why is he buried at the end?

The NY Times also includes this awkward fact:

Regardless of the differences in the minimum wage, poverty rates have remained high for many years on both sides of the border. In Malheur County, which surrounds Ontario, 24.5 percent of the population lived in poverty in 2011, according to the most recent federal figures, up from about 19 percent in the late 1990s. In Payette County, Idaho, the poverty rate rose to 19 percent in 2011 from about 13 percent in 1999. A family of four earning about $24,000 or less is considered impoverished under federal standards.

By my arithmetic the Idaho side has a poverty rate about 5-6% lower than the higher-minimum Oregon side.

In an unexpected bit of candor the Times also includes this minimum wage puzzle - when we spend Other People's Money, whose are we spending?

Todd Heinz, who owns three coffee shops called Jolts and Juice with his wife, Vicki — two on the Oregon side, one in Idaho — likened the result to a treadmill when Oregon’s wage went up Jan. 1 by 15 cents under an automatic system linked to the cost of living. (Oregon is one of 10 states that link their minimum wage to the Consumer Price Index.) After raising the pay for his 24 employees, he raised the prices for coffee, smoothies and beer to compensate.

“It feels like a wash,” he said. “It is not the consumer that wins, because most businesses will pass their increase on to the consumer through higher prices. The business doesn’t win, because they are forced to increase their prices to maintain proper margins to keep their doors open, thus affecting current customers and the potential of loss of new business. The employee doesn’t win, because they are the consumer.”

Well. The fast-food industry probably works as an example where most employers have a similar minimum wage mix. On the other hand, A minimum wage big-box retailer in competition with Amazon might not be able to raise prices just because wages have gone up; presumably that would depend on the labor mix at Amazon.

As to the employee not winning, surely that depends on what they buy. It seems unlikely that everything they buy will be marked up in response to a higher minimum wage.

 

Comments

[Truthbetold]

Won't you join us

[Jane-curling is on!]

What does one do on the "professional rodeo circuit? And don't they get paid?

[rich@gmu]

new thread smell. was that a paid advert for FamiliesUSA or a similiar 501c outfit.

also...what is the state laws on tip workers (waitresses and bartenders)? don't they usually make less in wage and make it up in tips?

[rich@gmu]

if she is hot anything she wants.

[henry]

Rich, tips are supposed to be reported (can't audit cash) and most states require a minimum wage mark-up to pay if tips plus hourly are too low.

[rich@gmu]

looked it up...

Minimum rate same for tipped and non-tipped employees

Oregon $9.10 (law does not allow for tip credit to the min wage)

Idaho $7.25 $3.90 (tip credit) $3.35 (min cash wage) More than $30

and Washington's rate is 9.32 hr would think something similiar would happen along the WA-ID border as well.

[rich@gmu]

thanks henry. aside from failing at charming cute bartenders, my only experience in resturant work was briefly as a dishwasher and cook (for lunch,yuk)...thank goodness I sucked so bad at it, I didn't do it for long...one summer.

[rich@gmu]

should probably read the article, get some work done...

[rich@gmu]

or go practice charming that cute bartender.

[sbwaters]

Caught a glimpse of the Sunday NY Times before throwing most of it in the recycling bin unread. The magazine featured the lying Wendy Davis from Texas (I forget, what does she have to do with NYC?) and the book review led with global warmening’s Algore.

[Truth in advertising: I pick up my father’s Sunday NYT to support the news dealer. Dad has Alzheimers and doesn’t read it anymore.]

[Captain Hate]

Sorry about your father, sbw.

Anybody watching golf on CBS? Damn these guys are driving some boomers.

[jimmyk]

I don't suppose they found anyone from Idaho who maybe couldn't get a job in Oregon at the higher minimum wage. Or maybe someone in Oregon who couldn't get a job but was able to get one in Idaho? Unpossible!

[Mickey Spillane]

When Laurie Mylroie answered the door to her suite, Dr. Randall Fitzgerald was already sweating through his Brooks Brother oxford button-down shirt with a Benson & Clegg regimental tie given to him by Queen Elizabeth herself. It was black and Red with a thin gold stripe showing to be of the 16th/5th Queen’s Royal Lancers of which she was the colonel-in-chief. Randall had once provided some clinical observation and diagnosis for her Majesty on her son, the Prince of Wales. She felt his infatuation with “man made Global Warming” was unacceptable to the heir to the throne of the British Empire. Randall liked his tie but felt she could have saved herself his $5,000 fee and have just asked any London cab driver if Charlie was sane or not.

Mylroie showed Randall inside her spacious suite overlooking East Monroe Street and ironically not too far from Buckingham Fountain. She was dressed in a smart pantsuit without adornment of jewelry but she did sport a blue tooth ear phone. He wondered if there was someone on the other end. Mylroie asked Randall if he would like a drink and it was then that he noticed that she had a bar and a bartender, the same one from Potters. His mind was now on speed. What the hell is going on?

“I think you know Max, right?”. Max Boot, stepped out from the bar and shook Randall’s hand. “Hope this will soon make sense to you, Dr. Fitzgerald.”

With that Randall could hardly stand anymore and found the closest piece of furniture to sit down. Max, knowing his skill of memory and mixology, brought Randall another Old Fashion. This time with two cherries.

After gulping down that drink without even taking the cherries out for special treatment, he looked up into the inquiring eyes of Mylroie and Boot and said, “Am I hallucinating or is this just a bad dream?”
Laurie was the first to respond: “Dr. Randall, what do you know of the “Division” or specifically the Special Activities Division of the CIA? I believe at one time you did some psych ops research for them down at both “The Farm” and “The Point”, is that correct?”

How the hell did they find that out, thought Randall? It was years ago, before we invaded Iraq and he was training the SOG and PAG guys who would join with other Spec Ops units to form the NILE (Northern Iraq Liaison Element) to initialize the first entry into a new combat zone for the US. But now, ranking members of the Neo-Conservatives, who were the authors, promoters and protectors of the nefarious Bush Doctrine, were confronting him. An obtuse bit of foreign policy that even that hot chick governor of Alaska had a hard time convincing people she understood it.

“Where did you get your information? What you have just said is classified and I doubt that even that twerp Snowden or his activator Putin even know that.”

Max Boot had poured a measure of 15-year-old Ben Nevis Single Cask Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky. Bill Murray’s favorite and wasn’t Bill Murray from Chicago? Which brought Randall immediately back to why he was here – Ernie Souchak, a guy Bill Murray knew like a brother.

“Dr. Fitzgerald, do you know why your brother has never been seen in public with Robert Kagan, John Bolton or William Boykin?” Now here were questions he could not even conceive of answers. He was here to determine the mental condition of Ernie Souchak who seemed to be suffering from a life threatening bout of Paranoia if that was even possible but then he was in Chicago and anything was possible especially death.

“I don’t know any of those names and have no idea why you are asking me these questions. But I could take another drink.”

As Max Boot walked back to the well stocked bar, courtesy of the Irving Kristol Foundation’s benevolent contribution to Laurie’s and Murray Waas’s innovative 501 © 3 foundation – American Thoughts – he wondered how Dr. Fitzgerald will handle what he would learn next. Did he know about the nexus of Tony Rezko, Nadhmi Auchi and Dr. Ronald Michael? How much did he know how these 3 individuals conspire to raise money for George W. Bush when he was President in order to perpetuate the biggest fraud in American politics – the Valerie Plame outing and keeping the Iraq war hoax in the deepest recesses of only Ernie Souchak’s brain?

Well, he was soon to find out as the door opened to the suite and in walked Paul Wolfowitz, Howard Feldman and Richard Perle.

[sbwaters]

CH, thanks. Dad has had it for many years, lives comfortably in a nearby facility and in quite healthy and happy. My mother is next door to him in assisted living and she is able to visit regularly through a tunnel that connects the buildings.

[sbwaters]

in s/b is

[Captain Hate]

Up in the memeorandum I see the Hill is quoting Rove that the donks fear Fat Boy. Much as I deride KR constantly, I think he's right about that. Even though I disagree immensely with Christie, I think he's the type of alpha candidate that makes demonrats apoplectic because he's not afraid to go on the offensive and stay there. They'd much rather square off against the self-doubting Romney and the backstabbing McRINO. I think the Repubs can do much better than Christie and hopefully they will but I can see him destroying any donk in a debate and not being afraid to call out the moderator if they try the type of nonsense that they pulled on Romney.

[Truthbetold]

Clinton lies about when he first met George H. W. Bush.

http://foxnewsinsider.com/2014/02/15/video-bill-clinton-shares-funny-story-meeting-george-h-w-bush-first-time

[Truthbetold]

Ooops, busted!

[clarice]

Ah, Mickey, you're getting better and better, but remeber to keep the real Division secrets secrets.(Serpentine, buddy, or else.)

[Jim Eagle]

Austin Dillion has the pole in the Daytona 500 by driving the iconic No. 3 car. That will fill the stands believe me.

For you non-NASCAR fans, that was the number of Dale Earnhardt.

[Truthbetold]

Ah, but the strawberries. That's where I had them. They laughed at me and made jokes, but I proved beyond the shadow of a doubt, and with geometric logic, that a duplicate key to the wardroom icebox did exist!

Here it is!

[Jane-curling is on!]

Mickey you rock!

It's 5-3 Sweden (men) over the US in curling.

[Truthbetold]

Mickey

Are you the head sheep that Bori was talking about?

[pagar]

Reporter wants slackers rewarded.

http://www.tpnn.com/2014/02/14/successful-6th-grade-students-shamed-by-reporter/

[BB Key]

JiB, My son was a classmate of Austin Dillon k-12 . Gym was bankrolled by his Grandfather .

[Jim Rhoads f/k/a vnjagvet]

Trollbeturd ("Tbt") seems engaged in the fools errand of trying to stir up division and discontent in the JOM ranks by taking shots at the Bushes, Neocons, Clarice, and others. All of this while posing as a serious conservative. Tbt's efforts thus far indicate eminent qualifications for such an errand.

On the other hand, without Trollbeturd, we wouldn't have Mickey Spillane, so there's that.

[Truthbetold]

Rhoads

Do you really consider yourself a conservative?

[Truthbetold]

Rhoads

You are a follower who refuses to believe his own eyes and ears.

[Truthbetold]

And Rhoads

Your stupidity is helping destroy the USA.

[Jim Rhoads f/k/a vnjagvet]

Have you noticed how Trollbeturd asks questions but never answers?

[Jim Rhoads f/k/a vnjagvet]

Name calling is Turdbetold's only weapon, but it has been dulled from overuse.

[Truthbetold]

Rhoads

Who are you going to vote for

Hillary or Jeb?

[Truthbetold]

Do you have the key to the wardroom icebox, Clarice?

[narciso]

socratic idiocy, even 'spunkmeyer' is better at it, OT, one of the minor players of House of Cards,

http://susanseyler.blogspot.com/2009/07/blog-post.html

[Wagner]

" in walked Paul Wolfowitz..." hocking phlegm onto his comb to control his straight-as-a-poker locks. Some say hygiene is his best quality.

[narciso]

Don't think they are not taking notes,

http://hotair.com/archives/2014/02/16/venezuela-starts-blocking-twitter-users-as-widespread-protests-continue/

[Extraneus]

Scientist of State Kerry lashes out at climate change skeptics

"We simply don't have time to let a few loud interest groups hijack the climate conversation," he said, referring to what he called "big companies" that "don't want to change and spend a lot of money" to act to reduce the risks.

Kerry later singled out major oil and coal concerns as the primary offenders.

"We should not allow a tiny minority of shoddy scientists and science and extreme ideologues to compete with scientific facts," Kerry told the audience at a U.S. Embassy-run American Center in a shopping mall.

"Nor should we allow any room for those who think that the costs associated with doing the right thing outweigh the benefits."

"The science is unequivocal, and those who refuse to believe it are simply burying their heads in the sand," Kerry said. "We don't have time for a meeting anywhere of the Flat Earth Society,"

Kerry said the cost of inaction will far outweigh the significant expense of reducing greenhouse gas emissions that trap solar heat in the atmosphere and contribute to the Earth's rising temperatures.

He outlined a litany of recent weather disasters, particularly flooding and typhoons in Asia, and their impact on commerce, agriculture, fishing and daily living conditions for billions of people.

"This city, this country, this region, is really on the front lines of climate change," Kerry said. "It's not an exaggeration to say that your entire way of life here is at risk."

He added: "In a sense, climate change can now be considered the world's largest weapon of mass destruction, perhaps even, the world's most fearsome weapon of mass destruction."

The solution, Kerry said, is a new global energy policy that shifts reliance from fossil fuels to cleaner technologies. He noted the President Barack Obama is championing such a shift and encouraged others to appeal to their leaders to join.

[Jane-curling is on!]

Careful Jim, I'm aiming my curling stones!

[narciso]

You know Ted isn't really interested in their
'reindeer games'

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2014/02/16/ted-cruz-so-hated-by-republicans-that-hell-need-a-food-taster-at-senate-lunches-abc-news-reporter/

[narciso]

Lord, Lurch is a fool, or a knave, take your pick.

[Jim Rhoads f/k/a vnjagvet]

I'm not responding, Jane. Merely observing the phenomenon.

[Jim Rhoads f/k/a vnjagvet]

Kerry is looking for a partnership with manbearpig for his next gig.

[Jane-curling is on!]

I'm not responding, Jane. Merely observing the phenomenon.

The desperation is breathtaking isn't it?

[Account Deleted]

CH,

If Christie could summon the backbone to call Obama a liar and a cheat, week in, week out, then he might be worth discussing. Boehner did more with his "regret" concerning inability to believe the President on immigration than Christie does with his bluster in self defense. I place Cruz and Paul in roughly the same category when they begin tilting at windmills with their sound and fury schtick.

The Muddle indicates it is willing to listen to liar and cheat arguments regarding 404Care and the IRS abuse. The 404Care failure should remain front and center as it grinds ever downward.

There will be plenty for Christie, Cruz and Paul to discuss after Reid is demoted.

[narciso]

Well Jim, he may already have that gig,

http://archive.frontpagemag.com/readArticle.aspx?ARTID=14166

btw, we haven't seen her in public for some time now,

[pagar]

"He added: "In a sense, climate change can now be considered the world's largest weapon of mass destruction, perhaps even, the world's most fearsome weapon of mass destruction."

Which is why the Obama regime is using it against us, IMO.

[Beasts of England]

Happy Birthday to Gus's son!

[Dave (in MA)]

We need to raise the minimum wage so that everyone has an above-average income.
/Fauxcahontas_logic

[Truthbetold]

Desperation? DESPERATION? Of course I'm desperate, Jane! How could this building have been brought down?

How, you sheeple? How?!!!!

I'll tell you how.

But first - Isn't your maiden name Bilderberg, Clarice?

Tell the Truth!

[narciso]

Happy birthday's Gus's son,

[Rob Crawford]

And now on Hawaii Five-O: an extremely young Bruce Boxleitner.

[Jim Rhoads f/k/a vnjagvet]

John Effin Kerry. Bloviating for over 40 years. IMO, that guy has said less and pressed more leftist buttons using more words than any US public official in history. He is the perfect SOS for JEF. Of course, JEF has been using the same schtick for only about 20 years, and is catching up to JEK, but has a long way to go.

[narciso]

So it was the 1974 episode,

[Account Deleted]

Dave(in MA),

What rebuttal to Fauxcahontas logic would be effective with the 25%? There is actual evidence that states with higher minimum wages have higher rates of unemployment but does evidence matter at all to the Ptolemaic faction?

[narciso]

Mind you she lost to Governor Luthor, but now that her district is more selective;

[Truthbetold]

Candy from a baby Jane. Like taking candy from a baby.

[Jim Eagle]

A little known fact is that the Palmer House Hotel was the first hotel equipped with electricity, telephones, and elevators. Dr. Randall Fitzgerald would soon experience all three in a matter of seconds, as the telephone rang and Max answered it with a grimace, his eyes on the trio of men who had entered, his hand raised to quell any talk and a “Um, huh, thanks”. Setting the phone down, Max quickly grabbed the bottle of Ben Nevis and suggested we all leave the room immediately.

Everyone was now gathered in the alcove of the private elevator when the lights went out, the elevator doors opened and the slight figure of Condi Rice, the ex Secretary of State and Russian expert, stepped out with a smirk on her ebony face.

“Just what the hell do you bozo’s think you’re doing?”

All men and Laurie looked startled to see the “Warrior Princess” in her obligatory tennis outfit but with the edition of an iPhone holster. She was simmering and held everyone’s gaze.

“Get in the elevator now. Narciso is waiting downstairs in the van to take us all over to Fulton River. We have a warehouse there where we have parked Ernie Souchak and have him wired up to the “convertor”, if you know what I mean.” A sudden chill came over all of them. Of course, they knew what the “converter” was and had seen Clinton’s guy, John Deutch, use it on Scheuer to initiate the rendition program. This is not what all of the secret cabal intended. They just wanted to protect the special aspects of the “division” while discrediting the mad ravings of Ernie Souchak.

It didn’t take long for the swarthy “linguistic structural anomaly” specialist and trained interrogation expert, to open the doors, load in the passengers, start the engine and put the van in drive.

Narciso drove east on East Monroe to Wabash finally after many urban turns ending up on N. Canal St. and then West Kinzie and N. Jefferson before arriving at the warehouse. There were no cars or trucks or even living souls near the small building with the dull “Boback Sausage Company” sign in faint paint on the walls. There was a small entry door next to the rollup door that they decided to use and leave the van outside. It was Narciso who thought that would be a better alternative to escaping if they had to instead of trying to crash out through steel roll up door. He would soon realize he was more than a genius for that decision but also a living breathing genius.

Inside the smell of sausage permeated and gave many of the predominately Jewish men pangs of hunger they had suffered ever since they were kids when their gentile friends tempted them with bacon on occasion. But there attention to hunger was soon replaced by the sight of Ernie Souchak in his iconic slouched fedora smoking a stale stogie sitting in a upright wood chair smiling and shaking his head.

“My name is Ernie and truth be told I am your worse nightmare. Get it. Nightmare like in a horse in the night. I can ride all over you people. You are evil and I will prove it because I have truth on my side. Want to see my side. Here let me show you my side. It has a scar from my gall bladder operation.”

Ernie, I have some visitors for you.” It was Narciso and when he spoke Ernie shut up and looked up immediately like a begging dog. He enjoyed his time with the inquisitive but intelligent Cuban-American who talked in riddles. Ernie would forget why he was here just to try and figure out what the guy was saying. Now he just wanted to obey and avoid the “converter” which he saw in action on a video that Narciso had played for him.

The video was grainy but it did show Porter Goss using the modified “converter” on David Corn during one of his ubiquitous appearances on Al Jazeera’s “Consider This” with Antonio Mora. He never knew what hit him. Now with that information, narciso had free rein in his interview with Ernie in front of America’s first line of neo-conservative defense. Soon, they would drain his brain, make him what he would become as Truthbetold on a number of blogs but irrelevant in the world of conspiracy freaks.

Like with Iraq and Afghanistan, the world order is restored and a mountain bike afficiando in Crawford, Texas would sit back with his best friend from Hope, Arkansas and laugh out loud at how they were able to bring down WTC No. 7 and that Souchak guy now drooling in a white tight jacket.

How beautiful it all worked out. Even in Iraq and Afghanistan their friend Rouhani was doing well.

[Jim Eagle]

Ah, so, amatuer mistake, gave myself away.

Most nom de plume writers usually do but I hope you have all enjoyed my small satire that I have enjoyed doing. At least I have revealed myself unlike our antagonist who thinks and acts like he/she are beyond honesty or even integrity.

What did my old boss call them "keyboard cowards".

[Jim Rhoads f/k/a vnjagvet]

From Wiki:

An agent provocateur (French for "inciting agent") is an undercover agent who acts to entice another person to commit an illegal or rash act or falsely implicate them in partaking in an illegal act. An agent provocateur may be employed by the police or other entity to discredit or harm another group (e.g., peaceful protest or demonstration) by provoking them to commit an act - thus, undermining the protest or demonstration as whole.
To prevent infiltration by agents provocateurs,[1] the organizers of large or controversial assemblies may deploy and coordinate demonstration marshals, also called stewards.[2][3] cf. Trollbeturd

I say it's classic. You be the judge. We are all stewards now.

[Beasts of England]

Good job, JiB!

[clarice]

JiB--your best yet..I mean Mickey..

[Tonto]

OT -- or not?

I went to my first rodeo today, in Tucson, and it had a rodeo clown (who wore no presidential masks). Also, I Have Met Judith Miller. Coincidence? Or does the Judith Miller/rodeo clown nexus hint at something more sinister?

[Jim Rhoads f/k/a vnjagvet]

C'mon, JIB. You wanted to be exposed. I will say that for me, whoever had been writing under the "Mickey" nom de plume has the talent reminiscent of bgates.

[Truthbetold]

Rhoads urges you all to join him in line.

[lyle]

Good Lord, JiB. Effing Brilliant! I'm in awe. Well played, indeed.

[Truthbetold]

Christ, it's the every kid gets a trophy crowd.

[Wagner]

It was impressive Jack, in spite of the fictional characters whose names seemed supercilious. It's almost as though you wanted to be discovered, but you would be unawares.

[Truthbetold]

Btw, I know I'm an idiot, I mean moron. Wait. How does that go again?

[narciso]

On a more serious note;

http://legalinsurrection.com/2014/02/media-largely-ignores-violent-venezuela-crackdown-on-opposition/#comments

'nothing of inportance,' seems to have happened today, by their lights,

[NKonIPad]

Idiots have lower IQ than morons.

[Ignatz]

JiB, you're a considerably better Mickey Spillane than Mickey Spillane.

[Miss Marple]

Regarding Teresa Heinz-Kerry, I have a story which might be of interest.

Years ago, I worked with a woman who had been the widow of a policeman, shot in the line of duty by a liquor store robber, leaving her at the age of 20 with three small children. I actually remembered her from when this had happened, back in the 70's, when I met her in 1989, because it was all over the news and she was a very beautiful woman and you remember stuff like that.

She had been in shock. She told me her history. A guy who was a policeman started visiting her and talking about how he had worked with her husband and they were best buds. He offered to do stuff for her, insinuating himself into her life. He kept talking about her husband until she sort of felt like he was the only connection to him.

She ended up marrying him. Then he stole her children's Social Security money, threatened her if she left him, and generally made her life miserable. She didn't divorce him until sometime after Bush was elected, and she had to go live with a relative and take out a restraining order.

So, that is what I think happened to Teresa Heinz-Kerry. (Note she never dropped the Heinz in her name.) She truly loved her first husband.

Now I can see John Kerry visiting her and talking about all of the legislation they worked on, the dinners they attended, etc. until he became her only connection to her dead husband. (Remember, Kerry was actually living out of his car for a brief period at this time.)

So, Teresa, still grief-stricken and in shock, married him. And then woke up about 3 years later, looked at what she had done, and started drinking. And drinking and drinking. (Remember. she is a devout Catholic who doesn't believe in divorce. Drinking probably seemed the only out.)

I have sympathy for her as I think I understand the hell she is in. And I think her children are brainwashed by Eastern schools and do not understand what Kerry is or how awful his treachery to his comrades in arms was.

Anyway, all stuff she does is probably affected by her drinking, Kerry's pressure on her, and her kids being dim bulbs.

So, I have sympathy.

[Jim Rhoads f/k/a vnjagvet]

C'mon guys, join me in line. We are all sheeple according to Trollbeturd. Please follow me to tell the asshole to shove off.

[narciso]

the venn diagrams seem to overlap,

[Ignatz]

Interesting perspective, MM.

[James D.]

MM, I'd have sympathy for her if her millions of dollars weren't bring used to support programs and push ideas that will make life far worse for all of us.

[Ignatz]

Economists of both the left and right have found higher minimum wages cause employment to decline, as any sentient being can readily ascertain though minimal deductive reasoning without even resorting to turgid econ papers.

Where are the NYT stories about people who had jobs before and are on the dole now?
How about some stories about the catastrophic black teenage unemployment? A higher minimum wage is going to reduce that how?

[Jane-curling is on!]

WOw Jib, I too thought it was BGates. SO many talented people. Nice job.

Did anyone else see the "political insider" segment today. It was downright scary.

[rse]

James D-

Second Nature trying to dictate all of higher ed.

[James D.]

I have no intention of reading the NYT story, so maybe someone can tell me...

All the anecdotes TM noted mention more hours being available to workers in higher-wage Oregon. Does the article ever ask why that might be?

Seems to me that a higher minimum wage might lead employers to hire less workers and expect more productivity from them in those hours, to compensate for the smaller staff. Which doesn't seem like a win-win for workers to me.

[narciso]

Something's got to give, either the wage, or the number of hours, and/or number of employees,

[Jim Eagle]

This little lesson to me is that sooner or later the sock puppet trolls of the world will screw up like I did and expose themselves.

I just couldn't keep up with changing my name and email and website, especially working on your 3rd glass of wine:)

However, there is so much information out there and characters I may want to continue the series but it may not be as effective under my byline.

Thanks for understanding.

[clarice]

A hit by any other names author is still a hit.

[Truthbetold]

JIB

The effect will be the same.

[Truthbetold]

Trophies for everyone!

[miguel cervantes]

It was inspired JiB, my tales of the Division, were more impromptu,

[Stephanie VIP shhhhh its fight club]

Exactly James.

They even eliminated an entire position (dishwasher) and give the waitresses more tables each (eliminating another waitress in the process) and require them to do their own dishes. Those two features almost guarantee poorer service for customers as the waitresses run ragged. No mention if tips declined as a result, too. The optimum for wait staff is four tables for superior service/income/customer satisfaction optimization.

No comment from the ex-dishwasher and waitress on the unemployment lines. Telling.

[Jim Rhoads f/k/a vnjagvet]

JIB, buddy, that Spillane run was a tour de force.

[sbwaters]

How shrewd of Mickey to make that “mistake” to throw everyone off the trail. JiB, indeed!

We know it’s you, Mickey.

[James D.]

Exactly, narciso. But somehow I don't imagine the NYT is really interested in explaining that point...

[Beasts of England]

Officials in my hometown will soon announce that Remington Arms will build a new manufacturing plant here, eventually creating 2,000 jobs! Hello Alabama, goodbye Cuomo!

[sbwaters]

A Cuomo aide insists that no jobs at Remington in Ilion, NY, just down the road from us, will be lost to Alabama.

Of course, the 2000 new jobs won’t be coming to New York State.

BTW, the new Remington R51 subcompact has me drooling.

[Stephanie VIP shhhhh its fight club]

I hope those companies relocating yo red states don't offer current employees transfer packages. Sorry, but bringing their voting habits to red states will result in purple states and declines in the reasons for relocating more businesses to business friendly climes.

[narciso]

In honor of the move,

[Miss Marple]

JiB, great job! If you aren't writing for publication, you should be!

James D, I understand your lack of sympathy, but it may be that others are making those decisions and she doesn't really know what's going on. She needs someone to rescue her!
We need a stealth person to infiltrate the Heinz Foundation and figure out what's going on.

Stephanie, exactly my thought when reading those quotes from the NYT. WHAT HAPPENED TO THE DISHWASHER? Let's go interview her!!

[DrJ]

I had a delightful meeting with Marcia in Phoenix earlier today. She was in the area arranging a golf tournament that would support her charity; we met her on her trek back to the airport to return home.

Uncharacteristically we did not discuss JOM at all. Instead, we talked about business opportunities that were of potential mutual benefit.

We met at a cramped resort hotel in the Carneros region near Napa CA. Instead of the noisy restaurant where we had arranged to meet, we found a picnic table in the sun; an on-site deli served wonderful Panini sandwiches.

Yesterday the Mrs and I visited with an old friend in Santa Rosa and also sampled some outstanding wines. Silver Oak Cabs are outstanding, as is well known. I also recommend the Zins from Starlight Vineyards, a newcomer in the Alexander Valley located next to Stryker and much, much better.

Busy weekend, and I see on catching up the TBT still infests the place. Shame.

[Mickey Spillane]

Who the hell is this JIB taking my intellectual property and selling it on the internet. Jackass.

When I am done with TBT I am going to track down this JiB guy and make him pay.

Do not be fooled by this fool. He is not me and I am not him.

[Beasts of England]

lol, narciso!

I'm not that familiar with their Ilion, NY plant, but I would imagine that when it comes time to upgrade / re-tool, more capacity will be moving to the Camellia State.

[jimmyk]

Something's got to give, either the wage, or the number of hours, and/or number of employees,

And, as the article did manage to mention, the prices of the products, which will cost them customers and might eventually shut them down. You might think an enterprising journalist would want to show both sides of the story. Granted it's a little harder to identify the victims, who don't know why they can't find a job, or the businesses that decided not to start up, than the lucky winners.

And some of the costs might not happen right away. I'm sure there will be a follow-up story a year from now about all those workers whose jobs disappeared, either because the businesses closed or relocated, or the workers were replaced by technology.

[Account Deleted]

Beasts,

I would be shocked and amazed if Remington were playing "nice doggie" with Cuomo until it tooled up and got its labor force in place in Alabama. No company has ever done that before.