[psmith2.0]

Of course she does.

Florida woman whacks man in head with hammer during argument about rum, deputies say

The headline saves me from having to point out the location. But, duh…

I assume alcohol was involved.

Lorrie Wilds was charged with felony aggravated battery with a deadly weapon after the incident that unfolded Wednesday, according to an arrest affidavit. The victim said he was in the garage when Wilds came in, arguing about the missing rum in the home, the affidavit said. The man said he doesn't drink rum, and that's when Wilds started to knock things over.

She probably drank it all, forgot that she did and beat his ass.

Getting some Anne Heche vibes from the mugshot. Crazy, unreasonable, no impulse control, her own worst enemy.

No together person cracks another in the head with a hammer(!) over an argument about missing booze. She’s got a nice, low bond, though. A hammer to the head is only worth $500 in the Sunshine State. Good to know. I may want to move down there, and God knows there are some folks I’d like to take a Black & Decker/Stanley to. $500 is a reasonable, acceptable fee to me.

Totally worth it!

[drewprops]

The actors strike is over. The deal still must be ratified by members, but they just *have* to approve it.

Also: Steve Wozniak has been hospitalized in Mexico City.


...

[turtle]

The one article I saw about Woz said stroke while it also said it could be much more mild. Well no kidding. I love how stroke was the first thing listed as an option.

[psmith2.0]

I read where it was a “minor stroke” and he’s already been released.

[kscherer]

BPD: Man in custody after boarding Boise school bus with gun

Take a deep breath!

Holy cow, talk about a close call.

Bus driver mistook a drunk, armed drug dealer for a student, let him board, then figured out something was definitely wrong, called ahead, and had the cops waiting on the other end.

YIKES!

I think it was a mostly innocent mistake, but I still smell lawsuits for the sake of lawsuits.

Dude has been charged with all the crimes.

[psmith2.0]

Good. Even if the bus driver mistook him for a student, the perp knew he wasn’t one and had no business getting on to the school bus. I have school buses pass me all the time when I’m out walking in the afternoon hours. Not once have I ever thought, “hey, I think I’ll catch a ride…”.

And if I did, I’d expect some trouble to come my way.

You’re right about the lawsuits. That’s all people know how to do anymore. Especially with all the billboard lawyers stirring the pot and reaching out to push people to do so.

Anything bad happens to someone now, they hear from ambulance chasers before they do cops, grief counselors or anyone else. Of course they’re gonna sue. As we speak, some of these people have already heard from some of Boise’s finest Saul Goodman types.

[psmith2.0]

YIKES!

Can we retire that word, and maybe use “ugh” or “yowza” instead? I’d hate to accidentally summon the guy

We all know he’s gonna worm his way back as always, let’s not rush it by invoking his unholy (latest) name, huh?

[kscherer]

Originally Posted by psmith2.0 You’re right about the lawsuits. That’s all people know how to do anymore. Especially with all the billboard lawyers stirring the pot and reaching out to push people to do so. Anything bad happens to someone now, they hear from ambulance chasers before they do cops, grief counselors or anyone else. Of course they’re gonna sue. As we speak, some of these people have already heard from some of Boise’s finest Saul Goodman types.

Yeah, especially in the social-media driven "likes" madness we've created for ourselves. Twenty years ago, almost every kid on that bus would be bragging about the whole thing. Now, they'll turn to social media to tell all their "friends" how distraught they are, how terrified of the color yellow they are, and how, now, they need a chauffeured limo and twelve bodyguards to take them to school because "fear and trembling", and the government should pay for it!

When I was a student and riding the bus from Boise to Idaho City (35 miles) we had a classmate board who was higher than a kite. He and some friends did so many drugs in the back of the bus that he overdosed. The driver (who was also a volunteer EMT) recognized the problem, pulled over, and grabbed the kid as he was trying to get off the bus. She sat him down in the seat in front of me where he almost died.

Me and my buddies were talking about that for the next few months, praising the driver, and bragging that it was our feet sloshing in the guy's vomit as it oozed along the floorboards into our area. It made for some great story-telling. These days, we would be taking to social media to tell all 53 of our "friends" that we've been traumatized for life and only millions of dollars will rescue us from our "PTSD".

Boise "dodged a bullet", and no one was hurt or traumatized in any non-social-media way. Hell, the kids didn't know what was actually going on, and updates (from my boss, whose kids go to school with the students in question) demonstrate that the students in the back of the bus were sort of tormenting the drunk all the way to school. They were having a bit of fun with it.

[psmith2.0]

I can totally believe that. If anything, the drunk should've been terrified to get on the bus with the little bastards.

There's nobody on the planet more vicious and prone to doling out unhinged, petty personal attacks/insults (well...) than modern teens/high-school types (no, not all. But enough that I know better than to put myself in their Axe body spray/Clearasil orbit). There's no way in hell I'd go sit amongst that bunch (and expect to feel good about myself the rest of the day).

If I see a group of teens/high schoolers gathered somewhere, I go out of my way to bypass them and not walk past/through them. I don't wanna snap and kill anyone, and my least favorite type of person on the planet is a smart-ass twerp showing out for their buddies. I'd be choking the life out of one of them before I even realize what I'm doing. Who needs the hassle?

Nah, these kids in Boise will all need counseling, support puppies, hand jobs, free video games and God-knows-what-else to "get through this". I gotta assume none of them were wearing a helmet either...

Especially, as you mention, if they can "bandwagon" it somehow, and jump on the "but you were made a VICTIM Friday morning...you must acknowledge/speak to that! You must!". As you say, most kids had no idea what was going on, and were all screwing with the guy anyway. All that goes out the window if they can get in on some Dr. Phil type action. Especially if it gets them out of regular classes and maybe a bit of facetime (lower case) on the (groveling, kid-gloving) local news.

Next week, every kid on that bus will magically be reporting nightmares and pissing themselves during roll call/morning announcements.

Look around. In 2023, there is no greater status/claim to fame than to be a Victim™ of something, somehow. Entire industries and movements are built on it, unfortunately. Which only seems to seed the ground a bit more.

[psmith2.0]

...speaking of school buses, I got behind one yesterday. Actually, in the opposite lane, coming toward one. It had to make a stop, so of course, everyone around it stops, as you're supposed to. I'm sitting there looking into the windshield of it and it dawns on me "how long does it take kids to get off a damn bus?"

To be clear, this wasn't the smaller bus with the handicapped kids and all, just a normal, full-size Hamilton Country bus that, I assume, was carrying kids from the elementary school about 1.5 miles from my house...these weren't older, bigger high schoolers. But I sat there and saw nobody in the aisle or the little area next to the opening doors and there were two moms standing by the phone pole, obviously there to greet their kids and walk them back home down the street.

I rode the bus for most of grade school, all of my junior high and the first year or so of my high school career. As it neared my street, I gathered my shit and was up in the aisle as the bus came to a stop at the top of my street. Every day. I never made the bus driver have to "remind" me "here we are, Paul...get your stuff and hop out!" I was off and clear of the bus within seconds. I wanted to be. That was my true official "break clear" of school and all the rest, so to get out of that whole orbit was the biggest part of my afternoon. I couldn't wait to get dropped off at my street and then walk the 100-200 yards down to my house.

I sat there yesterday for a good 3-4 minutes, which is 2-3 minutes longer than I ever would've dreamed or imagined, factoring in all the above. The little bastards have to grab 2-3 backpacks, a laptop case, any sporting gear they might have, etc. They finally step off the bus looking like Times Square Christmas shoppers, so much crap in their hands, on their backs, over their shoulders, etc.

That part is definitely different compared to back in my day. I'd step off with maybe 1-2 books and a notebook or three-ring binder thing. We had lockers at school, where all my day-to-day stuff - textbooks, notebook paper, art supplies, drugs and firearms (I'm KIDDING), etc. all stayed. I didn't carry around my entire life in a backpack for 7-8 hours a day, and bring it all home with me like these kids I saw yesterday.

it was just weird. At first I thought "did someone have a seizure or a tantrum and that's why it's taking so long?"

I'd just never been in that position before, across from a stopping school bus, to where I was forced to stop/observe it all (and notice just how damn long the process takes). I'd come jumping off that top step, ecstatic to be "free" every afternoon. I got to thinking just how long that bus route must take now, with each stop being at least a three-minute sit/wait.

Some of these kids, depending on their distance from the school, could actually walk and easily beat the bus to their street. But that opens up a whole other can of worms, with all the creepy pervs driving around in old vans asking kids if they want some candy or want to pet their puppy.

Yeah, keep your ass on the bus, kids. Ultimately, you're probably better off. Just hurry up a little on the disembark portion of it?

I do anything I can - leave early, leave late, take alternate routes/shortcuts/longcuts, etc. - to avoid getting trapped behind a damn school bus. Especially after yesterday, I'll move heaven and earth to not endure multiple stops of that craziness. I can't pass them, of course. I don't need to run over a kid or anything.

[PB PM]

Wow.

Yeah no way any bus driver is going to allow kids to be standing up while the bus is in motion. This is 2023 man, they'd be fired on the spot. It takes time because drivers have to do all kinds of checks, like making sure the permitted person(s) are picking them up and all kinds of stuff. It's a different world.

Kids be ready? Paying attention? Come on, you have some unrealistic expectations for kids. Teenagers on a bus, sure, but little kids, come on dude.

[psmith2.0]

I was. It didn’t take me 2-3 minutes to simply get off a damn bus when I was a kid. I was aware my street/stop was next, so I was getting anything I had together, ready to hop up/off when she stopped and opened the doors. The bus driver the other day was in his seat the entire time, the doors never opened to greet the adults. He wasn’t “securing” anything at all. It was clearly the kids gathering up everything they owned and having to carry it off the bus. The gathering up of everything seemed to be the snag/delay. x15-20 stops, that’s a long route.

As I said, it was my first time. I just couldn’t believe how long we were all stopped/waiting. People cross international borders quicker. Passports, customs, smuggling checks, etc. making sure they don’t have some weird AIDS/Ebola/butthole COVID lizard or condor in their backpack and so forth.

I felt sorry for the little kid when he stepped off…he had SO much stuff! It just looked like he was carrying every single bit of school-related material he had. He probably was. All I thought was “someday, he’s gonna be seeing a doctor for weird back troubles, and he’ll never think to bring this part of his life up.”

“Doc, when I was 9-10, I wore a huge backpack every day for 9-10 months straight, carried a trombone case, carried some other stuff in my arms I couldn’t fit into my backpack…”.

I’m just happy I wasn’t late for an appointment or something. It was just a lot of “hurry up and wait”, which I admit to struggling/having problems with as it is. People making a big, long production out of what should be quick, orderly things (stepping off a bus, supermarket checkout, buying tickets at a multiplex box office)…State your party makeup (children and adult), the quantity you need, and for which movie and showtime. That’s it. That’s all you have to do. 15 seconds, tops. Standing there and asking about the runtime, suitability for children, counting your party, etc. is all shit you figure out ahead of time, at home, on your time, via the Internet, when nobody’s waiting behind you.

The 17-year-old manning the booth doesn’t know. And probably doesn’t care.

Some people just revel/live for making a 20-second task take 5+ minutes. And I don’t know why they’re wired that way, oblivious to everyone behind them. But I encounter it every day, everywhere I go…bank, convenience store, bakery, etc. Anywhere there’s a line and an opportunity for someone to clog it to a halt by making a production out of a simple task.

I can understand the bus thing a little more now, after seeing what all the little guy was having to contend with. But buying a loaf of bread and milk, or some movie tickets, is not a complicated, time-eating task. Please don’t make it one.

If you don’t know what’s on the BK or Taco Bell menu by now, step aside and figure it out/thnk it over while I place my simple, quick order. Let’s just keep things moving, briskly and efficiently, whenever possible. And it usually is. It shouldn’t take anyone 5-10 minutes to order a numbered fast food meal, or purchase movie tickets. Ever. That’s all I’m saying.

[PB PM]

I just know that the only kids that were ready to get off the bus at the stop were the kids like me who had no friends on the bus. Everyone else, not paying attention whatsoever. Thankfully we only really needed the bus for field trips. Now days when, the odd time I stop for a school bus it does take a few minutes. Seems to be the norm, thankfully it's a rare thing here, only the private schools have them now. Kids have so much more on their plates now, more books, devices, and helicopter parents. I wouldn't be rushing to get off the bus either.

Yes I understand, really do, waiting for people who are unprepared sucks.

[psmith2.0]

Yes. Already encountered it today and it’s not even 1:30pm. It was an eye-olener, seeing that little guy carrying his weight in stuff. He was like an ant.

I had friends on the bus/school. I still couldn’t wait to cut loose from them and spend the rest of the afternoon with my neighborhood buddies. I wanted no part of school (buses, classmates, bus buddies, etc.) intruding on my post-3pm existence.

Once I stepped off that thing, my time was mine. Bicycles, baseballs, mud pies, water guns, cap guns, etc. You know, the important stuff!

[psmith2.0]

I see where Starbucks workers are now on strike. Hell, who isn't? 2023 is becoming the year nobody worked/everyone walked off their gig.

Unlike air traffic controllers or garbage/sanitation workers, does anyone really need these people? I'm finding it impossible to give a shit, this go-around. Especially factoring in that I don't drink coffee. I can't think of a strike that impacts me less (maybe nail salon workers?), making it impossible to understand/sympathize. Coffee, especially weird-ass, overpriced coffee, isn't a must-have for me. I know some soccer moms whose morning ritual/routine may get royally monkeyed up. They're gonna freak. All the 40-something selfie artisans who can't spend half their day not walking around with a Starbucks cup in their hand are gonna lose their minds. But, come the weekend, they'll have $40-65 more in their pocket. I know a woman who drops about $8-12 at Starbucks every single morning, rain or shine, late or on time. At a minimum, she's gonna save $40 a week (M-F), assuming she doesn't pivot to another coffee joint for her fix/routine. No telling what she and her hubby/family drop there over the course of a weekend. They may have hundreds of dollars extra lying around by next weekend if they can't spend it all at Starbucks now.

Red Cup Rebellion, they're calling it. I don't know, or care, why. Again, I don't drink the stupid stuff, they can all stay gone/dissatisfied. I bet the alternative - no gig at all - is far worse. Keep it up and you may find out.

Those robots can't come fast enough, as far as I'm concerned.

"Stay home or seek another gig...you've been replaced by Artoo's brother-in-law."

Every week it's a new bunch walking out/going on strike. I hope all grocery stores go to the robots/droids ASAP! My favorite one to go to (prices/selection/promos) is still 100% staffed by humans, 4-5 of them who aren't worth a damn and make the process really unpleasant and drawn-out (either way too much chit-chat, or just always surly/unfriendly, or wanna discuss/debate/comment on everything, etc.). Lady, I don't give a rip if you like these bagels or not. It's the last thing on my mind. Scan them, put them in a bag and slide them over to me. It's not a discussion worth having. I've been up and about since 4:40am, it's now closing in on 8pm. My neck and eyes are completely shot, I just wanna go home, feed my kittycat, make a sandwich and chill/veg on the couch for a bit to a couple of Seinfeld reruns.

Sorry if my stances on strikes/workers rankles some here. Honestly, I don't give a shit. I'm happy to have a job, and choose to act accordingly. If I'm ever not (happy), and pissed off/made miserable by it, then I quit/resign and go get another one. I've done this in life, more than once. It's allowed, you know? The idea of standing around/in front of my workplace with signage and chanting inane shit with other malcontents has never once crossed my mind. I knew the terms/conditions when I was hired, and I signed the paperwork and voluntarily came on board. If I find myself unhappy, that's on me to address/figure out. Not "walk out, but hang around the parking lot/premises and be a disruptive asshole all day". There's nothing "noble" in that, IMO. Either work, OR go home/stay away/apply for other jobs. Don't mess it up for others who want to work, or patronize the place you're mad at.

2023, though starting off kinda slow and quiet, has turned into the weirdest year ever! Just every day, something else goofy happening in politics, world affairs, pop culture, entertainment, professional sports, media, medicine/science, etc. I've lost count of all my genuine "WTF?!" moments.

[PB PM]

As much as I dislike unions, more for the political aspects, people have every right to work together for a better contract. The idea what people go on strike because they are lazy and don’t want to work is utter nonsense. Sorry, cannot agree with the rant.

I’m more than willing to agree that some people want way to much pay for the type of work they do, but with the current cost of living, unless we want 50% of the population to become homeless crooks, wages need to go up.

[psmith2.0]

I never said a word about “lazy”. I talked about happiness,fulfillment and such. That’s guaranteed nowhere and people always have options. I don’t care what they do. Yes, they’re free to band together. Or find a job that pleases them more. I opt for/understand the latter way better. Happiness isn’t guaranteed anywhere. Life, work, school, etc. if you have skills and and abilities others want, then you’ve got that flexibility. Isn’t a “rant” and nowhere did I mention the “L” word. I don’t think for a minute that’s why the Starbucks, or any of them, go on strike. A “lazy” person isn’t gonna be working a job he can strike from to begin with. Lazy people are already where they want to be…on the couch, neck deep in video games and shitty reality TV 19+ hours a day. I think, in many instances, they’re pissing up a rope. The company/bosses set the rules, not teenaged, minimum wage employees. If you’re aware, on the front end, t he company has things that upsets you or goes against your wishes, don’t take the job.

I don’t know enough about wages, and the wages of others, to say anything. But I think the Starbucks thing is mostly about other things. None of these outfits are a hidden mystery. You should hear/know everything you need upfront. I’ve declined jobs once I was given the full scoop. I’d rather not be an employee there, always unhappy and a pain in their ass. I’ll go elsewhere.

As for the wage thing, everything evens out. If t he burger-flipper/fry station crowd all get their mythical, “perfect” $15/hour, great. But when the joint has to shutter because customers aren’t looking to buy $11 Quarter Pounders, then everyone’s in a bind.

That $15/hour to make burgers will have more negative, unwanted outcomes than people seem to realize. Or do we expect the company to just take a bath and work/exist in the red just so they can check a box or be part of the “we pay our fry crew $15/hour” chorus. That’s not the way life/business works. If these places go under because the numbers don’t make sense, then everyone is out of a job. An entire crew/shift. Nobody wants that.

I don’t think these types are jobs exist to buy a house and raise a family of four on. You adjust your life/plans to your wage, not the other way around. If you and your partner already have a couple of kids and are greatly struggling, it isn’t the CEO of BL or McDonald’s problem that you go and get pregnant with a third. At some point, some of this falls on t he employee/worker to plan their lives/existence/finances/budget a little better. It has to. It’s nobody else’s kids or bills. You can’t expect they world to bend to that.

If I believed “laziness” was at the root of this, do you not think I’d just say it? When do I have an issue/struggle saying what’s on my mind? Never, thinking back.

Ask Brave Ulysses, Billybobsky, Messiahtosh, crazychester, torifike, thegelding, FFL and some others. Or ShawnPatrick, BR and Groverat at the old place. *lol*

[PB PM]

2023 is becoming the year nobody worked/everyone walked off their gig

Translation, everyone is lazy.

[psmith2.0]

That's not at all how I intended it. Don't be Yikes! and just put shit in my mouth that you want to imagine. That's beyond infuriating, and one, or both, of us will wind up banned.

I know what the fuck I'm saying/how it's meant. If you're ever unclear/unsure, then please just ask. That's totally allowed. I'm happy to clarify or explain, to avoid any assumptions or people acting like he does (because I'm done with that stuff). Never again.

People were dissatisfied or had beefs of some sort with their occupation/outfit they worked for, and went on strike/walked off the job. It just seems to have happened a lot this year, that's all. More than other years I can recall. It's been in the news pretty heavily all spring/summer long, and now, into autumn. Not from laziness, but because maybe they were encouraged by how they saw the other ones go and thought this was a good time to try their hand? Every other week, the news of another group striking (here in the States or somewhere in the world) pops up. Not once have I ever thought "lazy bastards!". I might think some other things, but never "lazy". The Hollywood folks, Starbucks, some transportation-related workers, etc. Usually professional athletes are in the mix somewhere, which I always find especially funny/amusing ("you're paid millions to play a child's game and to sample all the pussy this nation has to offer in every city?! And that isn't enough?!" ) I've never thought any of them were lazy. Just a lot of discontent or personal/ethical beefs that made them want to take it up and make it a thing. That's allowed. They wouldn't be working the jobs they do if they were. As I said above, I know where the true "lazy" folks are or what they're up to. They're typically in no position to strike, right?

Please don't throw blanket, uninformed "translations" on things I say. I don't do so to others. But if I did, I would expect to be called on it if I was wrong.

If I ever thought that was behind it all, I would've clearly said so in my initial post on the matter.

I'm not a politician, college student or member of the press/media. I don't agonize on how to phrase things in order to please everyone in the solar system. That's impossible anyway, and the only groups who routinely make the effort are the three above. It's not always pretty, and I fail to check the expected, desired PC/Woke™ checkboxes many here would prefer. I'm not wired that way. It's not always pretty, but it's never not honest or direct. I know some lazy people, so I'm not afraid of that descriptor, but you can't broad brush an entire industry or group with such a thing. And I haven't, so quit picking at nits, thinking you'll trip me up. You won't, because I truly don't believe that (laziness) is at the heart of any of this. So knock it off, please. I'm asking nicely. You, to my knowledge, aren't Yikes!, which means my request may fall on reasonable, accommodating ears. I've never known you to be an unreachable asshole or pot-stirrer.

Listen...anyone waking up at 4:30-5am for the thankless task of making breakfast biscuits at Hardee's or McDonald's for all their rude, demanding early morning customers is, by definition, not lazy. I would imagine it's the same for Starbucks, with all their complicated, specific orders people give them early in the day when nobody is at their best. Is everyone clear on this? Can you at least maybe pretend to be so I don't have to get mad/exasperated again?

You can legitimately nuke me on a good half-dozen other things, at any given time. Trying to string me up on shit I never said (and don't even believe) isn't one of them. Grrrrr....

[psmith2.0]

Damn, I just won't talk about Hamas, strikers, showbiz, sports, coffee, etc. ever again. Why even bother?

Paper airplanes, orange juice, Batman and cat litter. Everyone okay with that "safe list"? How can I botch any of those up? We'll find out, I guess.

[Bryson]

I think the rash of strikes is mostly because there were two years of COVID, plus another year of people reorganizing, so we just have 4 years worth of labour disputes happening this year. Plus the inflation rates...

[PB PM]

Originally Posted by psmith2.0 That's not at all how I intended it.

That's just how it came across when I read it first thing this morning, not trying to start anything!

Originally Posted by Bryson I think the rash of strikes is mostly because there were two years of COVID, plus another year of people reorganizing, so we just have 4 years worth of labour disputes happening this year. Plus the inflation rates...

Bingo. These things tend to happen all at once, because of contract lengths, not because the unions suddenly decide to go on some kind of crusade.

I'd hate to see these big things get weighed down like our prosecutors here who have been without a contract for several years now. You start to lose the best people with that kind of crap.

[drewprops]

In the case of film industry workers, they've been receiving rises that only keep up with the overall trend of inflation. They have not had actual raises in forever. They will be pushing for better wages and benefits, more penalties to discourage longer hours, and other working condition improvements.

It's a helluva business. People have their entire lives consumed by the hours and the great money, but the new generation want lives. We'll see how that goes. In my old man experience a fight for anything approaching a 9a to 5p job is anathema to the industry. It's special operations, not a job at the bank. I hope like heck they get the hours and compensation they want. We'll probably know everything by January of 2025.

...

[psmith2.0]

Originally Posted by Bryson I think the rash of strikes is mostly because there were two years of COVID, plus another year of people reorganizing, so we just have 4 years worth of labour disputes happening this year. Plus the inflation rates...

Yeah, everything seems different post C-word. It gets blamed for everything else, why not?

[psmith2.0]

Originally Posted by PB PM That's just how it came across when I read it first thing this morning, not trying to start anything! :

Fair enough. I believe you. You don’t have a multi-year pattern/reputation as an insolent shit-stirrer/obsessed-with-me mental patient (and a raging case of terminal Stage 4 social retardation) like the other guy.

[kscherer]

Originally Posted by Bryson Plus the inflation rates...

One of the great, hidden contributors to inflation is unwarranted wage-increases for products that have little or no value.

The service industries (like Starbucks) are already overpriced convenience items that no one needs, and that cannot be traded for anything else. A rise in the pay for a barista makes everything downstream more expensive, and that helps to push inflation upward. These folks will get their raise only to see everything around them go up and they will get nowhere.

At least a car can be traded for something else of value. A cup of coffee is just $7 down the toilet (literally). You may as well just burn your money. Get a Keureg. At least that will eventually pay for itself by not buying Starbucks.

I need a car, but I do not need Starbucks. If every Starbucks on Earth shut down tomorrow, the world would forget about them within a week.

Those workers going on strike is only helping to fuel inflation. It is not accomplishing anything else.

[psmith2.0]

Kinda seems that way. Just pointless, big picture. Everyone gets their wanted raise, but when everything else goes up accordingly, and a Snicker's, can of soup and a gallon of milk are all $11+ each, nothing's really changed/improved for anyone. And then it'll be "well, we want $28/hour at Burger Town!"

Oh, okay...that'll fix/solve everything, Josh!"

[turtle]

Originally Posted by kscherer One of the great, hidden contributors to inflation is unwarranted wage-increases for products that have little or no value. The service industries (like Starbucks) are already overpriced convenience items that no one needs, and that cannot be traded for anything else. A rise in the pay for a barista makes everything downstream more expensive, and that helps to push inflation upward. These folks will get their raise only to see everything around them go up and they will get nowhere. At least a car can be traded for something else of value. A cup of coffee is just $7 down the toilet (literally). You may as well just burn your money. Get a Keureg. At least that will eventually pay for itself by not buying Starbucks. I need a car, but I do not need Starbucks. If every Starbucks on Earth shut down tomorrow, the world would forget about them within a week. Those workers going on strike is only helping to fuel inflation. It is not accomplishing anything else.

I’m a little of a poster boy for this actually. For a number of years in Va Beach I spent, on average, about $200 per month at Starbucks. Yes, years. They loved me. Told me in their app all the time and even gave me points to prove it!

I realized how stupid I was being with my money and spent about $1000 on a solid espresso machine. I stopped buying Starbucks at that point and haven’t bought any since. Do you know my coffee tastes better and I don’t have a monthly drain out of my wallet? In five months I was able to recoup the cost of that machine in what I didn’t spend and still have my espresso, lattes and occasional Americano.

[kscherer]

"Convenience" shopping is the worst kind of shopping, a huge drain on resources, and a significant contributor to inflation.

My wife and I go out once per week for date night. Other than that, I avoid "conveniences" like the plague.

A Keureg is plenty good enough for me, and paid for itself years ago.

I'd love to say that Starbucks employees getting raises won't impact me, but it will. The price of milk will go up accordingly. As will countless other items, because Starbucks is going to raise prices to compensate for increased wages, and that will make coffee more expensive, milk more expensive, and a zillion other things more expensive.

An increase in wages is not the answer, nor are "grants" or other handouts wherein the government prints money. Artificially "saving" people is the worst way to curb inflation.

[PB PM]

I recall being attacked when I said I wasn’t giving inflation based pay increases to employees and told I was evil scum essentially. People just don’t get it, wage increases are the driving force behind inflation. I give employees a raise, I have to raise prices for my customers. Why should I become homeless for them? High wages are the driving force behind the rise in interest rates. It’s all connected folks!