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Massachusetts New Across the Board Pay Cut

Posted: October 2, 2019 by datechguy in business, economy
Tags: , ,

Two days at work there were passing out a sheet to employees to read and sign. Since almost the entire workforce is Spanish speaking they only had one English language copy so I didn’t get the form until yesterday.

Apparently Massachusetts with it’s veto proof Democrat majorities in both the house and senate decided that having NY & CT nextdoor is enough to keep business in the state so they passed a law mandating PAID leave, Up to 20 weeks for having kids and up to 26 weeks for a medical condition, up to a max of $840 a week (That’s $42K a year). Under the law the employer is responsible for 60% of this dough while the state is responsible for the other 40%, but where does the state get this money?

Well it gets it from workers. A deductions of .75% from your paycheck will be starting shortly to pay for this and oddly enough, the deduction is coming two years before this goes into effect (I suspect to make it look like it covers the costs) so you get to pay for this plan for over a year before anyone gets a penny.

Now when I read this aloud and mentioned what it actually involved the people around me seemed to think it was a good idea. The chance to get a full paycheck for 20+ weeks without working sounded really good, at least they did until I pointed out some basic math that I did in my head.

The current minimum wage in MA is $12 and goes to up .75 each Jan 1st till it hits $15 an hour. Because of the Trump economy and the difficulty in getting workers the temps are getting as much as $13 an hour. So here is the math:

$13.00 & .0075 = .0975

When people hear “three quarters of one percent” they think less than a penny, but oddly enough when I told the person working next to me that thanks to this new law he would now be making .10 less an hour he attitude toward the new law changed dramatically. People understand the difference between getting ten cents an hour less than not.

He objected to the boss who reiterated that the cost was only three quarters of one percent which seemed to placate him even though that amount was still the same .10 an hour less.

I wonder how many tens of thousands of people in the state never even thought about how much that pay cut is, or more importantly how much that pay cut is going to become once people start making claims in two years.

Closing thought: In a Trump economy that’s booming, a state like Massachusetts and the business located there might, just might be growing enough to absorb all of these costs. What happens when he and the policies that have produced all this growth are gone and these bills still have to be paid?

This is the Part Where we Throw our Heads Back and Laugh

Posted: October 1, 2019 by datechguy in Uncategorized

Sometimes life is tough and you need a reason to smile, here’s one:

Readers of women’s magazines have had a rough few years. Every few months another titan falls and today we are mourning the UK print edition of Marie Claire, which at 31 has had its life cut short by the prolific killer, “social media”. Its other victims include Lucky, More!, Look and InStyle UK. Marie Claire will live on in the digital afterlife (and in print in other markets where it continues to be published, such as Australia, France and the US), alongside Glamour, which went digital first in 2017, cutting its print edition to twice a year.
It is an epidemic. Cosmopolitan saw its print circulation drop by a third in the last half of 2018; weeklies Woman and Woman’s Own were down 20% and 19% respectively. Now magazine dropped 43%.

There seems to be some mystery as to why this is happening particularly given this bit of info from the piece

The sad thing is that the current purge is happening at a time when women’s magazines are less sexist and more progressive than they ever have been.

You mean this new “woke” direction isn’t boosting sales? Who wouda thought it? BWAHAHAHHAHAHAH!

Via Ace of Spades whose team knows how to put a smile on my face during a tough week:

Sober Unpleasant Truths About Impeachment & Civil War

Posted: September 30, 2019 by datechguy in elections, politics
Tags: , , , ,

Today I woke up much earlier than I expected and attend mass at my old parish where the pastor giving a sermon on today’s Gospel (Luke 9) he mentioned a fact that I’ve brought up before that the truth IS (I’m not so sure about his assertion that it doesn’t need defending but be that as it may…).

I thought about this when I saw the lead story at Drudge concerning congressman heard about congressman Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Il) hitting the president with this tweet.

https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

It’s not all that newsworthy that the MSM is quoting a member of the GOP when they hit Trump ( in fact it’s the surest way for a member of the GOP to get positive coverage from them) but not only is the President tweet the truth, it’s a rather important truth that needs to be stated aloud at the start.

In fact if you recall my initial endorsement of Donald Trump for President (as opposed to very popular re-endorsement of him when the Billy Bush tape broke and everyone was cutting an running) you might recall that it was titled:

Donald Trump or Civil War, I Choose Trump

And said it part:

All of this points to the necessity of Trump but there is one other factor that I think is even more decisive.  It’s a subject I brought up a few years ago.
American culture traditionally is like an old Popeye cartoon. It takes hit after hit after hit until finally it exclaims:

I think the breaking point is near, I think there are a lot of people in this country who are deciding that the Government is openly hostile to them.  I think that the sight of women and gay men being beaten by leftists because they support the presumptive GOP nominee, having it happen in full sight of police ordered to do nothing AND SEEING THOSE OFFICERS CHOOSING TO LET THEM BE BEATEN means that they can not count on the authorities to obey their oaths of office if they think doing so might cost them their jobs.

Even worse than this is the obvious question it raises: If leftists are willing to resort to violence and boast about it before an election when it might hurt their ability to persuade the people to vote for them, how much more willing will they be to violently suppress their political foes when such behavior is rewarded with electoral victory by the people? What will that tell a populace that has already been arming itself nonstop for the last 4-6 years?

Remember I wrote this piece on July 3rd 2016 and the piece it links to with the Popeye cartoon is from June 14 2013!

Now ask yourself this question: Has the behavior of the left gotten better or worse since 2013, since 2016? When you’re done with that question ask yourself the follow-up to the point I made above concerning political violence:

If the left/media and their allies are able to remove a sitting president after:

  1. Smearing folks like Justice Kavanaugh without anything approaching credible evidence
  2. Forcing members of the administration out of public places such as restaurants
  3. An attempt to murder republican congressmen which led to a GOP house leader being shot,
  4. The Beating of a sitting senator, leading to serious injury
  5. And repeated violence by masked thugs in cities like Portland Ore and elsewhere and justification of said violence by dubbing their foes “Nazis” and “White Supremacists”

What will they conclude about such behavior? They’ll decide it works!

Furthermore if they are willing to make this attempt before an election when it might hurt their ability to persuade the people to vote for them (as I suspect it did in 2016) and it works, how much more bold will they be about suppressing their political foes through both lawfare and violence after all of this is rewarded by the removal of the only man who has been willing to stand in their way?

Don’t think for a minute that Americans who have been arming themselves for the last decade and are now being openly told by candidates that they intend to disarm them, don’t know the answers to those questions.

So with all due respect to the sensitivities of the congressman from Illinois I think if this is going to be done, it needs to be done with eyes wide open as to it’s costs and risks thus it’s not only quite proper for the President to bring this up it’s highly necessary for him to do so.

Closing Thought: I suspect the left doesn’t see these risks or as I mentioned in this tweet the comfortable snowflakes are too foolish or too ignorant to care if such a civil war comes, perhaps because they all believe the 16 year old prophet of doom that the world will end before they’re 50 anyways.

Sable Face to Face League Draft in Fitchburg (liveblog

Posted: September 28, 2019 by datechguy in dynasty baseball, gaming, Sable Baseball

Round 26 three picks (last round)

Sea:  Michael Taylor Wash of / Armando Rosario SS Mets/ Charlie Blackman Col CF

Mets    Chester Cuthburt KC 3B  /  Max Kepler Minn of / Jorge Polanco SS min
SD    Shane Bieber P Cle /  Brandon Guyer RF cle / Kyler Olsen P Cle
TB    Derrick Rodriguez SP SF /  Cole Colhern OF Cal / Ketel Marte  2b ari
SF  Mark Canha CF Oak  / Joe Musgrove SP Pit / Shin-Soo  Choo Rf Tex
StL   Sean Manaea Oak SP /  Robertson Chirinos  c Tex / Chad Gyorka 3b   StL
NYY   Mike Zunino Sea C / Tim Anderson CWS SS / Freddie Galdis SS SD
Washington Bruce Maxwell C Oak / Jose Castillo LHP SD /  Rougned Odor 2b Tex

Round 25 three picks

Wash:  Jose Abreu 1b CWS / Adeiny Hechavarria NYY ss/ james paxton SP
NYY:  Brandon  Morrow P cubs /  Hyun-jin ryu  LA SP / Kevin Pillar of Tor
StL:  Guillermo Heredia of Sea /   Jorge Alfaro C Philly /  Harrison Baider of StL
Sf :  Cle CF Rajai Davis  /  Ari Yoshihisa Hirano RP /  Brett Philips CF KC
TB :   Kyle Gibson Min P / Min P Jacob Odorizzi / Derek Holland RP SF
SD:   AJ Pollock cf ari /  Daniel Descalso 2b Ari / Chris Owings Ari of
Mets :  Jason Kitmas 2b Cle / K Farmer C LA /  Gregory Polonco of  Pit
Sea:   Evan Gattis C Hou / Noah Syndaggard SP NYM / LF Balt Trey Mancini

Round 24 two picks

Sea   Tyler Clipper P Tor /  Starling Castro Miami 2b
Mets    Brian Anderson Mia RF / Stephen Piscoty RF Oak
SD    2b Ryan Goins KC / RF Roswell Herrera of  KC
TB    Nicholas A. Castellanos of det / 3b Josh Donnalson cle
SF     Jose Ingeles Det ss / Jose Martinez 1b Stl
StL   Jameson Tallion Pitt P /  Atl Dansby Swanson SS
NYY    Andrew Miller Cle P / Dallas Keuchel SP Hou
Washington  Jose Alverez P Calif / Delino Deshields of Tex

Round 23 two picks

Wash   Gio Gonzalez SP Mil /  Manny Pina c Mil
NYY      Didi Gregorious SS NYY /  SP JA Happ NYY
StL:     K Freeland Col /  Rick Porcello p Bos
Sf    E Suarez Cin 3b / Matt Stasi Hou c
TB    Yusmeiro Petit Oak RP /  Jessie Winkler OF Cin
SD   Rick Pietta P Phil /  Jake Arrieta p Phil
Mets   Eddie Rosario LF Min /  Miguel Cabrera OF det
Sea   SP Trevor Cahill Oak Hill /   Marcus Simien SS  OAK

Round 22 two picks

Sea  Kris Bryant Cubs 3b  / Jed Lowry Oak
Mets   Wilson Ramos C Phil /  Keone Kela Pit P
SD    Jackie Bradley JR Bos  /  Ian Kinsler 2b Bos
TB   Bryan  Holaday C  Mia   /  Nick Ahmed SS
SF    Travis  Jankowski OF SD / Alex Wilson P Det
StL   Greg Allen Cle CF /  Rhys Hoskins Phil
NYY  Mike Mousakas 3b Mil  / Nelson Cruz Sea
Washington   Josh Reddick Hou /  Ian Happ Cubs

Round 21  two picks

Wash  Reynaldo Lopez P Chi /  Corey Dickerson OF Pit
NYY    Adam Ottavino Col P /  Ryan Brawn C Mil

StL:     Delin Botances NYY P /  Daniel Murphy  2b/1b Cubs
Sf      Yuli Gurriel IF Hou  /  German Marquez Col P
TB    Kolten Wong 2b StL /  Luis Castello Cin sp
SD   Kevin Keirmaier cf TB  /    Cameron Mavin of Sea
Mets   K Yates SD P / Jason Hayward rf cubs
Sea   Brandon workman Bos P / Tanaka P Yankees

Round twenty (two picks per round)

Sea Albert Amora Jr CF  Cubs /   Chad Greene P NYY
Mets   Daniel Robertson TB LF /  Jay Chavez Cubs P
SD   Matt Kemp OF LA  / Kiki Hernandez utl LA
TB     Seth Lugo mets P /  Andrew McCuchhen NYY OF
SF    Elias Diaz Pit /  Scott Oberg p Col
StL   Nick Vincent Sea P /   Lou Trevino P Oak
NYY   John Holder P NYY / Billy Hamilton of Cin
Washington    Taylor Cole P  LAA / Dakota Hudson StL P

Round 19
Wash Bobby Poyner LHP Bos
NYY  Domingo German NYY SP
StL:  OF Khris Daivs Oak
Sf   Ozzie Alblez 2b ATL
TB   Brock holt Bos
SD  Jhoulis Chacin sp Mil
Mets  Annibel Sanchez Atl
Sea  Brian McCain C Atl

Round 18

Sea Zach Wheeler SP Mets
Mets  Yasmani Grendal C LA
SD  Miguel Rojas  ss Miami
TB    Nathan Eovaldi Bos SP
SF   Jace Fry RP CWS
StL  SP Jose Berrios Minn
NYY   Edwin Encarnacion Cle
Washington   Raphael Devers 3b

Round 17:

Wash Marwin Gonzalez Hou LF

NY  Max Munch LA

StL   SS Paul DeJong Cards

SF    Joey Gallo of Tex

TB Alex Gordon KC

SD  SD Matt olsen Oak 1b

Mets  Travis Shaw Mil 3b

Sea  Clay buckholtz Ari P

Round 16

Sea David Robertson P  NYY
Mets Blane Hardy Det P
SD  Steven Wright Bos
TB   Steve Cishek cubs
SF Sean Newcomb P ATL
StL Xander Bogarts BOS
NYY  Nick Markekus atl rf
Washington  Dee Gordon 2b Seattle

Round 15
Wash Jose Quintana Cubs
NYY Roberto Ozuna Hou
StL: SS Edwardo Escobar Arizona
Sf Cody Bellinger 1b OF
TB Justin Turner LA 3b
SD Eduardo Rodriguez Bos SP
Mets Jared hughes cin P
Sea Blake Treinen p Oak

Round 14

Sea 2b Adam Frazier Pitts
Mets Oliver Perez P Cle
SD Buster Posey C SF
TB Julio Teheran SP ATL
SF Kyle Hendricks SP cubs
StL Scooter Genette 2b cin
NYY Matt Weiters Washington
Wash Jeurys Familia P Oak

Round 13

Wash Craig Kimbrel Bos
NYY Charlie Morton hou P
StL Joe Mauer Min
SF Tomas Telis C TB
TB Joey Wendle 2b tb
SD Jeff Mathas c Arizona
Mets Wade Leblanc Sea
Sea Mike Clevenger Cleveland

Round 12

Sea Tanner Scott Baltimore
Mets Joe Panik 2b SF
SD Sean Dolittle Washington P
TB 3b Johan Camergo Atl
sf Corey Knevel P Mil
StL Yadier Molina C
NYY Jouchieam Soria Mil
Washington Shohei Othani P / DH

Round 11

Washington: LHRP Brad Hand Cle
NYY Brett Gardner OF
StL LF Benentendi LF Bos
SF 2B John Villar Balt
TB RHRP Ryan Braiser
SD Justin Miller Washington
Mets Trea Turner Ss Washington
Sea Kevin McCarthy KC P

Round 10

Sea RP Colin McHugh Hou
Mets Joey Votto CIn
SD SP Miles Mikokes StL
tb RP Raphael Iglesias Cin
sf Seranthony Dominguez Phil
Stl SS Jean Segura Seattle
NYY Steve Stausberg washington
Washington Jose Altuve 2b Hou

Round 9

Washington LHSP Marco Gonzalez Sea
NYY Louis Severino NYY
StL RHP Corey Kluber Cle
SF Mitch Hanager Sea
TB Kenley Janson LA
SD Of Marcel Ozuna StL
Mets David Peralta Arizona
Sea P Ryan Carpenter Det

Round 8

Seattle Giancarlo Stanton NYY
Mets OF Brandon Nemo NYM
SD George Springer HOU
TB Walker Bueller LA
SF Jeremy Jeffress Mil
StL C Salvadore Perez KC
NYY Christian Vasquez C
Washington C Blake Sweihart Bos

round 7

Washington C Martin Maldonado Hou
NYY Aroldis Chapman NYY
StL RHSP Trevor Bauer Cleveland
SF OF Ben Zobrist cubs
TB C Wilson Contraris cubs
SD C Gary Sanchez NYY
Mets P David Price Bos
Sea Matt Carpenter StL

round 6

Sea Addison Russell SS Cubs
Mets Edwin Diaz Sea
SD Inf Javier Baez Chi
TB Whit Merrifield KC
SF M Folynewicz Atl
StL OF Juan Soto Washington
NYY Gleyber Torres NYY
Wash Anthony Rizzo cubs

Round 5

Washington CF Lorenzo Cain Milwaukee
NYY Aaron Judge NYY
StL 3b Matt Chapman Oak
SF Utl Alex Bregman Hou
TB LHSP Patrick Corbin Ari
SD 1B Jesus Aguliar Mil
Mets Roland Acuna JR
Sea Ross Stripling LA

Round four

Seattle JT RealMuto Mia
Mets SP Carlos Carrasco
SD JD martinez Bos
TB Paul Goldschmidt StL
SF Clayton Kershaw LA
StL LHRP Josh Haider Mil
MYY Bryce Harper Washington
Washington 3B Anthony Rendon Wasington

Round three

Washington SS Francisco Lindor Cle
NYY Garrett Cole Hou
StL Sterling Matte Pittsburgh
SF Michael Brantley Cle
TB SP Zach Greinke Arizona
SD Blake Snell TB
Mets RHSP Aaron Nola Phil
Seattle Freddy Freeman Atl

Round Two

Seattle Geraldo Parra OF COL
Mets: Francisco Cervelli Pits
SD 3b Nolan Arenado Col
TB SS Alderton Simmons Angles
SF P Justin Verlander Hou
StL P Chris Sale Bos
NYY 2b 2b DJ Lemhew Col
Washington Max Scherzer Washington

Round 1.

Washington Mookie Betts Bos
NYY Mike Trout Cal
StL Jacob DeGrom Mets
SF Manny Machado LA

Tampa Bay Christian Yelish MIl
San Diego Trevor Story Col
Mets Jose Ramirez Cle
Seattle of Malix smith TB

The draft is about to begin
Draft system is 1-8 8-1

DH both league

round 19 or 21 two picks per round

Dice roll for 1st pick low roll picks

Peter 014 chooes to draft 1st
Sherwood 028 chooses to draft 2nd
Patrick 63 chooses to pick team
Alvin (by proxy) 68 chooses to draft
Mark Gionet 337 draft

Mike Kennedy 383 draft

Mike F 410 draft

Elliot gionet 740 draft

Patrick chooes Seattle Mariners
Elliot Gionet Mets
Mike F Chooses San Diego
Mike Kennedy Tampa Bay

Mark Gionet San Francisco
Alivn St. Louis
Sherwood NYY

Peter Washington

Division Rolls
Alvin 804
Patrick Rolls 456
Mike K 645
Mike F 291
Sherwood 161
Peter 423

Dan League
Elliot Gionet Mets
Mike M San Diego
Sherwood NYY
Peter Washington

Lynn League

Mark Gionet
Alivn
Mike K
Patrick

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