We all probably had close to minimum wage jobs when we were young. Must of us figured out that hard work will get us to the higher wages we wanted.

When I was younger, we used to pay $30 an hour for a back hoe or bull dozer with a 2 hour minimum. The minimum wage was $3.85 an hour. I was paid $5.00. I remember spending a full day shoveling, because it was cheaper than the bulldozer. In this argument, the question I see is, when does the cost of labor cost or than the expense of mechanization? Almost all the grocery stores around here are going to self checkout centers. Loggers are going to self pickers (?) and laying off many of the workers. It is the same question Pol Pot tried to answer when he tried to go back to an agricultural bases society. How do we handle the loss of labor as productivity increases? How much do you pay the sign waver before you go to more expensive but more productive means of advertising?


On a different note, I think we have entered a unique society where the rich are using social means to maximize profits. Almost every restrictive law said to protect us, benefits someone. Mandatory insurance benefits the insurance company, mandatory seat belt laws do the same. Consumer protection laws often benefit those with the means to met them and limit entry into market for smaller companies. In my business, the industry keeps trying to rise the education requirements for entry, while exempting those already in the business. Limit competition = an increase your market share and increase in the cost for the product.
Want to increase demand, simply make everyone purchase it, from insurance to carbon monoxide detectors. My nephew wants to be a doctor, but could not get accepted into medical school, despite stellar grades in one of the toughest undergraduate programs around. Seems only a very small percentage get accepted to medical school and then upon graduating, some are denied residency. Yet all we know that there is a shortage of doctors, right?
It seems all of the economy is using the government to full fill the position of the Union. I loved listening to right wing radio scream about government intervention. I wonder who protects their radio waves? Would it be ok for me to build a tower next to theirs and drown out them out? If we don't like socialism, should we get rid of public roads? Schools? Police? What about the military or boarder patrol?
In then end it really gets down to deciding what is the best level of social intervention is needed. The answer to that seems to be controlled wholly by greed. On one side big business been able to pigeon hole the government to give them what they want, why trying desperately to keep others from getting the same. On the other side the Unions are trying to do the same. Everyone outside each protected group can easily see the problem, but individually we do not have the power, motivation, or means to combat them all. A major correction is needed as I believe it is getting out of control, in all areas.

Just like fishing, one has to pay attention to what's going on to be successful. The "media" distractions du jour overwhelm all of us, considering all the important things Kim K. is doing for the world at large....

Given that most everything in our modern world revolves around international banking and the USD as the reserve currency for same, let's look at a couple charts to get some context to present circumstances.

From it's inception, the USD has been subject to inflation as it historically approaches its ultimate value. One could say from the graph that the value of a buck is inversely proportional to the monetary base. The linked chart's timeline ended in 2009. Let's look at a more current graph that comes to us straight from the horse's mouth.

From this second graph, one could safely state that prior to 2008 inflation was tracking its historically steady as she goes path to USD = 0.00. After QE infinity that began in 2008, what happens to the USD in economic terms when the monetary base increases more than 4-fold in the blink of an international banker's eye?

Are you paying attention?

Exactly Driftin, and as wages remain low while prices continue to rise specifically due to inflation...guess who continues to win in the end. The Poor and middle class get squeezed harder and harder. I say [Bleeeeep!] the peripheral issues and consequences with raising the minimum wage and give it everyone nationwide. It's the only way the common person can possibly keep up with rising costs which they have no control over. Those that do have control and influence over rising costs due to inflation can eat the higher wages they'll be forced to pay, because ultimately they did this for, and to, themselves. But why rush? ... the 1% is making a killing paying low wages.

Most of us also know how to use Google for one minute to see that your "minimum wage" in 1971 would be the equivalent of about $22 an hour right now.

Let me guess, though...you had to walk uphill in the snow both ways to get to your minimum wage job, right?

Fish on...

Todd

The way Hank rages on about this, I'm guessing he must be making all of $9.36 an hour by now, and he doesn't want the burger flippers making more than he does.

How many Mexicans are you sharing your apartment with Hank?

Wow Hank, you must be making out like a Market Street hedge fund manager!

making fun of his living arrangements salmo? real mature from an 'expert'. maybe put the drink down for a bit.

Dark Side, fuckhead.

Cruzn99,

This is the dark side. Maturity has its place, but here it enjoys only a checkerboard pattern, at best. I'm ethically obligated to raze Hank about nearly everything here. I expect he'll let me know when it stops being funny.

Sg

go eat a cock cake since you love both.

Go back to the main board, Sally.

You aren't cut out to hang around here.

Where's the like button?

I can visualize it. A lovely celebration cake, placed on a low table with phallic candles alit, and does Dan want to blow them out, no, he chooses to push the table, with candles ablaze under the drapes.

Now, Dan is happy.

I don't think Dan S could resist not blowing the phallic candles.

Dans talks more about cock sucking than everyone combined , I think it's to throw a false trail . I don't see him as a cock sucker but more of a ball gargler or a ball washer/sniffer. Definitely need some cake shaped balls to tickle his fancy.

Aww. Your mangina still packed with sand?

Quit your fuckin' crying already you pussy and act like you're on the Dark Side. Either that or get a room with that cockgobbler 43-8/TheKing/whateverqueerusername and enjoy yourselves.

Be careful if Dans offers you a Slurpee , he's not talking about a frozen drink at 7-11

Try to be aware Dan. If you could see over the table you would realize that I am no whiner. I'm not pusillanimous and looking for quarter, that's your game.