Economics is a harsh mistress

[brenthutch 383]

3.9>3.6

Kallend, can you check my math?

Seriously though, by that thinking the Raiders are a better team than the Patriots because they improved more. 

Edited December 19, 2019 by brenthutch

[SkyDekker 1,121]

While California instituted and increased their minimum wage, their unemployment fell significantly more than the national average. According to you, this is in spite of the negative effect this high minimum wage has on employment. This would mean that California is significantly outperforming the US.

[brenthutch 383]

Not according to me, according to Harvard.  It did not study the impact on the overall economy, it focused on the restaurant industry.  And how it adversely affected more modest establishments.  It noted that in a 4 or 5 star restaurant the staff was likely making more than the minimum and was not impacted. 

BTW some of that "significant fall" in unemployment is a result of the exodus of middle class workers to states like Arizona and Texas.  In banking we called that "addition through subtraction"

https://www.sacbee.com/news/databases/article32679753.html

[SkyDekker 1,121]

10 minutes ago, brenthutch said:

Not according to me, according to Harvard.  It did not study the impact on the overall economy, it focused on the restaurant industry.  And how it adversely affected more modest establishments.

So what is your point then? Your problem has generally been with minimum wage in general, not minimum wage in shit restaurants. If you are just lamenting that the minimum wage has reduced shit service in shit restaurants, well then I think most of us likely think that is a positive.

Here I thought you were trying to make a bigger point. My apologies.

[JoeWeber 2,294]

11 minutes ago, brenthutch said:

"addition through subtraction"

You mean like robbing Peter to pay Paul? Glorious. You've said you were a bank officer but I've sat at Bank Officers desks nearly non-stop for over three decades. I've always marveled at how many "officers" and V.P.'s" banks had. What was your slot?

[lummy 4]

7 hours ago, brenthutch said:

CA unemployment rate 4.0% national unemployment rate 3.5%.  

But the Bay Area unemployment rate is under 3%, currently @ 2.3% 
https://www.bls.gov/eag/eag.ca_sanfrancisco_msa.htm

 

[brenthutch 383]

What are you guys struggling with?  Read the article, there are plenty of high tech jobs, plenty of high end service jobs, what is lacking are entry level jobs where a disadvantaged person can develop the skills to better themselves and by extension, society.  If you have not noticed California is bifurcating into the haves and have nots.  I'm not worried about a software engineer, I am concerned with the welfare of the less fortunate. 

[brenthutch 383]

2 hours ago, SkyDekker said:

Your problem has generally been with minimum wage in general, not minimum wage in shit restaurants. If you are just lamenting that the minimum wage has reduced shit service in shit restaurants, well then I think most of us likely think that is a positive.

Given the data was based on the median of a three star restaurant, It says more about you that it does the workers trying to learn job skills and better themselves and their families.  Claiming workers in a three star restaurants are providing "shit service"?  Classy, real classy.

Edited December 20, 2019 by brenthutch

[brenthutch 383]

3 hours ago, JoeWeber said:

You mean like robbing Peter to pay Paul? Glorious. You've said you were a bank officer but I've sat at Bank Officers desks nearly non-stop for over three decades. I've always marveled at how many "officers" and V.P.'s" banks had. What was your slot?

Just a senior officer.  I am no more than a humble worker bee that was in the right place at the right time.

Edited December 20, 2019 by brenthutch

[JoeWeber 2,294]

8 hours ago, brenthutch said:

Just a senior officer.  I am no more than a humble worker bee that was in the right place at the right time.

Understood. You passed out the free toasters at Christmas.

[turtlespeed 212]

15 hours ago, JoeWeber said:

Understood. You passed out the free toasters at Christmas.

Why do you feel the need to belittle him?

[headoverheels 291]

4 hours ago, turtlespeed said:

Why do you feel the need to belittle him?

Maybe he didn't qualify for a free toaster.

[JoeWeber 2,294]

8 hours ago, turtlespeed said:

Why do you feel the need to belittle him?

Because since I blocked you he's all I have. Don't you go and get all motherly over him, I'm sure Brent can take whatever I dish out and not spill a drop of the cheap wine he drinks. 

[brenthutch 383]

No cheap wine (like normal) I’m at the in-laws, Ardbeg Uigeadial is called for tonight. (Mixing it with Diet Coke, on ice in a solo cup)

Edited December 22, 2019 by brenthutch

[airdvr 197]

 

[SkyDekker 1,121]

17 hours ago, brenthutch said:

No cheap wine (like normal) I’m at the in-laws, Ardbeg Uigeadial is called for tonight. (Mixing it with Diet Coke, on ice in a solo cup)

Nice Scotch, shame to mix it. But to each their own. 

[brenthutch 383]

45 minutes ago, SkyDekker said:

Nice Scotch, shame to mix it. But to each their own. 

Really?  I should have included the tongue planted firmly in cheek emoji.

(not about the Scotch, but about the Diet Coke, ice and solo cup)

[JoeWeber 2,294]

13 minutes ago, brenthutch said:

Really?  I should have included the tongue planted firmly in cheek emoji.

(not about the Scotch, but about the Diet Coke, ice and solo cup)

No, you didn't need an emoji. I've not tried it but will give it a go next time I'm in Dryland.

[gowlerk 1,903]

1 hour ago, brenthutch said:

Really?  I should have included the tongue planted firmly in cheek emoji.

(not about the Scotch, but about the Diet Coke, ice and solo cup)

I actually drank some Crown with Diet Coke and ice last night. I was pouring for a friend and just did as he did. I can not think of a scotch that I would do this to. Not even Johnny Walker Red.

Edited December 22, 2019 by gowlerk

[brenthutch 383]

Just to be clear, the whole "mixing it with diet coke on ice in a solo cup" was in jest.  I drink my whiskies neat. 

[gowlerk 1,903]

37 minutes ago, brenthutch said:

Just to be clear, the whole "mixing it with diet coke on ice in a solo cup" was in jest.  I drink my whiskies neat. 

Do you have to be a righteous winger even in your drink?  Loosen up man, your rep will survive a little sweetened alcohol!

[airdvr 197]

Object lesson in getting old(?); went out to a trendy bar Friday evening with Rox's work friends.  Ordered Dewar's on the rocks with a twist...they didn't have Dewar's.  J & B?  Nope.  Ended up drinking Chivas.

Was that a poorly stocked bar or are my tastes that far out of style?

[gowlerk 1,903]

1 hour ago, airdvr said:

Was that a poorly stocked bar or are my tastes that far out of style?

Those are all blended whiskeys. And they are fine. But the "trend" is single malts and for whiskey snobs to turn up their noses at blends.

[brenthutch 383]

Not a snob, I remember, learning from my grandfather, that Jim Beam was top shelf stuff. 

I became interested in single malts from the time I was a nineteen year old private in Northern Italy.  My Lt. was drinking it, he said that he was "developing" a taste for Scotch (he was a Harvard guy and I guessed that is what Harvard guys did).  I tried it and it was absolutely horrid, I couldn't figure out how anyone would want to put that stuff into their mouths.  Now mind you, at that time I was more of a sloe gin and 7up guy.  The years passed and I occasionally tried, and found it to somewhat more palatable, but still not for me.  About ten years ago I struck up a conversation with a guy who turned out to be a Vietnam war A4 pilot, long story short (I know, too late) he ended up being our jump pilot for two years. Over that time we would have a few single malts and he would educate me on the finer points of good scotch.  At our year-end party I gave him a bottle of Ardbeg Uigeadail (I bought it because the box looked nice and the price point was in range), we opened it up right away.  It was fantastic, it had all of the complexity of the other single malts I had had previously but was lacking the distinctive burnt tire taste I had come to expect.   I have been a fan ever since.  

BTW the best description I have ever heard for single malt is, "It tastes like someone took the bathroom door of your favorite dive bar, drug it through a field of wildflowers and burned it."

Edited December 23, 2019 by brenthutch

[gowlerk 1,903]

6 minutes ago, brenthutch said:

BTW the best description I have ever heard for single malt is, "It tastes like someone took the bathroom door of your favorite dive bar, drug it through a field of wildflowers and burned it."

Ha, whiskey is poison. And it tastes like poison for a reason. We learn to tolerate it slowly and congratulate ourselves and each other on our sophistication. The first single malt I bought was a bottle of Lagavulin. It was a mistake, it is decidedly not a beginner's whiskey. It is what I now call a "very manly" drink. In other words, it has a very strongly peaty taste. I hate the stuff. But that is the nature of a single malt, there are so many different ones and each is unique in some way. They all taste like poison, but some taste less horrible than others. It is a masochist's pastime to develop your taste in scotch. Blended whiskeys taste far better, that's why they blend them. I like Famous Grouse AKA "The Low Flyer" myself. But I'm game to try anything.