Interesting News, Articles & Stuff

[florduh]

I am not a numbers guy, but I don’t think this strategy will work for very long.

At the end of the day, it's not even about the money with these people. It's about power. They will expend a shit ton of resources to prevent workers from having any say over their pay or working conditions.

As a worker, you're meant to spend most of your adult waking life in a petty dictatorship. Unions introduce a little democracy into the economic realm, and we just can't have that.

 

[cybrguy]

Check out this Post at https://post.news/@/vicr_mxc/2PeXIY6PghWM6PARlwnN5lJM9AX
Your friendly reminder that Al Franken was forced out of the Senate by his own party for taking a picture of himself pretending to touch a woman's breasts.

Meanwhile, a jury unanimously found Trump liable for sexual assault and he's the front-runner for the GOP in 2024.

Anyone who still says there is no difference between the parties is either a liar or an imbecile.

 

[florduh]

Meanwhile, a jury unanimously found Trump liable for sexual assault and he's the front-runner for the GOP in 2024.

My favorite part of this is...his biggest defense was "she was not my type". Then, during the deposition, he incorrectly identified a picture of the victim as his ex-wife, Marla Maples. Presumably he'd only marry a lady who was his type. And he clearly thought the victim looked like one of the ladies he married.

 

[Farid]

I truly believe that the only road to a decent future involves a reinvigorated organized Labor Movement. Especially with all this AI bullshit.

I remember when the John Deere strike was happening recently. The bosses tried to end the strike by promising the older guys better pay and benefits, but cut younger guys and new hires out of the deal. The old guys told the bosses to fuck off with that.

They literally went longer without pay to help out their fellow workers. The opposite of the Ameri-brained "fuck you, I got mine" mentality. Solidarity.

What a bunch of scumbags. Union busting is disgusting.

At least in manufacturing, AI is more likely to put white collar jobs at risk than trade union jobs. Automation cannot replace many skilled trades, and with every automated process you need skilled technicians to operate those systems. It might mean fewer low paying jobs, but those are the monotonous back breaking jobs that get replaced with technician positions that are higher paying and develop a worker's skillset. It's your planners, customer service, and other support roles that are high risk for being phased out by AI, and often these are not union jobs.

I completely recognize that many companies don't automate correctly, but it's not just the workers that suffer, the company does as well. The East Palestine train disaster is a great example of this. Norfolk Southern attempted to replace a highly skilled job with automation, and as a result the safety mechanisms in place were eroded, and a whole community was devastated. Criminal behavior by upper management, and they should be held to account.

I'm pro union in principle. Good unions result in higher quality tradesmen, since they have high standards, as every member reflects on that union's reputation. But I've also worked with unions that are extremely political, negotiate in bad faith, and value numbers more than standing up for their members. I also think it's insane to grieve against managers for things like picking up trash or reorganizing their office.

 

[hinglemccringleberry]

If by 'interesting' you mean 'creepy enough to make you a bit nauseous', then this article goes here

 

[florduh]

At least in manufacturing, AI is more likely to put white collar jobs at risk than trade union jobs. Automation cannot replace many skilled trades, and with every automated process you need skilled technicians to operate those systems. It might mean fewer low paying jobs, but those are the monotonous back breaking jobs that get replaced with technician positions that are higher paying and develop a worker's skillset. It's your planners, customer service, and other support roles that are high risk for being phased out by AI, and often these are not union jobs.

I agree that blue collar jobs are safer than white collar jobs in terms of automation. But the biggest strike in the country currently is in no small part about AI.

TV’s War With the Robots Is Already Here

A.I. screenwriting, a point of contention in the Writers Guild strike, may not yet be ready for prime time. But streaming algorithms and derivative programming have prepared the way for it.

www.nytimes.com

Frankly, white collar folks should be organizing their workplaces immediately. And if/when white collar jobs start getting automated you're gonna see wages in skilled trades crater too.

Remember all that "learn to code" bullshit a few years back? That wasn't about getting coal miners into a higher paid industry. It was more about driving down the wages of programmers.

I'm pro union in principle. Good unions result in higher quality tradesmen, since they have high standards, as every member reflects on that union's reputation. But I've also worked with unions that are extremely political, negotiate in bad faith, and value numbers more than standing up for their members. I also think it's insane to grieve against managers for things like picking up trash or reorganizing their office.

There has been a problem over the past few decades with corrupt union leadership. Thankfully, that seems to be changing a bit in recent union elections. My feeling on the matter is.... however corrupt unions have been, corporation C-Suites are about a million times more corrupt.

Yeah.... petty shop stewards will grieve stupid shit. But....plenty of petty bosses out there too, right?

With the WGA strike.... studios refused to negotiate, at all. They just believe they can starve the writers out.

I don't think unions are perfect institutions. But the alternative is just letting corporate America have their way with workers.

 

[Madtater]

If by 'interesting' you mean 'creepy enough to send shivers down your spine and make you a bit nauseous', then this article goes here

Some people pay good money for that kind of treatment…and they got it for free.

#perspective

 

[Abele Rizieri Ferrari]

It's sexual abuse though.

 

[Madtater]

It was a joke.

I still bet you’re really fun at parties though.

 

[Farid]

The learn to code thing to me is a half assed answer to the gutting of tons of American industries due to outsourcing etc.

I'm more in favor of the government stepping in to provide healthcare, and basic needs than pushing for unionization across the board only because I think people need to stop being tethered to their job for survival. That's how we end up with so many useless jobs in the first place. The way I see it, major corporations can afford the losses associated with a unionozing workforce more than a small buisness can.

AI and automation are supposed to make life easier, but the only way that can happen is if the need to work is separated from surviving.

 

[florduh]

I'm more in favor of the government stepping in to provide healthcare, and basic needs than pushing for unionization across the board only because I think people need to stop being tethered to their job for survival. That's how we end up with so many useless jobs in the first place. The way I see it, major corporations can afford the losses associated with a unionozing workforce more than a small buisness can.

The only reason I'm placing more faith in the labor movement at the moment is....I have lost all faith in the government. Or at least the Federal Government. I'm all for the government providing healthcare and providing some sort of baseline living. But we'd need a functional Federal Gov for that to work. And I don't think we have that anymore.

Maybe I'm too pessimistic though.

AI and automation are supposed to make life easier, but the only way that can happen is if the need to work is separated from surviving.

Yeah, I'm a big sci-fi head. In sci-fi timelines, it seems like the 21st century goes one of two ways. If we continue down our current path, we're headed to a dystopian cyberpunk future. Or we could choose to live in a more idyllic, Star Trek future. I'm starting to worry that decision point is coming sooner rather than later.

 

[florduh]

The Ugly Truth Behind “We Buy Ugly Houses”

HomeVestors of America, the self-proclaimed “largest homebuyer in the U.S.,” trains its nearly 1,150 franchisees to zero in on homeowners’ desperation.

www.propublica.org

a ProPublica investigation — based on court documents, property records, company training materials and interviews with 48 former franchise owners and dozens of homeowners who have sold to its franchises — found HomeVestors franchisees that used deception and targeted the elderly, infirm and those so close to poverty that they feared homelessness would be a consequence of selling.

This story is horrific.

One HomeVestors franchisee falsely claimed to a 72-year-old woman suffering from a hoarding problem that city code enforcement officers would take her house, according to court documents. An Arizona woman said in an interview that she was forced to live in her truck after trying unsuccessfully to cancel the sale of her home. One court case documented the plight of an elderly man in Florida who was told if he sold his condo he could continue living there temporarily. But he spent his final days alive waiting to be evicted when — after the contract was signed — the franchise owner informed him the homeowners association rules didn’t allow it.

The CEO of HomeVestors has instructed franchisees and employees NOT to click on this link. They're worried it will help drive the story higher in search engines. Their goal is to bury the story in an attempt to protect their scam business model.

Another bummer....

Ken Jennings crosses the picket line to tape Jeopardy!

Ken Jennings crossed the WGA picket line to tape Jeopardy! amid the writers strike. Learn more about the strike and taping here.

consequence.net

I'll take "what is a 'Scab' for $500, Alex". Bummer, because I'm a Jennings fan.

 

[macbill]

Florida's new immigration law creates 'panic' in agriculture community

WPTV is told that some farm workers are already too scared to go to work and are considering leaving the state as new immigration law is set to take effect this summer.

www.wptv.com

 

[florduh]

Florida's new immigration law creates 'panic' in agriculture community

WPTV is told that some farm workers are already too scared to go to work and are considering leaving the state as new immigration law is set to take effect this summer.

www.wptv.com

There's something really sick to me about illegal immigrant discourse in this country. If we could Thanos snap every "illegal" out of the country, the price of food to quadruple immediately. If we didn't straight up starve.

The Venn diagram of people who bitch about "illegals" and people who say "no one wants to works anymore" is a perfect circle. And if you can't get citizens to work service industry jobs for $15/hour you sure as hell aren't getting them to pick vegetables all day for $8/hour.

Florida Construction Sites Vacant After Immigration Bill

A scary site for construction owners maybe underway in Florida. A new immigration bill could be threatening a lot as some construction sites

power98fm.com

Glad Meatball Ron is taking the Florida housing affordability crisis seriously!

 

[macbill]

Missouri is the state with the cheapest cigarettes in the country with a cigarette price of $5.21 per pack.

I'm glad I quit when I did. In my lifetime I paid as little as $2 a carton from the Navy PX back in the late 60's.

 

[Madtater]

Missouri is the state with the cheapest cigarettes in the country with a cigarette price of $5.21 per pack.

I'm glad I quit when I did. In my lifetime I paid as little as $2 a carton from the Navy PX back in the late 60's.

When i quit, it was $2.75 a pack at 1/2 ppd. I cant even imagine paying $12 a pack now.

 

[TommyDee]

$20/carton when I quit. I think CBD is cheaper now.

 

[macbill]

Science recently uncovered these 5 fascinating facts about psychedelic substances ｜ PsyPost

Scientists are interested in studying psychedelic substances because they have the potential to alter perception, cognition, and mood in ways that may be beneficial for treating a variety of mental health conditions. Some studies suggest that certain psychedelics may have therapeutic effects for...

nordot.app

 

[AssistedLiving]

Chinese scientists develop cutting-edge tech for 3D ceramic printing in the air

Jiangnan University team creates new printing paste and improved curing technique to enhance 3D printing efficiency and remove need for support structures.

www.scmp.com

 

[Haze Mister]

I still bet you’re really fun at parties though

Those parties that revolve around everyone talking and/or showing how much fun they are sound terribly boring to me!

AI and automation are supposed to make life easier, but the only way that can happen is if the need to work is separated from surviving.

I think they are really designed to make life easier for the 0.1% who really profit from digital slavery.

 

[Madtater]

Those parties that revolve around everyone talking and/or showing how much fun they are sound terribly boring to me!

Because those parties that people are sitting around talking about things that are blatantly obvious are so much better?

 

[Haze Mister]

Because those parties that people are sitting around talking about things that are blatantly obvious are so much better?

I prefer the ones where there isn't much talking and lots of dancing and music...

 

[macbill]

'My truck won't move.' Are truckers boycotting Florida over DeSantis' new immigration law?

Some Latin American truckers are calling for a statewide boycott in response to Gov. DeSantis' new immigration crackdown law. Here's what we know.

www.tallahassee.com

 

[florduh]

'My truck won't move.' Are truckers boycotting Florida over DeSantis' new immigration law?

Some Latin American truckers are calling for a statewide boycott in response to Gov. DeSantis' new immigration crackdown law. Here's what we know.

www.tallahassee.com

Little Rhonda's dumbass virtue signalling to Fox News viewers laws would be way less obnoxious if they weren't all done in service of his 100% sure to fail Presidential campaign.

 

[Trajectory.]

For brains everywhere:

futurism.com/neoscope/brain-hole-skull-flower