Most industrial farmers end up buying new seeds every year anyway, not just because the agribusiness that sells the seed has a patent on that seed, but also because the process of preparing your own seed for storage over the winter can take away critical harvest time, and is kind of a pain in the butt. Commercial seed will be properly dried and treated with a fungicide to prevent mold growth over the winter - that process takes time.
Don't get me wrong, banning seed patents isn't a bad idea! I just don't see it turning into major cost savings for crops like corn or wheat.
Pair this with G. Elliot Morris' post today on how to get dissatisfied Trump supporters to actually switch teams. (Hint: It's the economy, Stupid, and giving those voters a message that's compelling enough to get them to vote.) Good plans announced with a press conference only aren't going to be heard over the Trump Chaos News jamming our media. They need to go full PT Barnum and get people engaged. Talk to that socialist guy in NYC who had young people canvassing each other. He seems to know a thing or too about getting people to the polls.
For me as a European, all these things seem quite unambitious (I know they are not in the US). For example, mandatory leave For employees has nothing to do with being sick. When you're sick, you have sick leave, with (almost) no time restriction. The mandatory annual leave is For simply recreating.
Speaking of Barnum News, there must be a way to put a spoke in the murderous Murdoch Nazification machine that doesn't cross the 1st Amendment. Certainly returning to a vigorous enforcement of anti trust legislation already on the books and gathering dust might help. But nothing much can be done, methinks, until the Partisan Six are reined in, rendered powerless, neutered or spayed.
At my work, we have so called 'unlimited vacation' which seems to work for some people but sucks for those of us who are not good at taking vacation. I have taken far less (probably an order of magnitude) less vacation for how long I have worked there from this job than any other I have had. My previous employers always had caps so it forced me to take time off rather than lose the vacation time which was better for me and the company.
The real benefit is to the company since in California vacation is an accrued benefit, so when I left they would have to pay me for all the time I have not taken off but this allows them to not.
What the Supreme Court got wrong in Citizens United. deliberatedly so, what that whwile money may equal speech it also equals corruption. When one person can give as much as 100,000 ordinary people politicians are going to listen to the millionaire and not the greater number of small donors. To remove corruption from politics requires limiting how much a person can conntribute. per candidate and per year.
This is how we win, indeed. Anyone who wants my vote had better be on board with it, as well. Let's make that very clear to the consultant class which derails Dems every electoral cycle, as well. Fuck off, get out of the way, etc. This was an encouraging read. Thank you xx
I just saw where Starwood REIT (a $22B real estate investment trust) just froze withdrawals and slashed dividends. Sounds like they are seeing the start of a run on the place by the marks. I mean investors.
Ta, Robyn. I shall be paid in full for all the vacation time I did not use (currently over 113 hours and increasing daily), but would FORFEIT the payout were I to take any time off between the time I submitted my retirement letter (last week) and my last day of work (May 29th). Yes, were I to get sick or injured between now and then, I have to work every day *anyway* or get ripped off for over $3000 before taxes. And I belong to a Union.
The nonprofit network for which I have worked for six and a half years offers terrible pay, but 11 paid holidays every year, a fixed amount of PTO, enough sick days that I never used them all in a year, and two weeks' vacation starting the first year and increasing every year thereafter. However, they do give you grief when you put in for more than two weeks of vacation time at once. The only time I ever did that was when we got married, which of course happened during Meccalopolis's summer vacation. (I'm so glad I married a teacher!) Had that onerous lose-the-payout NOT been in the acceptance letter for retirement, I would have stayed home today because the COVID booster I got after work yesterday is kinda kicking my ass (just fatigue and general aches, alleviated by aspirin; nothing respiratory). This country has yet to join the civilized world.
That sounds like a "make it easier for HR" rule, not a "Let's be good to our employees" rule. Like, you submit your letter, and they have to make a calculation on how much they owe you.... and if you take a day off in the next month it is SO UNFAIR that they have to redo that calculation? GTFOoH with that kind of garbage.
What if you got in a car accident and were hospitalized? They'd take away all your money because you had to get your leg reset and cast? That feels like "instant lawsuit" territory.
For Democratic voters, as well as a large amount of independents, AOC and Bernie and Senator Professor Warren aren't the radical fringe, they're the mainstream.
"Although these Trump voters are somewhat disappointed with his second term performance, they all agree they will not let communists policies take over the country."
Um, no thank you. (To the "include contract workers" part).
Now, this is coming from a place where I make good money, I'm not one of those "contractor because it is convenient to pay you nothing and also give you no benefits", but I would MUCH rather be in a position to take whatever time off I want in a day - knowing I get paid zero when I do that - than have to request permission to not work for a day and track it vs some allotment.
But I totally agree that the amount of work an employee does to be considered full-time should be less than 40 per week.
But I also know that it doesn't matter where you put that number, dirtbag employers are going to give as many people just under that number as they can get away with.
I think it's more important to get rid of all of the "at will" work laws.
DEPORT REPUBLICANS
WELCOME IMMIGRANTS
Most industrial farmers end up buying new seeds every year anyway, not just because the agribusiness that sells the seed has a patent on that seed, but also because the process of preparing your own seed for storage over the winter can take away critical harvest time, and is kind of a pain in the butt. Commercial seed will be properly dried and treated with a fungicide to prevent mold growth over the winter - that process takes time.
Don't get me wrong, banning seed patents isn't a bad idea! I just don't see it turning into major cost savings for crops like corn or wheat.
Pair this with G. Elliot Morris' post today on how to get dissatisfied Trump supporters to actually switch teams. (Hint: It's the economy, Stupid, and giving those voters a message that's compelling enough to get them to vote.) Good plans announced with a press conference only aren't going to be heard over the Trump Chaos News jamming our media. They need to go full PT Barnum and get people engaged. Talk to that socialist guy in NYC who had young people canvassing each other. He seems to know a thing or too about getting people to the polls.
For me as a European, all these things seem quite unambitious (I know they are not in the US). For example, mandatory leave For employees has nothing to do with being sick. When you're sick, you have sick leave, with (almost) no time restriction. The mandatory annual leave is For simply recreating.
Speaking of Barnum News, there must be a way to put a spoke in the murderous Murdoch Nazification machine that doesn't cross the 1st Amendment. Certainly returning to a vigorous enforcement of anti trust legislation already on the books and gathering dust might help. But nothing much can be done, methinks, until the Partisan Six are reined in, rendered powerless, neutered or spayed.
At my work, we have so called 'unlimited vacation' which seems to work for some people but sucks for those of us who are not good at taking vacation. I have taken far less (probably an order of magnitude) less vacation for how long I have worked there from this job than any other I have had. My previous employers always had caps so it forced me to take time off rather than lose the vacation time which was better for me and the company.
The real benefit is to the company since in California vacation is an accrued benefit, so when I left they would have to pay me for all the time I have not taken off but this allows them to not.
What the Supreme Court got wrong in Citizens United. deliberatedly so, what that whwile money may equal speech it also equals corruption. When one person can give as much as 100,000 ordinary people politicians are going to listen to the millionaire and not the greater number of small donors. To remove corruption from politics requires limiting how much a person can conntribute. per candidate and per year.
Voting should be speech, but I've never seen anyone argue that it is.
All Democrats should read and embrace this!
John Fetterman also, too!
John Fetterman should get; 1.psychiatric help and 2. the fuck out of politics. Take up a nice hobby like taking long walks on and off short piers.
I refuse to embrace Fetterman. ;)
This is how we win, indeed. Anyone who wants my vote had better be on board with it, as well. Let's make that very clear to the consultant class which derails Dems every electoral cycle, as well. Fuck off, get out of the way, etc. This was an encouraging read. Thank you xx
Good start and very necessary.
Can we ban or disincentivize the purchase of SFR homes by hedge funds and corporations?
Anyone who gets legislation passed to ban private equity from buying the housing we all need will have my vote. 👍☝️
I just saw where Starwood REIT (a $22B real estate investment trust) just froze withdrawals and slashed dividends. Sounds like they are seeing the start of a run on the place by the marks. I mean investors.
Ta, Robyn. I shall be paid in full for all the vacation time I did not use (currently over 113 hours and increasing daily), but would FORFEIT the payout were I to take any time off between the time I submitted my retirement letter (last week) and my last day of work (May 29th). Yes, were I to get sick or injured between now and then, I have to work every day *anyway* or get ripped off for over $3000 before taxes. And I belong to a Union.
The nonprofit network for which I have worked for six and a half years offers terrible pay, but 11 paid holidays every year, a fixed amount of PTO, enough sick days that I never used them all in a year, and two weeks' vacation starting the first year and increasing every year thereafter. However, they do give you grief when you put in for more than two weeks of vacation time at once. The only time I ever did that was when we got married, which of course happened during Meccalopolis's summer vacation. (I'm so glad I married a teacher!) Had that onerous lose-the-payout NOT been in the acceptance letter for retirement, I would have stayed home today because the COVID booster I got after work yesterday is kinda kicking my ass (just fatigue and general aches, alleviated by aspirin; nothing respiratory). This country has yet to join the civilized world.
Happy Last Month Eve! I resigned effective April Fool's Day about ten years ago so that my insurance would be covered for the month of April.
OK, that's just asinine.
That sounds like a "make it easier for HR" rule, not a "Let's be good to our employees" rule. Like, you submit your letter, and they have to make a calculation on how much they owe you.... and if you take a day off in the next month it is SO UNFAIR that they have to redo that calculation? GTFOoH with that kind of garbage.
What if you got in a car accident and were hospitalized? They'd take away all your money because you had to get your leg reset and cast? That feels like "instant lawsuit" territory.
So, money is free speech,but writing numbers in seashells is a crime?
That's right! And every time a bell rings an angel gets his wings.
In MAGAworld, it is a demon who gets flight privileges.
For Democratic voters, as well as a large amount of independents, AOC and Bernie and Senator Professor Warren aren't the radical fringe, they're the mainstream.
I would say this doesn't go far enough, but if we can get this, great.
Do you think the NYT will survey Trump voters about these Progressive policies because they sure a hell don't care what we think...🤔
When pigs fly. The only opinions that the FNYT and their ilk are interested in are those acceptable to the oligarch class.
"Although these Trump voters are somewhat disappointed with his second term performance, they all agree they will not let communists policies take over the country."
This is a nice time thread, and should have been chosen for the Open Thread.
Full-time should be defined as 30+ hours and include contract workers.
Um, no thank you. (To the "include contract workers" part).
Now, this is coming from a place where I make good money, I'm not one of those "contractor because it is convenient to pay you nothing and also give you no benefits", but I would MUCH rather be in a position to take whatever time off I want in a day - knowing I get paid zero when I do that - than have to request permission to not work for a day and track it vs some allotment.
But I totally agree that the amount of work an employee does to be considered full-time should be less than 40 per week.
But I also know that it doesn't matter where you put that number, dirtbag employers are going to give as many people just under that number as they can get away with.
I think it's more important to get rid of all of the "at will" work laws.
Why not both?
Liberace had way more taste than Dumpy