LTS

Great response. Thank you. First, just keep in mind my wife was a teacher. I have many friends who are teachers and many who are administrators. I am very aware of education politics. I have a friend who is a Union rep for teachers. I really do see all sides of the situation, albeit no longer any of them being first hand. Your illustration about hard working teachers who get cut is a great example. I think that actually shows my problem with Unions. The best teachers are irrelevant as during a time of cuts its about salaries, not abilities. Teaching has a certain level of "taking your bag". A friend of mine started a learning center, she's doing very well. It takes a lot of hard work, but she's doing it. There are options, granted it might not be easy, but that was kind of my point. You have to work harder to make it happen. Not necessarily just work hard as a teacher, but also as a business person. Granted I use one person as an example. I read other articles about teachers doing tutoring and other education related jobs to help make ends meet. Is there a business to be made there? I don't know, it's not something I've studied. Given what my friend has accomplished, I think there are possibilities. The private school reference to a factory line is applicable as much to public school as it may be private. Public education is about who passes the state tests. It's all metrics. The kids learning is not as relevant as it used to be. Kids are passed along from grade to grade. I don't think there's any real difference except one is funded by the government and our taxes and especially beholden to special interest groups/corporations like Pearson. Teachers are, in my opinion, one of the most important professions we have. An educated population leads to a better society. The entire system is an issue. Some teachers put up with it because of their passion to teach. I have nothing but the utmost respect for them. There are other teachers who are there because it's a paycheck. I know, my kids have had them. For the profession of public school teaching, Unions are critically important. At the same time, what have they accomplished? When reading about the recent strikes it was noted that teacher's salaries have been declining. The strikes, while helping the salaries of the teachers, may have an adverse impact in that the only way to fund the school is from tax dollars. School budgets have a hard time passing because many people who don't have kids or no longer have kids don't want to help fund the education of the next generation. So, what cuts will need to be made in order to afford the teachers' raises? I don't know what is going to happen with education specifically. It's fundamentally broken, much like healthcare. The numbers of home schooled kids is rising. Private schools have been changing their business models looking to pull more of the middle-upper "middle class". As this happens even more people will vote against public school budgets and will vote in favor of lawmakers who reduce public school expenses. The Republican tax bill allowing the use of up to $10k for private school tuition makes a huge difference as well. Reference materials: https://www.wsj.com/articles/losing-students-private-schools-try-to-change-1514557437

So many dangers just diving into the water. Quite a few years ago a guy who hung out with a bunch of people I knew dove off the back of a boat. One side of the boat it was pretty deep, but he dove off the side where it was apparently only 4 feet deep. Broke his neck and is paralyzed. He very well would have drowned had the people on the boat not been right there and awake. We had a boat when I was growing up and I think the only time we ever dove off of it was when we were well out in the middle of Lake Erie.

That's correct. That was my statement earlier. I know that my company can screw me over and I know I don't have a Union. I choose that because at the same time I believe that i have the appropriate skill set where the company needs me more than I need them. I do also run some side work. I definitely don't dismiss them. It would be nice if they were unnecessary. It would be nice if management of a company could find a way to take care of employees such that no one would feel that a Union was necessary. Fundamentally I believe they create an adversarial relationship more than a collaborative one and that, overall, is not as optimal. It doesn't mean it's not necessary.

This kind of stuff seems to be happening more and more. This desire that the actor must be the same as the character they represent. I guess all those war movies better start hiring real soldiers. I think it's ridiculous. A well known name is going to bring attention to their lifestyle and they don't want that? So, let's get a trans actor in there and then the only people who will care about the movie is the trans community, who already knows about their lifestyle.

I thought I had said before that Unions can be good or bad, depending on how they are run. I might have omitted it in an revision so I only think that I said it. I am aware of the what Unions do on behalf of their constituents as well. What i have said is that some of the things they do may not be in the best interest of all their constituents though. Sometimes the majority wants X and the best thing for a certain group of employees may have been Y. It happened in my family. Personally, I never want to be in a Union. I don't want an organization having that much influence over my work life. It's just who I am. It doesn't matter to me if others want to be in a Union or need to be in a Union. I'm good with whatever works best for people. If the Union provides the right support for a person, then it's a good thing.

That's awful. Drowning is one of those ways I would never want to go out.

I think it's highly representative of the socio-economic surroundings they come from. A large proportion of NFL players come from areas where this behavior is the norm and it's all they've known. They may have money but that, unfortunately, does not change what they know. I'm sure it plays into it. The key factors to me? Most players know they only get a few short years in the league. They've worked so hard that they want to live the lifestyle. So they do it. Living the lifestyle means they attract some unsavory people (if they weren't there all along). They are protective of their lifestyle and don't want to let it go. They are already likely making deficient decisions due to years of minor to major head trauma. It's all a very bad cocktail.

I think it's more the propensity to see trouble where no trouble exists and the ability to assert that innocent events or actions are somehow tied to the root of all evil despite any evidence. For example... Whereas most people would see a brother and sister being cute, you might assert that he's giving her the kiss of death and checking her pulse because she stole his binky last Wednesday in order to payoff the babysitter so she could get an extra cookie at bedtime.

I think the Washington game is the best bet. The 1pm start allows for time after the game. For some reason I can't explain, the St. Louis game seems like it might be something those in TW's ticket group might not want to give up. And CBJ on a Sunday night at 6pm... that might as well be a weeknight game. ? So, I chimed in anyway.

I'm along for the ride... I won't know the hockey schedule until September. So I will adjust to whatever, buy my own ticket, whatever it takes. I can't commit to anything at this point, so my input on what game is unimportant. ?

See, the Royal might be okay. But you know they won't just go back to Royal... and then you throw in your last line and already I've a problem with it. I completely despised those uniforms..

Didn't he get Galchenyuk for Domi? I guess he's not as bad as Bergeron.. but he's still bad? I'm higher on him than both of you apparently. I think Coyotes are going to be a good team.

Also Yzerman and others who aren't clueless.... ?

It really depends on the position and type of work. I can absolutely understand the scenario you describe. My job is more nuanced than that so having full flexibility is awesome. Of course some salaried positions are terribly abused. That's why there is legislation to force employers to pay overtime to salaried employees in certain scenarios. The odds are good that regardless of what they do there will be a significant enough contingent that hates it. I'm not sure any team has universally won the uniform design battle.

Don't think I could ever go back to hourly.

This information never stopped being available. It was just a little bit harder to get and not by much. Just like a celebrity sex tape. Once it's out, it's out. The video is actually the easiest way to keep track of the information. It's much harder to track the schematic files you use to print the gun. They are also much easier to distribute. I suppose that banning the video reduces the overall number of vectors the information can be obtained. I would liken it to locking one side of a double door.

That discussion is happening in The Oval Office. ?

Of course you also get paid for an 8 hour shift if you work 10 as well.

No. The point of work is to not be an owner. You have missed what I was saying, clearly I have failed in getting my point across. Let's address this specific to teaching because that's what you've had in your mind all along. As a public school teacher, until recently, you would have to be in a Union. When the time came for cuts, it may be that the harder working teacher was still cut. However, because that teacher is a good one, (worked hard, etc.) there is a good chance they didn't NEED the Union. They could potentially go to private school. They could start their own business tutoring. They could do a lot of things that a teacher who didn't work as hard wouldn't necessarily have the options to do. That said, I know quite a few teachers who have pushed themselves into school administration because they didn't want to deal with the Union. So, they did work hard enough to no longer be beholden to the Union, albeit by a different path. My point about ownership is that it is the only scenario where you are not beholden to the "management" because you are "management".

Lou is only with the Islanders so he can make Toronto stronger. He's an infiltrator.

Did you start with the bottle today? ?

To the first sentence: Some of them are on this board. ? Some of them especially can't after a few drinks. ? To the second sentence: It was a piece of trash statement that appeared more to be arguments in the court of public opinion rather than a court of law.

Easy there PA. oops, my bad. I meant pi. Damn vowels.

I don't see this as a bad move by any means.

One of those great examples of... everything you think you know and can prognosticate now is garbage. This is why I don't get all that bothered about trades, player selections, etc.