kimsch

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Harris at the AFT

Kamala Harris was speaking to the American Federation of Teachers in Houston today.
It was supposed to be a White House speech but it was a campaign speech.

“People should have a right to join a union” means “People should be forced to join unions”

People have never been barred from joining unions. Union formation isn’t a snap of the fingers, but it isn’t banned or barred. People have been forced to join unions to gain employment in certain states in certain fields. If you want to work there, you join the union the union. It’s a union shop.

“Unions helped build the middle class” – “Unions have helped destroy the middle class” Only approximately 7% of the private workforce is in unions. Compared to 36% of the public workforce. Union wages are predicated on some multiple of the Federal minimum wage and as that rises some people gain, but others lose.

Employers don’t only have the rise in wages to account for, they have the rises in FICA taxes, unemployment taxes, workers’ compensation, and other benefits. For every dollar in minimum wage rise the employer has anywhere from $1.17 to $1.27 or more. For each dollar for each hour for each employee.

Prices have to rise or employees have to be let go. Overheads remain the same. Rents, inventories, lights, heat, etc. Fixed costs. Labor is a variable cost. If the employer has to let too many people go and can’t do the work him or herself, they go out of business. And then there are no jobs. Minimum wage: Zero.

“extremists attack our freedom to vote”
“extremists refuse ‘common-sense’ gun laws”

So everyone who isn’t thinking like she is is an extremist.

We want to ban assault weapons” – there is no such thing.

“We are in a fight for the future”
Yes, we most certainly are.

Fanboy Knoxville

We were at Fanboy Knoxville on Saturday and had a lot of fun meeting a lot of people.

We met Danny Trejo, C. Thomas Howell, Rob Schneider, Gina Carano, Giancarlo Esposito, Femi Taylor, Doug Jones, and spoke with Michael Rooker as he wandered the audience at his panel, leaving his moderator to twiddle his thumbs.

I had a few people asking about my rollator walker and I didn’t have a card for them. So, I came home and made stickers with a QR code to put on my Drive Elevate Upright Walker with seats and armrests and I’m making cards to hand out as well. These cards and stickers with the QR code lead to my Amazon Associates affiliate code so I may get a commission if you purchase through the link.

I have to say that I love this walker. I still have my previous Drive brand walker, the Drive Nitro, which I also love, but this one allows me to stand up straighter especially when tackling the hills in Knoxville or Atlanta for DragonCon!

The storage bag on the Elevate is larger and has an included strap so it’s easy to take with you while leaving the walker behind. It also has a built-in cane holder.

QR code to link to Drive Elevate walker on Amazon
Photo of Drive Elevate walker

18 Years Smoke-Free

Eighteen years ago I went to a place for laser acupuncture to quit smoking. I had half a pack of cigarettes with me.

Halfway through the treatment, I threw the pack of cigarettes away.

I haven’t had one since.

I had tried many different methods to quit smoking before but none had quite worked, until this one.

Oh, the money I’ve saved over 18 years! I was in a store recently and saw the price for a carton of cigarettes, more than $78! In Tennessee! I was paying less than that for three cartons in Illinois 18 years ago.

New Umbrella Canopy

The canopy on the patio umbrella that we bought almost five years ago tore and ripped and the wind finally took it almost completely off the framework.

We didn’t want to have to replace the entire cantilever umbrella framework so I looked for canopy replacements. The first one we bought was just a smidge too small. I think it was because our umbrella has solar-powered lights built into the ribs and the center of the umbrella is a little larger than normal.

We had measured the ribs correctly for the first one we purchased but hadn’t accounted for the center hub. When I ordered another one, I made sure that the measurements had a couple of extra inches to accommodate that center hub and it fit perfectly.

Putting a new canopy on your patio umbrella is much less expensive than having to buy a new umbrella and the process isn’t too hard.

Links to Amazon may result in commissions.

52 Photos – Week 52

Final post of the 52 Photos Project.

I might try again in 2025…

Apollo engine at Kennedy Space Center.

Merry Christmas!

What Christmas is all about:

Merry Christmas Everyone!

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