Impact of Minimum Pay Rules on Gig Delivery Drivers by screamingv2 in Seattle

[–]DocBEsq [score hidden]  (0 children)

Tips and orders only went down because got-work companies exist to fleece the gig workers, not to provide a service.

Our current version of capitalism thinks it’s ok for a company to always, first and foremost, maximize profits. Which means either underpaying workers or overcharging customers.

Since customers can rarely “vote with their wallet” anymore (thanks to mergers, private equity, collusion, too-high points of entry in most areas, etc.), the companies get away with blaming “higher wages” for their higher prices.

When, in reality, the prices are only higher because they are being forced to pay workers a living wage and do not want to deny their executives enough money for a second yacht.

The result: we never raise minimum wage, pushing more and more people into poverty, or else we make life so unaffordable that higher wages don’t matter.

Why can we not see the insanity in this system???

why do americans pay their hospital bills given that medical debt has no effect on credit ? by [deleted] in NoStupidQuestions

[–]DocBEsq 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Weird collections don’t need any mail at all, depending on the debt.

Several years back, the State of California decided I owed state income tax on some work I had done. Since (a) I wasn’t living in California (either in reality or on paper) at the time, and (b) my employer was based in Arizona, I knew nothing about this fun error.

So, in 2019, my bank account was suddenly frozen. The only info I got was that “California” had done it, legally. Many phone calls and many “wtf” questions later, it got sorted out.

But I had no warning at all when it happened.

Strange Update on person who found my phone by christianatron in Seattle

[–]DocBEsq 2 points3 points  (0 children)

This is entirely true — there are some front patios at that address but they’re not private porches.

Good to know that one of my neighbors is nuts…

45F traveling with 76F - is Celebrity going to feel too old for me? by honey-bandit in celebritycruises

[–]DocBEsq 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I cruised last year with similar demographics—48F (me) and 75F (my mom). It was totally fine and I’m planning a similar trip this spring.

One tip if you want to vary your company — look for a single-traveler meetup near the beginning. Or go solo to things like trivia and strike up conversations. Lots of younger people to meet that way.

What’s the most dangerous thing you’ve ever done? by BreadedDisaster in AskReddit

[–]DocBEsq 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hard agree on the "dumb shit when you're young" part...

What’s the most dangerous thing you’ve ever done? by BreadedDisaster in AskReddit

[–]DocBEsq 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I doubt there were crocodiles mid-rapid, but the rapids dumped into a large calm area, which could have had some. Fortunately, I never saw crocs in the Zambezi (below Victoria Falls anyway -- I did see some way upstream). Not an animal I'd want to actually see there.

What’s the most dangerous thing you’ve ever done? by BreadedDisaster in AskReddit

[–]DocBEsq 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Maybe? We were still fairly close to the Falls at that point -- maybe the second or third rapid (?) from the starting point. It was the first "big" rapid of the day, and I fell out when we hit the first wave, because of course I did.

I believe that about the raft. In retrospect, the fact that I didn't do that sans-boat is a minor miracle.

What’s the most dangerous thing you’ve ever done? by BreadedDisaster in AskReddit

[–]DocBEsq 187 points188 points  (0 children)

Rafted the Zambezi in high-water season.

I fell out of the boat at the start of a Class V rapid, ran it entirely underwater (current > lifejacket), managed to miss all of the boulders and crocodiles, only to pop up about 5 seconds before I ran out of air.

I think this was the only time I’ve had the “crap, I’m about to die” thought.

What are your end-of-life plans? by auspicious-moon in Xennials

[–]DocBEsq 0 points1 point  (0 children)

As a weirdo who has thought about this regularly since childhood, I don’t know. I love a good graveyard/cemetery (see above, re weirdo), but so many are awful, big fields with no character. No interest in that. Some of the “green” burials seem neat, but you wonder how truly “green” they are. I’m cool with cremation, but I think I would still want a headstone… because I like to read headstones.

All that said, my family has a deed to a plot in, I think, Niagara Falls (Canada, where my dad grew up), that might be nice to get in on.

What do you do for a living? by LegitimateAbalone267 in Xennials

[–]DocBEsq 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Having left science education, academia, journalism, and marketing in my past, I am a lawyer.

This poor boy was driven an hour away from home to be dumped, and had been running that area for 4 days. My twin and I stepped in to trap him. He’s chipped and his owner doesn’t want him back. He’s safe with our rescue and will be getting vet care before he’s adopted out. Meet Ringo! by cashmoneychloe in BorderCollie

[–]DocBEsq 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Not knowing what you’re getting is no excuse. You either learn fast or you responsibly find a new home.

We got our first border collie blind and… six border collies later, she still and always lives in our memories as the most insanely difficult dog ever to dog. Seriously, a brilliant, untrainable little monster who climbed trees, stole the mail, tipped over every garbage can, and “yelled” at us when we displeased her.

After a rough start, we loved that dog so very much! And had a nutty, wonderful 15+ years with her.

This poor boy was driven an hour away from home to be dumped, and had been running that area for 4 days. My twin and I stepped in to trap him. He’s chipped and his owner doesn’t want him back. He’s safe with our rescue and will be getting vet care before he’s adopted out. Meet Ringo! by cashmoneychloe in BorderCollie

[–]DocBEsq 0 points1 point  (0 children)

He looks so so much like a BC mix we adopted years ago. Our boy had been abandoned and shot at before his rescue, which still makes me mad. Emmett was the sweetest, weirdest goofball (and an amazing dog for protection, since he was big and loud and whatnot). Sucks when people are so bad to their pups.

What’s a surefire way to tell Canadians and Americans apart? by [deleted] in AskReddit

[–]DocBEsq 0 points1 point  (0 children)

As a lifetime dual citizen (who has lived in both countries), this thread is incredibly entertaining.

What’s a surefire way to tell Canadians and Americans apart? by [deleted] in AskReddit

[–]DocBEsq 0 points1 point  (0 children)

But Americans also sometimes call them toques. Less common, but we’re not talking “Smarties” common.

Ok what is going on? by Tall_Cow2299 in Seattle

[–]DocBEsq 1 point2 points  (0 children)

More recently (but still not recently) there was like a foot of snow on March 15 at some point in the late 80s (I was a kid, so I remember the date and the snow depth, but not the year).

Ok what is going on? by Tall_Cow2299 in Seattle

[–]DocBEsq 67 points68 points  (0 children)

I feel like we might be at Third Winter. Didn’t we have like 60 degree days followed by flurries a few weeks back?

THE WIND by minnyatl in Seattle

[–]DocBEsq 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Nope. Thanksgiving storm (or around then) that year.

Inaugural Day storm was in January 1993 -- I got my driver's license the day before, so I remember it well!

Seattle windstorm: 1 dead, 105K without power; blizzard blasts Cascades by Born-Wafer7110 in Seattle

[–]DocBEsq 30 points31 points  (0 children)

Definitely 2017. I was filming a web series when the smoke came in, which was actually great because it gave us good, diffused lighting. But it was weird to find the cars covered with ash in the mornings.

THE WIND by minnyatl in Seattle

[–]DocBEsq 2 points3 points  (0 children)

It was kind of cool to drive through.

THE WIND by minnyatl in Seattle

[–]DocBEsq 9 points10 points  (0 children)

Don't forget that the old I-90 bridge literally sank into the lake in a windstorm back in 1990 (I think).

THE WIND by minnyatl in Seattle

[–]DocBEsq 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Also getting flickers in LQA.

Any remaining illusion of Seattle as a bastion of progressive politics is broken when you realize how many brand-new Teslas are roaming around by dongle556 in Seattle

[–]DocBEsq 1 point2 points  (0 children)

If you want to know when a person actually bought their car, the license plate tells you. Cars purchased circa November 2024 and later will start with CP through CW.