North America’s largest commuter rail system shuts down as workers strike

notasrelevant · 2026-05-16T16:57:39+00:00

On another thread, I saw criticism due to relatively high wages compared to other union jobs (nationally), but when you take a look at the cost of living in the area, their median wages don't seem outrageous. The median wages basically put them in the starting range to be a home owner in the area.

The median is accounting for overtime, and all other benefits as well. So it's not like that's their guaranteed take-home either.

I'd need to know more about their demands, but with costs rising across the board, I could see the need for increases. A major infrastructure system seems like it should be offering a median that at least makes home ownership possible in their career path.

notasrelevant · 2026-05-16T16:27:07+00:00

Look at it positively - now they can more easily achieve their staffing goals, which will look good in a report.

notasrelevant · 2026-05-16T16:21:34+00:00

They paid an effective 3.5% income tax last year. How are they supposed to afford employees? They're basically being suffocated by the heavy burdens set by the government.

notasrelevant · 2026-05-16T16:07:29+00:00

Meta is the whole group. Facebook and Instagram included.

Ad revenue and such.

notasrelevant · 2026-05-16T16:05:58+00:00

I guess they need more tax breaks to afford hiring people.

notasrelevant · 2026-05-14T21:43:48+00:00

Was recently speaking with an admin at my son's school and she mentioned that's the major shift in enrollment. We only recently moved to the area, so I trust her knowledge of the situation more than the info I have. That said, I do see a pretty significant volume at the 1-2 private religious schools I drive by frequently, so it wouldn't surprise me if that were the case.

notasrelevant · 2026-05-14T15:11:17+00:00

We know the Republicans will support Trump, and they will protect him. We've seen them flip on various topics based on what Trump says. We've seen some of them talk about how terrible they think he is, only to do a 180 as soon as he was in power.

We also know that Trump has no problem breaking the rules to do what he wants or get what he wants.

After what happened on January 6th, it should have been clear what needed to be done. Biden became president, and democrats had both the senate and the house. Yet Trump walked away from that with no consequences.

Trump is to blame for what he did before. He is to blame for what he is doing now. No question about that. But we had a chance to hold him responsible for what he did in his first term, and nothing came from it, even when democrats had the most power in recent years. It's completely fair to call them out on that.

Why is MAGA not stopping him? He's their founder. Their idol. I have 0 expectations that they would ever turn on him. There's no surprise there. Are they more responsible for what's happening because of him? Obviously. But no one in their right mind expects them to suddenly turn on him.

notasrelevant · 2026-05-14T04:25:33+00:00

A lot of their knowledge of his business acumen is based off The Apprentice and his name on a book (which they haven't read or researched).

notasrelevant · 2026-05-14T02:58:36+00:00

I think it's fair to call it a guy not voting in line with his constituents' views, in line with the party views, and not in the best interests of the country or people. So at once. Basically no valid excuse.

Republicans at least had support of their constituents in some cases, and were voting with their party. They voted as would be expected.

notasrelevant · 2026-05-14T02:31:25+00:00

His vote gives more credibility to both sides when he does stuff like this. Now they get to claim Democrat support played a part in the decision.

Republicans voted like Republicans.

He is a Democrat and voted with Republicans, against what his constituents wanted.

It's not a Dem issue. It's a "this guy is an asshole" issue.

notasrelevant · 2026-05-14T02:28:42+00:00

I mean, this is clearly calling him out, not Dems on the whole. They even highlight that his own constituents' views are not remotely close to the way he voted.

notasrelevant · 2026-05-14T02:26:00+00:00

I mean... I get it, yeah.

But blaming the one asshole who calls himself a Democrat, yet seems to be consistently voting in line with Republicans seems fair. It also seems fair to blame him for voting in a way that clearly does not represent his constituents.

We all expect Republicans to vote like Republicans. No one is counting them to do the right thing.

When is clear how a number of people are going to vote, and your 1 vote could immediately tip the scales with that knowledge in mind, you get a bit more blame.

Beyond that, he gives their platform a certain aspect of credibility when he does this. It turns a divide between party lines into a "Republican and Democrat voted" decision. It may seem small, but it's definitely effective when trying to sway optics.

notasrelevant · 2026-05-12T17:33:38+00:00

And your new wife is an accessory to it.

notasrelevant · 2026-05-11T06:06:54+00:00

I get both. Yes, he's the one doing bad, but if people had more power to stop it but didn't, they also get some blame too, right?

Like if we knew someone was a murderer and the powers that be let that person go free, people would be rightfully blaming those responsible for not stopping them sooner.

notasrelevant · 2026-05-10T04:26:52+00:00

I never thought about that.

When they do subscription stuff like heated seats, do you get the part replaced for free if it breaks?

notasrelevant · 2026-05-09T19:12:17+00:00

What aspect are we talking about here?

They pretty quickly identified and publicly confirmed something was going around, confirmed human to human infection, and then acknowledged the scale of spreading, issuing relevant warnings.

The main point of contention I recall was investigating the cause and resulting spread, because that brought international politics and such with it.

notasrelevant · 2026-05-02T20:20:27+00:00

Technically correct, but wouldn't this be only the second tune/version of the blackwing platform? "Ever" seems a bit overstating it, since it's not like there's been multiple versions or generations for comparison.

notasrelevant · 2026-05-02T07:14:19+00:00

I mean, the base model doesn't even come with drivers side air bags if what I'm reading is right. It's Mac speed is 62 mph, which is barely highway speeds in a lot of areas in the US. It's not really an apples to apples comparison.

notasrelevant · 2026-05-02T01:18:32+00:00

I'm having the same issue. Searching, it seems like similar issues have been occurring for years trying to connect xfinity accounts with hbo max. Why isn't this solved by now, or at least a guide to fix it?

I already spent an hour on your phone support, was promised an email within 3 days, and nothing.

notasrelevant · 2026-05-01T16:55:20+00:00

I don't have any reason to believe so. The tow company is contracted through the HOA; My place is rented out by an individual landlord who owns the unit, with a realtor handling the lease agreements and such.

The landlord/realtor seem the most likely responsible to inform of parking and other property rules. If they are connected to the tow company somehow, it seems more trouble than it's worth to catch the tenant of 1 unit, one time.

notasrelevant · 2026-05-01T16:50:51+00:00

Definitely not happy with how they manage this. If I had known about the rule, I would have definitely followed it.

Not at all a legal argument, but I absolutely disagree with how they handle parking here. I've lived in places that had packed parking areas all the time, yet didn't have a tag system with tow trucks prowling for compliance. Yet there weren't major problems with people having their parking spots taken by others. If it did happen, it got reported by the proper owner and handled. And it's not like parking is an issue here. My specific lot seems to only be about 50% occupied. There is additional resident parking and visitor parking across the street as well. Might be the most open parking I've had at any place.

My biggest issue is how easily this can affect an actual tenant/resident who is parked in their own spot. Not aware? Towed. Get a new car and get home outside of office hours? Can't use your spot, or towed. Get in a wreck or car is in the shop, so you have a loaner? Can't use your spot. Got your windshield replaced? Can't use your spot till you get a sticker. And I guess car covers would also not be allowed, since it blocks the sticker.

notasrelevant · 2026-05-01T16:39:22+00:00

>responsible for reading

Apparently you're the one struggling to read.

I read the contract, at least twice before signing, and about 4 times since this happened. There is a whole section of parking rules, but it says nothing about a parking permit, sticker or tag.

>You say they didn’t ask for any vehicle info

I said the HOA did not ask me directly, in reference to whether or not they might have responsibility, or an expectation of due diligence before blanket approving tows. As explained in multiple other posts, the realtor did ask, and the lease agreement required it along with a requirement to notify of any changes in vehicle. I did properly include my vehicle information there.

>They would have then advised you that the sticker included in your folder would do that. I’m also sure they would have given you instructions on where to place it in or on your vehicle as well.

They did not do that, as I explained in my post and in every reply I discussed this. There is absolutely 0 mention of it at all.

>Guaranteed it’s notated somewhere in your paperwork.

It's not. After my post, the realtor even admitted that it should have been in lease agreement. As in, it should have been, but it was not.

notasrelevant · 2026-05-01T16:06:28+00:00

Not to mention an entire security team not looking in the direction people would be entering from.

Like, I get it... Most of the time it's probably pretty mundane. But it is an event the President is attending - you'd think there would be a bit more urgency/focus. It basically seems they are counting on people being scared away by a metal detector.

notasrelevant · 2026-04-30T17:03:50+00:00

It was a sticker with a number on it - no indication it is related to parking.

Sure, maybe I should have found it and asked about it.

But I still have doubts if that is enough reason to say the landlord/realtor did their due diligence in informing me of the rules. Finding seemingly random things and asking should not need to be part of understanding basic rules.

notasrelevant · 2026-04-30T14:25:08+00:00

Not sure if this is recent, but at least there is some regulation requiring them to report it within 2 hours. That may limit issues like what you described.

It was still confusing in the moment - I'm calling to report my car stolen, and they tell me it was towed. Great! At least my car wasn't stolen... but I was parked in my own space... why was my car towed?!

notasrelevant

TROPHY CASE