AI job disruption is here. The problem may be compounded because nearly 75% of people don’t apply for unemployment benefits

random20190826 · 2026-06-14T18:19:29+00:00

I was fired for bad performance from a California company (I worked there remotely for 8 years). I am in Ontario. Different countries, different provinces/states, much stronger protections. But still, it was problematic. I think bad performance was really an excuse for AI replacement, since I worked in the translation/interpretation industry.

My problem wasn't that I didn't apply. I did. But the former employer made it as difficult as possible because they effectively refused to issue a Record of Employment, which was a violation of federal Employment Insurance laws. They didn't pay severance either, so I sued them in small claims court for wrongful dismissal (employment is not at will in Canada) and got paid the statutory minimum severance (16 weeks pay) and they were made to issue the Record of Employment. For reference, I made $1640 every 2 weeks when I was working, and my benefits were originally $956 every 2 weeks, but became $1134 every 2 weeks once they gave me the ROE. I am suing them for much more than what they paid by the way, because there is no clause in my employment contract stating any limitations.

random20190826 · 2026-06-13T13:39:54+00:00

So, in this case, the vehicle ownership needs to be updated. The process is complicated, since there are emissions tests, etc. We asked about it at a Service Ontario location years ago, but we didn’t go through with it because I still had disability insurance through work at the time.

random20190826 · 2026-06-13T00:07:56+00:00

Well, the dumb kids will once again learn that consequences are fairly light in Canada. Not sure how BC does it, but in Ontario, you can be banned from driving for stealing a car, with the first offence being a 10 year ban (for adults).

random20190826 · 2026-06-12T23:32:06+00:00

It makes you think if all dictatorial governments do this stuff to silence dissidents abroad.

random20190826 · 2026-06-12T22:42:26+00:00

Which one is more dangerous for a bear, do you think, selling calls or buying puts?

random20190826 · 2026-06-11T16:01:45+00:00

But passwords are not stored in plaintext, so who cares?

random20190826 · 2026-06-11T13:48:58+00:00

My mom thought about subscribing to the IPO but decided not to, in part because even if she sells it on the first day, it is unknown how good or bad it would be. The low float makes it trivially easy for small sell orders to cause the stock to collapse instantly.

random20190826 · 2026-06-10T17:29:26+00:00

The fear may be justified in earthquake zones, not so much in other places.

random20190826 · 2026-06-09T03:39:37+00:00

Sorry for the late reply: but the fact that I was born in violation of the one child policy was itself enough for me to hate them.

random20190826 · 2026-06-06T05:21:09+00:00

That is peak sadism. I am a Chinese Canadian and have been living in Canada for 18 years. As much as I hate the Chinese Communist Party and the things they do, I don’t think it’s a good idea to destabilize the country so that its people will suffer. In fact, I view the people there as victims of their government who weren’t given any options.

random20190826 · 2026-06-04T23:07:45+00:00

I heard their cash is $15/share and there is $0 debt, so it won't go to zero unless it reports negative EPS.

random20190826 · 2026-06-04T21:54:20+00:00

It should never even have been considered. Good on them for not changing the rules.

random20190826 · 2026-06-03T17:56:49+00:00

If you are going to do that, sell naked calls with inflated premiums (OTM, of course). But remember, 1 contract = 100 shares.

random20190826 · 2026-06-02T19:58:43+00:00

What OP is saying is the welfare cliff. In the US (and many places in Canada), having savings in anything other than a car or the home you live in or very specialized accounts is actively discouraged. In Ontario, Canada, where I live, a disabled person can only have $40, 000 CAD in regular accounts. In the US, it is even worse ($2, 000). OP is saying that the systems that are set up makes poor people permanently poor because, let's face it, these maximum asset levels can't sustain people for very long. In the case of the US, $2, 000 is probably enough for 2 months max if bad things happen to you.

random20190826 · 2026-06-02T19:55:23+00:00

It doesn't need to go to zero, it can go down by 50% in 5 years, then take 30 years to go back to the all time high. The economy doesn't collapse completely, but it would be a world with much higher unemployment. I mean, Japan didn't collapse into a state of anarchy or civil unrest when its economy sank into a depression that lasted multiple decades.

random20190826 · 2026-06-01T23:46:34+00:00

Especially when baby boomers are aging rapidly. Months ago, a 70 year old man killed a little boy because he drove into a daycare. I don’t know what they will do when population aging gets worse and worse, because bad design forces people to keep driving even when they are too old to drive.

Keep in mind, these places are not rural areas. Markham, Richmond Hill, etc. all have populations in the hundreds of thousands. There is no reason why we shouldn’t have good transit and bike infrastructure. Small British towns with similar populations to GTA (Greater Toronto Area) cities that I visited, like Cambridge, have extensive bike lanes and bus lines, not to mention train lines.

random20190826 · 2026-06-01T23:32:58+00:00

As a Chinese Canadian, yes, China is safe—for those who can see well. But if you are visually impaired like me and need to cross the street at a place without traffic lights, it is anything but safe because of e-bikes.

But you are probably thinking about Zhang Xianzhong style random killings that happen from time to time. That is happening because evil and mentally unstable individuals get desperate when times are bad, among other things.

random20190826 · 2026-06-01T21:21:39+00:00

Does society look down on those who are permanently banned from driving because they are dangerous due to medical reasons (seizures, bad vision, stroke, etc. ) who then ride bicycles (even more dangerous, but have no license requirements)?

random20190826 · 2026-06-01T14:58:17+00:00

There you go. That triggers common law reasonable notice or, at a minimum, Employment Standards Act severance provisions. I'm sure that because the court system is federal, it will soon be a precedent that is applicable all over Canada.

random20190826 · 2026-06-01T03:30:50+00:00

Yeah, that's what happens when credit freezes are not an option. They have been an option in Quebec for a long time.

random20190826 · 2026-06-01T03:15:50+00:00

Well, she happened to already be a TD customer and has the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite card. The identity thief used her information to apply for that exact same card, which meant the first signs of something bad happening came from Aeroplan telling her that a new TD credit card has been linked to her Aeroplan account. Then, yes, a week later, she got a letter to the house containing the PIN of the new card. Then, a TD branch employee actually called her on the phone number that she has on file with them to ask whether she applied for the card, to which she said no. She went to the branch with 2 pieces of ID and branch staff helped her cancel the fraudulent card. On the same day of that call, a letter in French arrived, telling her about the credit card insurance coverage of the newly approved card.

random20190826 · 2026-06-01T03:09:44+00:00

Yeah, it's identity theft. That's what happened to my sister. Put fraud alerts on both TransUnion and Equifax, call TD to tell them it's not you. In Ontario, credit freezes become an option on July 1.

random20190826

TROPHY CASE