I honestly don’t know where to post this.

JohnInCarolina

lousubcap

@Legume- Appreciate the link although the message is very troubling and sad.  Critical Thinking is no longer required for the lowest common denominators of society.  The trend is not good.  

Legume

@lousubcap John pointed me toward the movie idiocracy - it's from 2006. I finally watched it a few months ago and damn, Mike Judge spotted these trends back in 1996 when he started writing the movie and took them to one possible outcome.

On its face it's silly, and may have been received that way back in 2006. Now, it's still silly, but frightening at the same time, because we have moved along the same arc he predicted in the movie.

I read something recently that compared Orwell's 1984 vision of the future with Huxley's Brave New World version.  Google that and comparison and you'll see there are some truths in both. I think we lean more toward Brave New World in the US today, while other countries may be more 1984, but I think one begets the other, we could be more 1984 next year.

Botch

Congressman Byron Donalds, R-FLA, just praised trump’s threat to discontinue wildfire aid to CA because of their environmental policy of “not clearing away their underbrush, like they do in FL”.  Say wha?   

Botch

This one hit the nail on the head, better than most.
 
https://youtu.be/LZr1hO1ynRM?si=e8eo2Skupr_IFaei

JohnInCarolina

fishlessman

JohnInCarolina said:

What is the starting pay at Duke......😁

JohnInCarolina

fishlessman said:

JohnInCarolina said:

What is the starting pay at Duke......😁

More than minimum wage

Legume

I agree with the sentiment but call BS on starting teacher salary in Texas @$33k, it's mid $50's

JohnInCarolina

Legume said:

I agree with the sentiment but call BS on starting teacher salary in Texas @$33k, it's mid $50's

Well, who are we to believe, you or Google’s AI supercomputer?

lousubcap

I don't know the definition of a "beginning" teacher that is used here but independent (non AI but Google dependent) shows $33,660.  FWIW-
And I wholeheartedly agree that teachers are underpaid (have been forever) especially with the current trend to dump what used to be a child's social and basic life development skills, a function of the parent(s), on the school system.

StillH2OEgger

Legume said:

I agree with the sentiment but call BS on starting teacher salary in Texas @$33k, it's mid $50's

Also apples and oranges if not including insurance plans/retirement. I think teachers are generally underpaid, but benefits seem to be pretty good and cost of living in my state (mostly due to housing) can be twice as much in metro/suburban areas vs. more rural/outstate and the salaries tend to reflect that. Also should note that teachers in my district work fewer than 200 days a year. Lots of moving parts.

Legume

If we're comparing to a minimum wage of $15/hr, a salary with benefits is always going to win, and yes, that varies by location.  Cities pay more, rural pays less, in general.  The $33k is the absolute minimum starting for a teacher in Texas, the mean is $45k on up depending on how you google. HS pays more, but also requires a masters in Texas, I believe.

I think the point of the tweet that was posted was to create some negative emotional response to the "Biden" minimum wage by choosing the absolute floor for starting teachers in Texas as a comparison. The response to that tweet is the right perspective, IMO.

paqman

Elementary/high school teacher salaries around here are somewhat low but decent considering they get the whole summer OFF.  Most have the option to work during summer and significantly increase their yearly salary.  The base salary increases very fast with years of service.  It is a lifestyle choice.

fishlessman

Maybe these teachers can be retrained to build solar panels

JohnInCarolina

StillH2OEgger said:

Legume said:

I agree with the sentiment but call BS on starting teacher salary in Texas @$33k, it's mid $50's

Also apples and oranges if not including insurance plans/retirement. I think teachers are generally underpaid, but benefits seem to be pretty good and cost of living in my state (mostly due to housing) can be twice as much in metro/suburban areas vs. more rural/outstate and the salaries tend to reflect that. Also should note that teachers in my district work fewer than 200 days a year. Lots of moving parts.

paqman said:

Elementary/high school teacher salaries around here are somewhat low but decent considering they get the whole summer OFF.  Most have the option to work during summer and significantly increase their yearly salary.  The base salary increases very fast with years of service.  It is a lifestyle choice.

So I will push back on you both here regarding the “200 days a year” and “summer OFF” points.  In full disclosure, my mother was a middle-school reading teacher and my wife was a high school teacher for many years.

First of all, during the months they teach, their nights and weekends are often taken up with grading.  I can’t speak to all teachers and how they used their summer time, but the ones I know would also “work” on their teaching in the summer, either by developing lesson plans or by taking additional training.  

The ones I knew then and know now have not gone into teaching for the “lifestyle” because the lifestyle actually kind of sucks.

fishlessman

JohnInCarolina said:

StillH2OEgger said:

Legume said:

I agree with the sentiment but call BS on starting teacher salary in Texas @$33k, it's mid $50's

Also apples and oranges if not including insurance plans/retirement. I think teachers are generally underpaid, but benefits seem to be pretty good and cost of living in my state (mostly due to housing) can be twice as much in metro/suburban areas vs. more rural/outstate and the salaries tend to reflect that. Also should note that teachers in my district work fewer than 200 days a year. Lots of moving parts.

paqman said:

Elementary/high school teacher salaries around here are somewhat low but decent considering they get the whole summer OFF.  Most have the option to work during summer and significantly increase their yearly salary.  The base salary increases very fast with years of service.  It is a lifestyle choice.

So I will push back on you both here regarding the “200 days a year” and “summer OFF” points.  In full disclosure, my mother was a middle-school reading teacher and my wife was a high school teacher for many years.

First of all, during the months they teach, their nights and weekends are often taken up with grading.  I can’t speak to all teachers and how they used their summer time, but the ones I know would also “work” on their teaching in the summer, either by developing lesson plans or by taking additional training.  

The ones I knew then and know now have not gone into teaching for the “lifestyle” because the lifestyle actually kind of sucks.

Teachers here now have an aide, some two, translators as needed, and a class size under 15. A little different than what I grew up with. Give them a class size of 35, scratch the aides, and then give them a raise.
The teachers here are required to take training during the summer for skills and methods, proctor the testing as some that cheat online taking other teachers tests

DoubleEgger

$33k for a teacher in Texas and the state wants them to be armed security guards as well. SMH. 

fishlessman

DoubleEgger said:

$33k for a teacher in Texas and the state wants them to be armed security guards as well. SMH. 

If that was in mass, they would add a security pay for the teachers😁 but we have police inside and outside the school

TheFishWhisperer

fishlessman said:

JohnInCarolina said:

StillH2OEgger said:

Legume said:

I agree with the sentiment but call BS on starting teacher salary in Texas @$33k, it's mid $50's

Also apples and oranges if not including insurance plans/retirement. I think teachers are generally underpaid, but benefits seem to be pretty good and cost of living in my state (mostly due to housing) can be twice as much in metro/suburban areas vs. more rural/outstate and the salaries tend to reflect that. Also should note that teachers in my district work fewer than 200 days a year. Lots of moving parts.

paqman said:

Elementary/high school teacher salaries around here are somewhat low but decent considering they get the whole summer OFF.  Most have the option to work during summer and significantly increase their yearly salary.  The base salary increases very fast with years of service.  It is a lifestyle choice.

So I will push back on you both here regarding the “200 days a year” and “summer OFF” points.  In full disclosure, my mother was a middle-school reading teacher and my wife was a high school teacher for many years.

First of all, during the months they teach, their nights and weekends are often taken up with grading.  I can’t speak to all teachers and how they used their summer time, but the ones I know would also “work” on their teaching in the summer, either by developing lesson plans or by taking additional training.  

The ones I knew then and know now have not gone into teaching for the “lifestyle” because the lifestyle actually kind of sucks.

Teachers here now have an aide, some two, translators as needed, and a class size under 15. A little different than what I grew up with. Give them a class size of 35, scratch the aides, and then give them a raise.
The teachers here are required to take training during the summer for skills and methods, proctor the testing as some that cheat online taking other teachers tests

I wish I had a translator when I grew up maybe I could’ve learned some English.

Botch

Robert Reich on cheeto vs Harris tax plans:
 

Here’s another video you might want to share with anyone you know who needs a bit of fortifying right now, in terms of voting for Harris and not for Trump.

Trump’s biggest legislative achievement (if you want to even call it that) was the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. 

[TRUMP CLIP: ”It’s the largest tax cut in the history of our country.”]

The law permanently slashed corporate taxes and temporarily cut income tax rates mostly for rich individuals through the year 2025. The results were worse than I could have imagined.

Trump and his officials claimed the tax cuts would lead to corporations hiring more workers and would “very conservatively” lead to a $4,000 boost in household incomes. 

[TRUMP CLIP: “AT&T plans to increase U.S. capital spending $1 billion and provide $1,000 special bonus to more than 200,000 U.S. employees, and that’s because of what we did.”]

What actually happened since?

In AT&T’s case, the company saw its overall federal tax bill drop by 81%. It spent 31 times more on dividends and stock buybacks to enrich wealthy shareholders than it paid it in taxes. Meanwhile, it slashed over 40,000 jobs.

That was par for the course with Trump’s tax cuts. 

Like AT&T, America’s biggest corporations didn’t use their tax savings to increase productivity or reward workers. Instead, they increased their stock buybacks and dividends. 

Many of them, including AT&T, even ended up paying their executives more in some years than what they paid Uncle Sam.     

Those executives (along with other high earners) then got to keep more of their earnings because Trump’s tax cuts for individuals were heavily skewed toward the rich. The lowest earners? They got squat. 

And many middle-income families saw their taxes go up.

And those supposed $4,000 raises, did you get one?

The bottom line is that Trump’s tax law fueled a massive transfer of wealth into the hands of the rich and powerful. Corporate profits have skyrocketed. U.S. billionaire wealth has more than DOUBLED since 2018. 

The tax cuts have also added $2 trillion to the national debt so far, but that hasn’t stopped Trump and the so-called “party of fiscal responsibility” from doubling down on renewing them.

TRUMP CLIP: “You’re rich as hell. // We’re gonna give you tax cuts.”]

If Trump is reelected and Republicans take control of Congress, they’re planning to renew the expiring tax cuts for individuals that primarily benefited the rich. This would cost $4.6 trillion over the next decade, more than double the cost of the original tax cuts. 

Trump has also threatened to lower the corporate tax rate even further from 21% to 15% — which would cost another $1 trillion.

It’s trickle-down economics on steroids.

All of this would cause the federal deficit and debt to soar — which Republicans will then use as an excuse to cut spending on government programs the rest of us rely on.

But the Kamala Harris and the Democrats have their own tax plan. What would it do? Just the opposite of Trump’s tax plan.

ONE: It would increase taxes on wealthy individuals with incomes in excess of $400,000 a year, while cutting taxes for lower-income Americans.

TWO: It would make billionaires pay at least 25 percent of their incomes in taxes, still leaving them with plenty left over.

THREE: It would raise the corporate income tax to 28 percent, which is aboutwhat it was in 1990.

LASTLY, it would quadruple the tax on stock buybacks to get corporations to invest more of their earnings in workers’ wages and productivity instead of windfalls for investors. 

So the real choice is between the Republicans’ plan to make the rich much richer, and the Democrats’ plan to make the rich pay their fair share and provide what Americans need. 

Which do you want?

DoubleEgger

I have an idea to increase early voter turnout. 

Once you’ve cast your ballot, you’ll be given a code to provide to your cable TV provider that will allow you to opt out of political commercials for the remainder of the race. 

Gulfcoastguy

I would just like to watch a ewetube video without one of the four or their sycophants asking me for 5 dollars.

paqman

JohnInCarolina said:

StillH2OEgger said:

Legume said:

I agree with the sentiment but call BS on starting teacher salary in Texas @$33k, it's mid $50's

Also apples and oranges if not including insurance plans/retirement. I think teachers are generally underpaid, but benefits seem to be pretty good and cost of living in my state (mostly due to housing) can be twice as much in metro/suburban areas vs. more rural/outstate and the salaries tend to reflect that. Also should note that teachers in my district work fewer than 200 days a year. Lots of moving parts.

paqman said:

Elementary/high school teacher salaries around here are somewhat low but decent considering they get the whole summer OFF.  Most have the option to work during summer and significantly increase their yearly salary.  The base salary increases very fast with years of service.  It is a lifestyle choice.

So I will push back on you both here regarding the “200 days a year” and “summer OFF” points.  In full disclosure, my mother was a middle-school reading teacher and my wife was a high school teacher for many years.

First of all, during the months they teach, their nights and weekends are often taken up with grading.  I can’t speak to all teachers and how they used their summer time, but the ones I know would also “work” on their teaching in the summer, either by developing lesson plans or by taking additional training.  

The ones I knew then and know now have not gone into teaching for the “lifestyle” because the lifestyle actually kind of sucks.

I happen to have two very close family members that are high/elementary school teachers and I can guarantee you that they have very good working conditions.  They have aides to assist with grading and dedicated time off for developing lesson plans.  This may not be true everywhere but in our province it is.

JohnInCarolina

paqman said:

JohnInCarolina said:

StillH2OEgger said:

Legume said:

I agree with the sentiment but call BS on starting teacher salary in Texas @$33k, it's mid $50's

Also apples and oranges if not including insurance plans/retirement. I think teachers are generally underpaid, but benefits seem to be pretty good and cost of living in my state (mostly due to housing) can be twice as much in metro/suburban areas vs. more rural/outstate and the salaries tend to reflect that. Also should note that teachers in my district work fewer than 200 days a year. Lots of moving parts.

paqman said:

Elementary/high school teacher salaries around here are somewhat low but decent considering they get the whole summer OFF.  Most have the option to work during summer and significantly increase their yearly salary.  The base salary increases very fast with years of service.  It is a lifestyle choice.

So I will push back on you both here regarding the “200 days a year” and “summer OFF” points.  In full disclosure, my mother was a middle-school reading teacher and my wife was a high school teacher for many years.

First of all, during the months they teach, their nights and weekends are often taken up with grading.  I can’t speak to all teachers and how they used their summer time, but the ones I know would also “work” on their teaching in the summer, either by developing lesson plans or by taking additional training.  

The ones I knew then and know now have not gone into teaching for the “lifestyle” because the lifestyle actually kind of sucks.

I happen to have two very close family members that are high/elementary school teachers and I can guarantee you that they have very good working conditions.  They have aides to assist with grading and dedicated time off for developing lesson plans.  This may not be true everywhere but in our province it is.

Have you asked them if they became teachers for the “lifestyle” ?

fishlessman

JohnInCarolina said:

paqman said:

JohnInCarolina said:

StillH2OEgger said:

Legume said:

I agree with the sentiment but call BS on starting teacher salary in Texas @$33k, it's mid $50's

Also apples and oranges if not including insurance plans/retirement. I think teachers are generally underpaid, but benefits seem to be pretty good and cost of living in my state (mostly due to housing) can be twice as much in metro/suburban areas vs. more rural/outstate and the salaries tend to reflect that. Also should note that teachers in my district work fewer than 200 days a year. Lots of moving parts.

paqman said:

Elementary/high school teacher salaries around here are somewhat low but decent considering they get the whole summer OFF.  Most have the option to work during summer and significantly increase their yearly salary.  The base salary increases very fast with years of service.  It is a lifestyle choice.

So I will push back on you both here regarding the “200 days a year” and “summer OFF” points.  In full disclosure, my mother was a middle-school reading teacher and my wife was a high school teacher for many years.

First of all, during the months they teach, their nights and weekends are often taken up with grading.  I can’t speak to all teachers and how they used their summer time, but the ones I know would also “work” on their teaching in the summer, either by developing lesson plans or by taking additional training.  

The ones I knew then and know now have not gone into teaching for the “lifestyle” because the lifestyle actually kind of sucks.

I happen to have two very close family members that are high/elementary school teachers and I can guarantee you that they have very good working conditions.  They have aides to assist with grading and dedicated time off for developing lesson plans.  This may not be true everywhere but in our province it is.

Have you asked them if they became teachers for the “lifestyle” ?

my dads exgirlfriend used to take mondays off to recover from her weekends which started at noon on fridays. missed 10 mondays in a row and collected her 1000.00 dollar check for perfect attendance...... hangover mondays was her lifestyle

JohnInCarolina

fishlessman said:

JohnInCarolina said:

paqman said:

JohnInCarolina said:

StillH2OEgger said:

Legume said:

I agree with the sentiment but call BS on starting teacher salary in Texas @$33k, it's mid $50's

Also apples and oranges if not including insurance plans/retirement. I think teachers are generally underpaid, but benefits seem to be pretty good and cost of living in my state (mostly due to housing) can be twice as much in metro/suburban areas vs. more rural/outstate and the salaries tend to reflect that. Also should note that teachers in my district work fewer than 200 days a year. Lots of moving parts.

paqman said:

Elementary/high school teacher salaries around here are somewhat low but decent considering they get the whole summer OFF.  Most have the option to work during summer and significantly increase their yearly salary.  The base salary increases very fast with years of service.  It is a lifestyle choice.

So I will push back on you both here regarding the “200 days a year” and “summer OFF” points.  In full disclosure, my mother was a middle-school reading teacher and my wife was a high school teacher for many years.

First of all, during the months they teach, their nights and weekends are often taken up with grading.  I can’t speak to all teachers and how they used their summer time, but the ones I know would also “work” on their teaching in the summer, either by developing lesson plans or by taking additional training.  

The ones I knew then and know now have not gone into teaching for the “lifestyle” because the lifestyle actually kind of sucks.

I happen to have two very close family members that are high/elementary school teachers and I can guarantee you that they have very good working conditions.  They have aides to assist with grading and dedicated time off for developing lesson plans.  This may not be true everywhere but in our province it is.

Have you asked them if they became teachers for the “lifestyle” ?

my dads exgirlfriend used to take mondays off to recover from her weekends which started at noon on fridays. missed 10 mondays in a row and collected her 1000.00 dollar check for perfect attendance...... hangover mondays was her lifestyle

The only thing that surprises me about this is that your dad broke up with her.

fishlessman

JohnInCarolina said:

fishlessman said:

JohnInCarolina said:

paqman said:

JohnInCarolina said:

StillH2OEgger said:

Legume said:

I agree with the sentiment but call BS on starting teacher salary in Texas @$33k, it's mid $50's

Also apples and oranges if not including insurance plans/retirement. I think teachers are generally underpaid, but benefits seem to be pretty good and cost of living in my state (mostly due to housing) can be twice as much in metro/suburban areas vs. more rural/outstate and the salaries tend to reflect that. Also should note that teachers in my district work fewer than 200 days a year. Lots of moving parts.

paqman said:

Elementary/high school teacher salaries around here are somewhat low but decent considering they get the whole summer OFF.  Most have the option to work during summer and significantly increase their yearly salary.  The base salary increases very fast with years of service.  It is a lifestyle choice.

So I will push back on you both here regarding the “200 days a year” and “summer OFF” points.  In full disclosure, my mother was a middle-school reading teacher and my wife was a high school teacher for many years.

First of all, during the months they teach, their nights and weekends are often taken up with grading.  I can’t speak to all teachers and how they used their summer time, but the ones I know would also “work” on their teaching in the summer, either by developing lesson plans or by taking additional training.  

The ones I knew then and know now have not gone into teaching for the “lifestyle” because the lifestyle actually kind of sucks.

I happen to have two very close family members that are high/elementary school teachers and I can guarantee you that they have very good working conditions.  They have aides to assist with grading and dedicated time off for developing lesson plans.  This may not be true everywhere but in our province it is.

Have you asked them if they became teachers for the “lifestyle” ?

my dads exgirlfriend used to take mondays off to recover from her weekends which started at noon on fridays. missed 10 mondays in a row and collected her 1000.00 dollar check for perfect attendance...... hangover mondays was her lifestyle

The only thing that surprises me about this is that your dad broke up with her.

city girl, worshiped the kennedys, jumped into family matters at 3am with evil emails, thought a red robin was a pigeon. smoking in his truck killed it though we now call robins... french pigeons, did i mention she was french

JohnInCarolina

fishlessman said:

JohnInCarolina said:

fishlessman said:

JohnInCarolina said:

paqman said:

JohnInCarolina said:

StillH2OEgger said:

Legume said:

I agree with the sentiment but call BS on starting teacher salary in Texas @$33k, it's mid $50's

Also apples and oranges if not including insurance plans/retirement. I think teachers are generally underpaid, but benefits seem to be pretty good and cost of living in my state (mostly due to housing) can be twice as much in metro/suburban areas vs. more rural/outstate and the salaries tend to reflect that. Also should note that teachers in my district work fewer than 200 days a year. Lots of moving parts.

paqman said:

Elementary/high school teacher salaries around here are somewhat low but decent considering they get the whole summer OFF.  Most have the option to work during summer and significantly increase their yearly salary.  The base salary increases very fast with years of service.  It is a lifestyle choice.

So I will push back on you both here regarding the “200 days a year” and “summer OFF” points.  In full disclosure, my mother was a middle-school reading teacher and my wife was a high school teacher for many years.

First of all, during the months they teach, their nights and weekends are often taken up with grading.  I can’t speak to all teachers and how they used their summer time, but the ones I know would also “work” on their teaching in the summer, either by developing lesson plans or by taking additional training.  

The ones I knew then and know now have not gone into teaching for the “lifestyle” because the lifestyle actually kind of sucks.

I happen to have two very close family members that are high/elementary school teachers and I can guarantee you that they have very good working conditions.  They have aides to assist with grading and dedicated time off for developing lesson plans.  This may not be true everywhere but in our province it is.

Have you asked them if they became teachers for the “lifestyle” ?

my dads exgirlfriend used to take mondays off to recover from her weekends which started at noon on fridays. missed 10 mondays in a row and collected her 1000.00 dollar check for perfect attendance...... hangover mondays was her lifestyle

The only thing that surprises me about this is that your dad broke up with her.

city girl, worshiped the kennedys, jumped into family matters at 3am with evil emails, thought a red robin was a pigeon. smoking in his truck killed it though we now call robins... french pigeons, did i mention she was french

The only thing that surprises me about this is that your dad broke up with her.

JohnInCarolina

Who’s gonna tell her?