Author Topic: I can't do math, so I wrote a public letter to my CEO and get myself fired!  (Read 91944 times)

merula

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  Whatever your generation, $8.15 per hour is a really hard wage to have to live on in an industrialised / developed country.

Commenting from the developed parts of Europe, I am not entirely convinced. This is, as already pointed out, after tax money and adds up to a lot more than you can earn in a similar position in pretty much any developed European country (pretty sure the only obvious exception is Switzerland, even in Luxembourg, the richest non-Switzerland around, the legal minimum wage would hover somewhere around this in after-tax money for a single person).
But it is also in (even the most socialist parts of) Europe generally unthinkable that a person in this situation (25 year old, fuzzy educational background, doing a completely unqualified job for less than a year) could live in a high cost of living city renting a one bedroom apartment for themselves + own a car.
If that is really possible in Australia I am mildly jealous (as I have like many others spent my 20s living with horrible roommates and not being able to afford all that much bang) but I felt the need to defend the Americans on this as it seems the kind, welfare focused Europe is even worse in this regard.

To clarify, the $8.15/hour after taxes is specific to California, which has a gross state minimum wage of $10. The US federal minimum wage is $7.25/hour. There are federally required FICA Social Security and Medicare taxes which the employee is required to pay 7.65% via payroll taxes.

So, a person earning the California minimum wage would earn 10*40*52=$20,800 annually. If they were single (as this woman is), they would owe $1,114 in federal income taxes and $1,154 in FICA taxes for an effective tax rate of 11%. (Before any tax credits that they might be eligible for, like student loan interest, but also before any state taxes and sales taxes. This poster in particular is not eligible for the Earned Income Tax Credit because she is childless and under 25.)

patchyfacialhair

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StockBeard

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Re: I can't do math, so I wrote a public letter to my CEO and get myself fired!
« Reply #252 on: September 02, 2016, 11:21:53 AM »
Isn't this just a digital resume?

1. Write snarky stuff about job in bay area
2. Go viral
3. Get desired job in "media"

I'm not sure why everyone think's the letter was a stupid thing to do. Sure, she lost her job. But it didn't pay enough for her to live where it was located (getting a roommate aside, which sure, would have alleviated the stress a bit but that low of wage in that area probably isn't doable in the long term) so why not throw a hail mary hoping to get her name out there? I think it was a good move.
I agree. I also saw the letter this way: a good way for her to get media attention, and that will probably land her the kind of job she's looking for. I feel this was actually a smart move: dump the low-wage job while using it as a ramp for landing a much high-paying job.

MoneyCat

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Re: I can't do math, so I wrote a public letter to my CEO and get myself fired!
« Reply #253 on: September 03, 2016, 07:22:17 PM »
I do feel sorry for low-wage workers because I have been there before. I know how hard it is to escape from that kind of employment and how the job wears you down to the point where you make irrational, self-defeating decisions. Not everyone lives the very easy lives of the middle class so they often make decisions that seem really irrational to people who have never known desperation before.

monstermonster

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Re: I can't do math, so I wrote a public letter to my CEO and get myself fired!
« Reply #254 on: September 15, 2016, 03:04:27 PM »
Saw her talk - it was actually pretty good. It was the first time she's ever done any public speaking. The main points of the talk were:
  • She was attempting to make points about it's ridiculous for a $2billion company to be losing money in the amount of turnover caused by paying their Eat24 workers so little they all leave in less than 6 months. The lack of sick time/paid leave meant that she saw coworkers qualify for Section 8 housing but unable to take a day off work to move in. Other Yelp employees got free food during their shifts and were making double what the Eat24 support staff were, which was contributing to her frustration. She was attempting to be a whistleblower.
  • Part of what triggered her letter was that the CEO of Yelp constantly sends "vlogs" around to all staff saying how Awesome the Company is Doing and he'd just send another one (which she was required to watch) that included him talking about how great the company is doing and things like him playing pokemon go while talking about how Yelp is the Best. She had just watched another one when she composed the letter.
  • It really really sucks to be trolled by the internet in mass and go "viral". Death/rape threats and constant reporters and people sending her her apartment address they figured out from a barcode visible in a photo sucks.
  • The story about her "whining" blew up but only two news outlets covered the fact that a couple months after she was fired, Yelp raised the amount they were paying their lowest-paid staff to $14/hr and implemented sick leave/paid leave. The story was only interesting when they were blaming her for being terrible, not once actual change was made.

Here's a screenshot from the talk:


arebelspy

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Re: I can't do math, so I wrote a public letter to my CEO and get myself fired!
« Reply #255 on: September 15, 2016, 04:29:32 PM »
She was attempting to be a whistleblower.

lol. 

Nice spin.

Quote
The story about her "whining" blew up but only two news outlets covered the fact that a couple months after she was fired, Yelp raised the amount they were paying their lowest-paid staff to $14/hr and implemented sick leave/paid leave.

That's pretty awesome!

The screenshot you posted still makes her seem like an egotistical blowhard along with dat spin. Whistleblower.  I'm still laughing.  :)

Thanks for the followup!
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monstermonster

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Re: I can't do math, so I wrote a public letter to my CEO and get myself fired!
« Reply #256 on: September 15, 2016, 04:32:28 PM »
egotistical blowhard along with dat spin. Whistleblower.  I'm still laughing.  :)
She definitely seemed to be a bit egotistical, but generally just a well-meaning young woman without much money skills. She was a pretty good speaker and really funny. I hope she lands on her feet in NYC (good job picking the next most expensive city *eyeroll*)

(To be fair, she did reference her coworker's struggles AND the fact that the company was less efficient because of turnover in her original letter. But yes, spin.)
« Last Edit: September 15, 2016, 04:33:59 PM by monstermonster »

monstermonster

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Re: I can't do math, so I wrote a public letter to my CEO and get myself fired!
« Reply #257 on: September 15, 2016, 05:28:11 PM »
She's seriously moving to NY now?   Hope she's earning more than minimum wage....
I'm pretty sure she doesn't have a job at ALL because she just sent out an emoji filled tweet asking people to hire her.


Paul der Krake

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Re: I can't do math, so I wrote a public letter to my CEO and get myself fired!
« Reply #258 on: September 15, 2016, 05:57:32 PM »
She's seriously moving to NY now?   Hope she's earning more than minimum wage....
I'm pretty sure she doesn't have a job at ALL because she just sent out an emoji filled tweet asking people to hire her.


Sheesh. You couldn't make this up if you tried.

Young woman gets fired from low paid job job in most expensive city in the country, decides to move to second most expensive city in the country. Job to be acquired through Twitter between cat pictures and fart jokes. Featuring Jennifer Aniston, tonight after football.

arebelspy

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Re: I can't do math, so I wrote a public letter to my CEO and get myself fired!
« Reply #259 on: September 15, 2016, 08:11:40 PM »
The lack of self-awareness is what gets me. :)
I am a former teacher who accumulated a bunch of real estate, retired at 29, spent some time traveling the world full time and am now settled with three kids.
If you want to know more about me, this Business Insider profile tells the story pretty well.
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Melody

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Re: I can't do math, so I wrote a public letter to my CEO and get myself fired!
« Reply #260 on: September 21, 2016, 04:13:57 AM »
Agree, $8.15 is crap. Don't give me this capitalism bullshit that "this is what the market is willing to pay". Society should be able to do better than that, rather than all the wealth accruing to a handful of people who do not, for all practical purposes, need it.

If someone working full-time can't afford to live a semi decent existence, something is definitely wrong.

Until you witness the creative heart drop out of a city. RIP Sydney. It will take a decade to get back the culture you had and lost due to your steep ascent towards the $1mn median house price.
Melbourne really didnt need more creatives. And now we have only one big cultured city in our whole country (Melbourne). That feels limiting, and its what  happens when en mass people "takes responsibility".

The creative types seem to all live in inner city Surry Hills, Newtown, Marrickville and Balmain where the median is well north of $1.2 million. They seem to be doing just fine and dandy actually?

That has always surprised me actually... I understand their plight of low income, yet they still manage to afford to live in the inner city. Is it a case of rich relatives giving them a gigantic helping hand, so they can choose to do what they love rather than take a career like the rest of us?
Anedotal evidence but huge numbers of my creative Sydney friends have gone south (to Melbourne). The interstate migration stats seem to back this up, but of course they don't tell us who is moving, just the numbers between the states.

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Magilla

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Re: I can't do math, so I wrote a public letter to my CEO and get myself fired!
« Reply #261 on: September 21, 2016, 12:34:16 PM »
Agree, $8.15 is crap. Don't give me this capitalism bullshit that "this is what the market is willing to pay". Society should be able to do better than that, rather than all the wealth accruing to a handful of people who do not, for all practical purposes, need it.

If someone working full-time can't afford to live a semi decent existence, something is definitely wrong.

So who should decide what a "living wage" is?  And seriously, anyone working full-time no matter the job should have a "semi decent" existence?  So if I spend all day making mud-cakes I should be able to live a "semi decent" life regardless if anyone else values my work? Again who decides what "semi decent" is?  Does that come with a choice of cities to live in and latest iPhone?

As they say, the road to hell is paved with good  intentions.  The "projects" in US cities were supposed to be a good thing that helped the poor. How did that work out?

Have you even thought at all at what will happen when the "minimum wage" is artificially raised too high?

Anyway, this is discussion is probably better in a different thread.

Tyson

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Re: I can't do math, so I wrote a public letter to my CEO and get myself fired!
« Reply #262 on: September 21, 2016, 01:17:11 PM »

Have you even thought at all at what will happen when the "minimum wage" is artificially raised too high?


I'm guessing here, but my feeling is that the people that are most in need of money will make more money. 

Do I win?

ShoulderThingThatGoesUp

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Re: I can't do math, so I wrote a public letter to my CEO and get myself fired!
« Reply #263 on: September 21, 2016, 01:20:36 PM »

Have you even thought at all at what will happen when the "minimum wage" is artificially raised too high?


I'm guessing here, but my feeling is that the people that are most in need of money will make more money. 

Do I win?

No. The real minimum wage is always $0.

nobodyspecial

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Re: I can't do math, so I wrote a public letter to my CEO and get myself fired!
« Reply #264 on: September 21, 2016, 01:33:05 PM »

Have you even thought at all at what will happen when the "minimum wage" is artificially raised too high?


I'm guessing here, but my feeling is that the people that are most in need of money will make more money. 

Do I win?
If you raised it to $100/hr everyone could own a nice place in downtown SF.
If you made if $115/hour they could all afford a maid

Magilla

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Re: I can't do math, so I wrote a public letter to my CEO and get myself fired!
« Reply #265 on: September 21, 2016, 01:52:19 PM »

Have you even thought at all at what will happen when the "minimum wage" is artificially raised too high?


I'm guessing here, but my feeling is that the people that are most in need of money will make more money. 

Do I win?

If only it were that easy.  I predict that in 10 years 1/4 (if not more) of all current minimum wage jobs will be replaced by some sort of automation.  Things will only accelerate from there.

I do not understand why this lesson is never learned: just giving people more money never solves the underlying problems long term.  You really want to help low level workers then there are much better methods that have been proven over time to have a much bigger impact that simply artificially raising minimum wage: better public transportation, subsidized day care, better access to education and retraining, etc. 

People always only think of the short term effects of their favorite "solution".  Sure, short term raising minimum wage would pump extra money into the hands of minimum wage workers, but shortly after those gains would be erased by a combination of raised prices of goods due to higher labor costs, increased pressure to eliminate low level unskilled jobs due to higher labor costs, reduced employment etc.

Goldielocks

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Re: I can't do math, so I wrote a public letter to my CEO and get myself fired!
« Reply #266 on: September 21, 2016, 03:07:51 PM »
Agree, $8.15 is crap. Don't give me this capitalism bullshit that "this is what the market is willing to pay". Society should be able to do better than that, rather than all the wealth accruing to a handful of people who do not, for all practical purposes, need it.

If someone working full-time can't afford to live a semi decent existence, something is definitely wrong.

So who should decide what a "living wage" is?  And seriously, anyone working full-time no matter the job should have a "semi decent" existence?  So if I spend all day making mud-cakes I should be able to live a "semi decent" life regardless if anyone else values my work? Again who decides what "semi decent" is?  Does that come with a choice of cities to live in and latest iPhone?

As they say, the road to hell is paved with good  intentions.  The "projects" in US cities were supposed to be a good thing that helped the poor. How did that work out?

Have you even thought at all at what will happen when the "minimum wage" is artificially raised too high?

Anyway, this is discussion is probably better in a different thread.

Bah!  Over $20 per hour now.  Has me thinking- why is living wage ( advocated as starting wage for city employees and contractors) supposed to be for two adults with kids?  Would not one person make more before you choose kids?  The kids part ends up with too high a wage for singles and childless couples. I think it is better to base it on a single person, and rely on social programs to help single parents top up the difference.

After all, less than 50 percent of households have kids.

Josiecat

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Re: I can't do math, so I wrote a public letter to my CEO and get myself fired!
« Reply #267 on: September 21, 2016, 04:52:25 PM »
No doubt this young woman received an offer letter stating her wage and start date.  She signed and accepted the offer. If she wasn't happy with the rate offered, she shouldn't have accepted the job.

arebelspy

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Re: I can't do math, so I wrote a public letter to my CEO and get myself fired!
« Reply #268 on: September 21, 2016, 06:05:06 PM »

Have you even thought at all at what will happen when the "minimum wage" is artificially raised too high?


I'm guessing here, but my feeling is that the people that are most in need of money will make more money. 

Do I win?

Hah.  Yes.  You win hard.
I am a former teacher who accumulated a bunch of real estate, retired at 29, spent some time traveling the world full time and am now settled with three kids.
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dragoncar

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Re: I can't do math, so I wrote a public letter to my CEO and get myself fired!
« Reply #269 on: September 26, 2016, 11:02:32 AM »

Have you even thought at all at what will happen when the "minimum wage" is artificially raised too high?


I'm guessing here, but my feeling is that the people that are most in need of money will make more money. 

Do I win?

No. The real minimum wage is always $0.

Don't forget negative wages.  For example, you pay to do construction projects in developing countries.

arebelspy

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Re: I can't do math, so I wrote a public letter to my CEO and get myself fired!
« Reply #270 on: September 26, 2016, 02:38:31 PM »

Have you even thought at all at what will happen when the "minimum wage" is artificially raised too high?


I'm guessing here, but my feeling is that the people that are most in need of money will make more money. 

Do I win?

No. The real minimum wage is always $0.

Don't forget negative wages.  For example, you pay to do construction projects in developing countries.

Or like how Pete charges me per post I make!
I am a former teacher who accumulated a bunch of real estate, retired at 29, spent some time traveling the world full time and am now settled with three kids.
If you want to know more about me, this Business Insider profile tells the story pretty well.
I (rarely) blog at AdventuringAlong.com. Check out the Now page to see what I'm up to currently.

MgoSam

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Re: I can't do math, so I wrote a public letter to my CEO and get myself fired!
« Reply #271 on: September 26, 2016, 02:52:39 PM »

Have you even thought at all at what will happen when the "minimum wage" is artificially raised too high?


I'm guessing here, but my feeling is that the people that are most in need of money will make more money. 

Do I win?

No. The real minimum wage is always $0.

Don't forget negative wages.  For example, you pay to do construction projects in developing countries.

I always enjoyed reading about the exploits of Tom Sawyer....

Petunia 100

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Re: I can't do math, so I wrote a public letter to my CEO and get myself fired!
« Reply #272 on: September 26, 2016, 05:40:15 PM »
I know I am a little late to this party, and I do agree she seems a bit entitled, however I do not understand the assumptions that she has no roommate.  She lives in the east bay and pays $1245 in rent.  I'm guessing she does have a roommate.   Oakland, Berkeley, San Leandro, etc., while cheaper than SF are not cheap.

Petunia 100

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Re: I can't do math, so I wrote a public letter to my CEO and get myself fired!
« Reply #273 on: September 26, 2016, 05:45:30 PM »

    • The story about her "whining" blew up but only two news outlets covered the fact that a couple months after she was fired, Yelp raised the amount they were paying their lowest-paid staff to $14/hr and implemented sick leave/paid leave. The story was only interesting when they were blaming her for being terrible, not once actual change was made.


    The State of California passed a law requiring paid sick leave (3 days per year) for ALL employees effective 7/1/15.  Unless Yelp is providing more than that, they are not doing anything but complying with the law.

    monstermonster

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    Re: I can't do math, so I wrote a public letter to my CEO and get myself fired!
    « Reply #274 on: September 26, 2016, 05:45:35 PM »
    I know I am a little late to this party, and I do agree she seems a bit entitled, however I do not understand the assumptions that she has no roommate.  She lives in the east bay and pays $1245 in rent.  I'm guessing she does have a roommate.   Oakland, Berkeley, San Leandro, etc., while cheaper than SF are not cheap.
    She doesn't. She's said so.

    Papa Mustache

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    Re: I can't do math, so I wrote a public letter to my CEO and get myself fired!
    « Reply #275 on: October 06, 2016, 01:29:24 PM »
    Young woman gets fired from low paid job job in most expensive city in the country, decides to move to second most expensive city in the country. Job to be acquired through Twitter between cat pictures and fart jokes. Featuring Jennifer Aniston, tonight after football.

    And YOU too could be the subject of her next writing foray. Its kind of like dating Taylor Swift (although if I was 25 again and single and all that I might chance it).

    Papa Mustache

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    Re: I can't do math, so I wrote a public letter to my CEO and get myself fired!
    « Reply #276 on: October 06, 2016, 01:32:10 PM »

    Have you even thought at all at what will happen when the "minimum wage" is artificially raised too high?


    I'm guessing here, but my feeling is that the people that are most in need of money will make more money. 

    Do I win?
    If you raised it to $100/hr everyone could own a nice place in downtown SF.
    If you made if $115/hour they could all afford a maid

    And shortly after that rent on a basic one bedroom will be $9500 a month. The markets will always adjust and keep the wage/COL proportions similar to what they are already. If a person doesn't like their income level, do something about it - education, move, etc.

    stoaX

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    Re: I can't do math, so I wrote a public letter to my CEO and get myself fired!
    « Reply #277 on: October 06, 2016, 02:43:22 PM »
    I think I am just always surprised at how differently people can view the same situation. 

    If I had moved to San Francisco,taken a low paying job and found myself not being able to make ends meet, my natural reaction would be to try and change the situation, either though a higher paying job or a lower cost of living area.  If I felt it was unjust that every job doesn't pay enough to live anywhere I want, I hope I would complain and take action about that after trying to figure out how to remedy my particular situation first.

    It just surprises me that her reaction is to try and implement social change without fixing her own situation.  Social change takes a long time and isn't a practical solution for an immediate problem. 

    nobodyspecial

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    Re: I can't do math, so I wrote a public letter to my CEO and get myself fired!
    « Reply #278 on: October 06, 2016, 08:56:25 PM »
    If I had moved to San Francisco,taken a low paying job and found myself not being able to make ends meet, my natural reaction would be to try and change the situation, either though a higher paying job or a lower cost of living area. 
    So less successful than to become an internet sensation, get on the Ted talk circuit and end up as VP of internet media evangalism at some organisation with your own staff of unpaid interns, a ghost written self-help book and your own line of workout clothing

    SeaEhm

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    Re: I can't do math, so I wrote a public letter to my CEO and get myself fired!
    « Reply #279 on: October 08, 2016, 08:32:51 AM »

    Have you even thought at all at what will happen when the "minimum wage" is artificially raised too high?


    I'm guessing here, but my feeling is that the people that are most in need of money will make more money. 

    Do I win?
    If you raised it to $100/hr everyone could own a nice place in downtown SF.
    If you made if $115/hour they could all afford a maid

    Not really because the people making $100/hr would be outbid by the people now making $200/hr.

    Plus the people now making $100/hr who live a life like they make $105/hr would still not have any money. 

    SeaEhm

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    Re: I can't do math, so I wrote a public letter to my CEO and get myself fired!
    « Reply #280 on: October 08, 2016, 08:39:01 AM »
    Bah!  Over $20 per hour now.  Has me thinking- why is living wage ( advocated as starting wage for city employees and contractors) supposed to be for two adults with kids?  Would not one person make more before you choose kids?  The kids part ends up with too high a wage for singles and childless couples. I think it is better to base it on a single person, and rely on social programs to help single parents top up the difference.

    After all, less than 50 percent of households have kids.

    In order to have kids one must perform in an ancient ritual we will call "happy time"

    During happy time, the participants take a drug called  oxytocin and endorphins.  During this ritual, they often feel heightened life experiences.  The end of the ritual is a marked by a build up of stress which in turn heightens one's experience as it is shortly released. 

    The problem is that the drugs taken during this ritual are highly, highly advised to not use with people who are unable to delay instant gratification.

    Now how does this relate to your comment?  People often want instant gratification and may not plan for the future. Therefore, they learn the reality of consequence in an 18 year sentence 9 months after their happy time ritual.

    arebelspy

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    Re: I can't do math, so I wrote a public letter to my CEO and get myself fired!
    « Reply #281 on: October 08, 2016, 09:06:29 AM »

    Have you even thought at all at what will happen when the "minimum wage" is artificially raised too high?


    I'm guessing here, but my feeling is that the people that are most in need of money will make more money. 

    Do I win?
    If you raised it to $100/hr everyone could own a nice place in downtown SF.
    If you made if $115/hour they could all afford a maid

    Not really because the people making $100/hr would be outbid by the people now making $200/hr.

    Then we'll up the first group to $201 per hour!

    Your move.
    I am a former teacher who accumulated a bunch of real estate, retired at 29, spent some time traveling the world full time and am now settled with three kids.
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    SeaEhm

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    Re: I can't do math, so I wrote a public letter to my CEO and get myself fired!
    « Reply #282 on: October 08, 2016, 10:13:46 AM »

    Have you even thought at all at what will happen when the "minimum wage" is artificially raised too high?


    I'm guessing here, but my feeling is that the people that are most in need of money will make more money. 

    Do I win?
    If you raised it to $100/hr everyone could own a nice place in downtown SF.
    If you made if $115/hour they could all afford a maid

    Not really because the people making $100/hr would be outbid by the people now making $200/hr.

    Then we'll up the first group to $201 per hour!

    Your move.

    So now with their extra income they can buy rental properties and drive housing market up thereby making the $100/hr people feel even more poor.

    They will also use their extra income to purchase totally unnecessary items, post them on social media, and then get the people making $100/hr to feel that they need to purchase said item to fit in.  Being that they want to fit in, a large majority of said 100/hr people will purchase said item thereby increasing the wealth gap.

    Goldielocks

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    Re: I can't do math, so I wrote a public letter to my CEO and get myself fired!
    « Reply #283 on: October 08, 2016, 12:40:33 PM »

    Have you even thought at all at what will happen when the "minimum wage" is artificially raised too high?


    I'm guessing here, but my feeling is that the people that are most in need of money will make more money. 

    Do I win?
    If you raised it to $100/hr everyone could own a nice place in downtown SF.
    If you made if $115/hour they could all afford a maid

    Not really because the people making $100/hr would be outbid by the people now making $200/hr.

    Plus the people now making $100/hr who live a life like they make $105/hr would still not have any money.

    Plus you would pay the maid $100 per hour, plus markup... so make that pay the maid $140 per hour...

    dragoncar

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    Re: I can't do math, so I wrote a public letter to my CEO and get myself fired!
    « Reply #284 on: October 08, 2016, 02:09:14 PM »

    Have you even thought at all at what will happen when the "minimum wage" is artificially raised too high?


    I'm guessing here, but my feeling is that the people that are most in need of money will make more money. 

    Do I win?
    If you raised it to $100/hr everyone could own a nice place in downtown SF.
    If you made if $115/hour they could all afford a maid

    Not really because the people making $100/hr would be outbid by the people now making $200/hr.

    Then we'll up the first group to $201 per hour!

    Your move.

    Well obviously we just need rent control and our problems will be solved

    arebelspy

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    Re: I can't do math, so I wrote a public letter to my CEO and get myself fired!
    « Reply #285 on: October 08, 2016, 05:34:28 PM »

    Have you even thought at all at what will happen when the "minimum wage" is artificially raised too high?


    I'm guessing here, but my feeling is that the people that are most in need of money will make more money. 

    Do I win?
    If you raised it to $100/hr everyone could own a nice place in downtown SF.
    If you made if $115/hour they could all afford a maid

    Not really because the people making $100/hr would be outbid by the people now making $200/hr.

    Then we'll up the first group to $201 per hour!

    Your move.

    So now with their extra income they can buy rental properties and drive housing market up thereby making the $100/hr people feel even more poor.

    Then we just raise the minimum wage again until they can afford the new prices.

    1 million per hour should solve it.

    Your move.
    I am a former teacher who accumulated a bunch of real estate, retired at 29, spent some time traveling the world full time and am now settled with three kids.
    If you want to know more about me, this Business Insider profile tells the story pretty well.
    I (rarely) blog at AdventuringAlong.com. Check out the Now page to see what I'm up to currently.

    nobodyspecial

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    Re: I can't do math, so I wrote a public letter to my CEO and get myself fired!
    « Reply #286 on: October 08, 2016, 06:21:36 PM »

    Have you even thought at all at what will happen when the "minimum wage" is artificially raised too high?


    I'm guessing here, but my feeling is that the people that are most in need of money will make more money. 

    Do I win?
    If you raised it to $100/hr everyone could own a nice place in downtown SF.
    If you made if $115/hour they could all afford a maid

    Not really because the people making $100/hr would be outbid by the people now making $200/hr.

    Then we'll up the first group to $201 per hour!

    Your move.

    So now with their extra income they can buy rental properties and drive housing market up thereby making the $100/hr people feel even more poor.

    Then we just raise the minimum wage again until they can afford the new prices.

    1 million per hour should solve it.

    Your move.
    And then we will have solved the problem of affordable housing in SF - they can all just moor their super yachts in the harbor

    arebelspy

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    Re: I can't do math, so I wrote a public letter to my CEO and get myself fired!
    « Reply #287 on: October 08, 2016, 07:07:59 PM »
    And then we will have solved the problem of affordable housing in SF - they can all just moor their super yachts in the harbor

    Good point.

    And when we run out of space in the harbor for all the yachts, we'll just raise rent on the harbor spaces until they can't afford it anymore.

    Of course, that will necessitate another round of raising the minimum wage, so that they can afford it again, thus solving the problem once and for all!
    I am a former teacher who accumulated a bunch of real estate, retired at 29, spent some time traveling the world full time and am now settled with three kids.
    If you want to know more about me, this Business Insider profile tells the story pretty well.
    I (rarely) blog at AdventuringAlong.com. Check out the Now page to see what I'm up to currently.

    nobodyspecial

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    Re: I can't do math, so I wrote a public letter to my CEO and get myself fired!
    « Reply #288 on: October 08, 2016, 07:40:58 PM »
    And then we will have solved the problem of affordable housing in SF - they can all just moor their super yachts in the harbor

    Good point.

    And when we run out of space in the harbor for all the yachts, we'll just raise rent on the harbor spaces until they can't afford it anymore.

    Of course, that will necessitate another round of raising the minimum wage, so that they can afford it again, thus solving the problem once and for all!
    If the neighborhood becomes too crowded they can just live in Aspen and Lear-jet in for work

    desk_jockey

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    Re: I can't do math, so I wrote a public letter to my CEO and get myself fired!
    « Reply #289 on: October 08, 2016, 11:05:23 PM »
    Y’all are way over-thinking this issue.   The only thing that we need to implement to solve the problem is a modification of our currency.   At the day of the conversion, 1 “new” U.S. dollar is worth the same as one “old” U.S. cent.  Suddenly everyone is making 100x more dollars than they use to make.  Everyone will be so thrilled with their 10,000% pay raise that they’ll hardly mind the inflation.   Everyone will be rich and happy.

    SeaEhm

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    Re: I can't do math, so I wrote a public letter to my CEO and get myself fired!
    « Reply #290 on: October 08, 2016, 11:33:30 PM »

    Have you even thought at all at what will happen when the "minimum wage" is artificially raised too high?


    I'm guessing here, but my feeling is that the people that are most in need of money will make more money. 

    Do I win?
    If you raised it to $100/hr everyone could own a nice place in downtown SF.
    If you made if $115/hour they could all afford a maid

    Not really because the people making $100/hr would be outbid by the people now making $200/hr.

    Then we'll up the first group to $201 per hour!

    Your move.

    So now with their extra income they can buy rental properties and drive housing market up thereby making the $100/hr people feel even more poor.

    Then we just raise the minimum wage again until they can afford the new prices.

    1 million per hour should solve it.

    Your move.

    I lose.

    That would create more jobs because everyone will just work one hour a lifetime and then FIRE.

    Metric Mouse

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    Re: I can't do math, so I wrote a public letter to my CEO and get myself fired!
    « Reply #291 on: October 08, 2016, 11:47:31 PM »

    Have you even thought at all at what will happen when the "minimum wage" is artificially raised too high?


    I'm guessing here, but my feeling is that the people that are most in need of money will make more money. 

    Do I win?
    If you raised it to $100/hr everyone could own a nice place in downtown SF.
    If you made if $115/hour they could all afford a maid

    Not really because the people making $100/hr would be outbid by the people now making $200/hr.

    Then we'll up the first group to $201 per hour!

    Your move.

    So now with their extra income they can buy rental properties and drive housing market up thereby making the $100/hr people feel even more poor.

    Then we just raise the minimum wage again until they can afford the new prices.

    1 million per hour should solve it.

    Your move.

    I lose.

    That would create more jobs because everyone will just work one hour a lifetime and then FIRE.

    No one could retire on 1 Million dollars! They would never be able to afford to pay their maid to clean their mega yacht.


    Montecarlo

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    I know it's a two year old thread, but a couple things stuck out to me in the original essay.

    Quote
    Every single one of my coworkers is struggling. They’re taking side jobs, they’re living at home.
    Where else would you live other than home?


    Quote
    Because I did include, half-facetiously, in that email he and Patty so politely rejected that Yelp could save about $24,000 in two months if the company stopped restocking flavored coconut waters since no one drinks them
    How is it possible to restock a consumable no one uses?

    Quote
    Do you know how many cash coupons I used to give out before I was properly trained? In one month, I gave out over $600 to customers for a variety of issues. Now, since getting more training, I’ve given out about $15 in the past three months because I’ve been able to de-escalate messed up situations using just my customer service skills.
    This is actually a good point.  I think companies tend to undervalue tenure in entry level jobs.

    dragoncar

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    I personally hate the idiom “living at home” to mean “living with parents” but that’s how it’s used by many

    cloudsail

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    Two years later and she's still making minimum wage??
    I have multiple friends and relatives with worthless degrees who started out in minimum wage basic retail, but it didn't take them very long to make it to store manager or assistant manager. After leaving tech, I've come to realize that the average employer or small business owner is just desperate for smart, responsible, hard working employees.

    Montecarlo

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    I personally hate the idiom “living at home” to mean “living with parents” but that’s how it’s used by many

    Which leads to my next question - why is cohabitating considered such an indignity?

    dragoncar

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    I personally hate the idiom “living at home” to mean “living with parents” but that’s how it’s used by many

    Which leads to my next question - why is cohabitating considered such an indignity?

    By choice it’s no indignity.  The problem is when you do it because you are forced to by economic circumstances.  Lack of freedom. 

    prudent_one

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    I see on her twitter she wants to go to a 4-day "experimental festival for independent artists who live and work online" to be held in Oregon and is looking for someone to share a room with. The festival features internet people talking about their internet activities. Also includes playing video games and board games, and watching movies,  It costs $500 and I'm struggling to see what the value is for a poor person.

    Should I take this to mean she considers her social media activities to be her real career an an "independent artist"?

    One of her 40 tweets today said  "I will never be successful because the secret to success is logging the fuck off."

    Montecarlo

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    Which leads to my next question - why is cohabitating considered such an indignity?

    By choice it’s no indignity.  The problem is when you do it because you are forced to by economic circumstances.  Lack of freedom.

    I feel that statement could be said about anything.  “Why is not having a Rolex an indignity?”  “It’s only an indignity if you can’t afford one, not if you can’t have one.”

    Not having to share a bathroom is a luxury.  Most of the homes built in the fifties were two or three beds, one baths (at least where I live).  They weren’t exactly built for the fringe economic poor.

    I would guess that over half the world’s population don’t have the economic freedom to live in a solitary home or apartment.  I would guess most of them are pretty dignified people.