Eleven

Serious question: Are office supply stores and electronics stores "essential"? I need to get a cable modem ASAP and Amazon will take at least a week to get it here, even with Prime.

I drove a friend to the liquor store yesterday. Based upon my observation of what was going on in there, I'm guessing that whoever made this map didn't include WNY.

Aww shucks. Termination for cause usually means no unemployment compensation. On the very few occasions I've had to terminate an employee for cause (think things like gross insubordination or drinking on the job), I've bargained a severance package (a week's salary per year of employment, up to a limit, is usually where I try to land), plus a promise not to contest their unemployment claim, in return for their waiver of any BS discrimination claim they might try to bring. It's expensive, but not as expensive as defending a BS discrimination claim. Termination for other reasons--the company shuts down, the project is over, there are layoffs, whatever, triggers the employee's right to unemployment compensation in NYS. PSE didn't terminate for cause, it terminated because there is no present need for employees. So these employees will get unemployment compensation and PSE will pay considerably higher premiums next year. This isn't even close to as evil as The Athletic made it out to be. Companies are "forced" into this system by state law. It is one of the reasons why some businesses prefer to operate elsewhere; we tend to take care of people better in NYS than some other states do. It seems (not that I have the details) that the not-for-profit that you mention was not following the law. In the words of George Sr.^, they "may have committed some *light* treason." ^EDIT: That's George Bluth from Arrested Development and not George H.W. Bush.

Apparently @shrader has all the meats.

I don't know everything about this issue, but I do know that in New York state, UI premiums rise according to UI claims by former employees. And mass layoffs really hurt the employer. So PSE is taking a hit here with respect to its year-round hospitality employees. And they can't simply reincorporate as some sort of successor entity to try to save on the premium increase. I've seen employers try that one. Doesn't work. The state catches them. The other thing I suspect--but I'm basing this on knowledge that is 20 years old at this point--is that union jobs, and especially union jobs that are on a per-project basis, work very differently. I think even non-union per-project jobs work differently, because otherwise it would be unfairly punitive to employers that only need workers for a certain amount of time, such as the time it takes to erect a building. I don't know what the obligations of a GC or sub are in that regard.

Yes that is what I’m getting at. And PSE’s UI rate will rise as a result

I do expect that billionaire employers ask for tax concessions all the time, though. It is the same. That's why I differentiated between small local businesses and large billionaire businesses. Regarding yesterday's announcement, has anyone taken unemployment insurance, and the requirements for someone to get paid from that, into account? It seems strategic to me. Depends on what's in their employment agreement.

Imagine being able to be that happy about a pile of leaves. Dogs have it down, man. They're even better than toddlers.

I am testing a beard again. Those of you who know me are welcome to laugh in advance.

Ha--no, it's just something I do every Spring anyway so might as well get a head start.

That's one of the things I'm doing. A deep cleaning of every room in my house.

If you miss the company of some of the residents, is Skype an option? Depression can be just as dangerous as the virus, and, if I understand correctly, can also compromise the immune system. I am having some friends over on Saturday. I can't just sit here with no live social interaction. See above.

1. Why not? Other franchises are taking their time. They will take care of it. 2. Why is it different? Because they have employees (players) who make millions? It isn't different. Your local bar isn't paying bartenders Your local restaurant isn't paying servers. I don't hate that; that's a small business. But Wegmans is huge and has cut hours, and those cashiers and deli workers and produce stockers suffer the same way. So does every cashier at Tops. So does every guy who cleans a room at a Hilton-owned hotel. So does every person who works at a movie theatre or a bowling alley. I don't really see why the Pegulas are the enemy, other than that you and PA want to make them one. Where's your PROPERLY directed outrage? This is so much BS, and I know you, and I know you know better.

1. Be patient. They've said they're going to find a way to take care of it; let them. 2. It's not any different than any other large business not paying employees at this point. I don't hear anyone screaming for Danny Wegman's head.

I'm pretty sure that's how you looked at the last meetup game.

LOTS of interesting stuff this offseason. I'm not thrilled with what they gave up for Diggs, especially (but not entirely) considering what Hopkins fetched, but this team is trying. I can only hope for the day when the Sabres get a competent GM.

Just RB2, no? Didn't they pick up a DB a week or two ago?

Oh, I like this!

Did you do anything about it? It's brazenly political. And, frankly, dangerous. I'm not.

That doesn't need to happen. No one needs to be as rich as Jeff Bezos, on the other hand.

So, you all want to meet up anyway? Like at a restaurant or something? Oh...

It's kind of one and the same. The system has been abused to the point where it no longer is what was intended, so it needs to be regulated. Agreed on your point about the patents.

I don't remember that particular Far Side comic, but I had a fun experience in Rite Aid yesterday trying to buy a bottle of hand soap. You know, the kind with a pump that sits next to your bathroom sink. I'm not stocking up; I simply was out of soap, so time to get another bottle. The clerk informed me that they were out of soap. I gave her a strange look I guess, and said, ok, I'll just use my shower soap to wash my hands. At which point she clarified: They had soap, just not the antibacterial kind. Regular hand soap was available, but people had hoarded the antibacterial soap. This ties back to your point about common sense. Antibacterial soap is designed to kill BACTERIA NOT VIRUSES!

Is there a silver lining--a corona, if you will--to the Wuhan virus? We're all aware of arena workers who now will be compensated somehow for their loss of income, and of course there was an anticipatory and factually unsupported backlash at the Pegulas for failing to announce a plan the second the NHL suspended the season. What of other workers? Plenty of other occupations have been suspended entirely or have had hours reduced. In many cases, the market cap of the employer is in the billions of dollars. These people are not going to be able to make ends meet easily. Will this finally be the time when we realize that capitalism has gone too far and that the common good requires a more equitable distribution of resources?

I just hope that Winston doesn't get too crabby about the news.