Writers' Strike, Cont: Studios Back Out of Negotiations

[Leto Eu`Acumen]

For now I'll only say that most people would dream of $50 a month health insurance, and Machinist is a good job to have.

I do admit I am not familiar with an area that has both good jobs to offer and 65-90k homes to buy.

The area I live at now is expanding (i.e., home prices are at a premium), but a very modest 2-room home here on a small piece of land goes for 150k easy.

anyway I didn't even intend to get involved in this part of the conversation!

[chaos]

Dude, for a family of 4 health care is nowhere near 50 bucks a month, it depends on where you live, your family history, and what plan your company has. And yeah, housing prices are great in Texas, my dad just bought a great house. In Texas. Try finding a 90k house in Northern VA. Hell, in Southern VA. In almost any urban center. Last time I lived in Dallas was in the 90s, from what I hear housing prices have skyrocketed since then, but if you say there are 90k houses there then whatever. And aren't Machinists unionized?

[Cad]

Originally Posted by chaos

Dude, for a family of 4 health care is nowhere near 50 bucks a month, it depends on where you live, your family history, and what plan your company has. And yeah, housing prices are great in Texas, my dad just bought a great house. In Texas. Try finding a 90k house in Northern VA. Hell, in Southern VA. In almost any urban center. Last time I lived in Dallas was in the 90s, from what I hear housing prices have skyrocketed since then, but if you say there are 90k houses there then whatever. And aren't Machinists unionized?

Nobody is forcing anybody to live in northern VA. It seems pretty basic that if you can't afford to live where you are living, move. I dunno.

My house is 2000 sq ft 3 bedrooms with a 2 car garage and 12 ft ceilings blah blah and cost $130k. The $90k houses are down the road a bit. Still completely viable.

Machinists may be unionized in some places, but Texas is a right to work state, and afaik my father in law isn't in a union.

[MrGraham]

Who cares how people live?

Yes, people have an opportunity to move up in this country. Yes, some people's opportunities are much better than others'. These people have used their opportunity to create a powerful bargaining force, and while some of them could be making more money without it, most would be making less, and good for them. How the writers currently live is completely unrelated to this discussion imo. They're a contributor to this pie, and now they want a bigger piece of it, and they're using the tools available to do just that. Capitalism, yay!

And wtf is with the region comparison? Yes, Northern VA is more expensive, but the job I was doing for 25k/yr in Western KY (and paying $350/mo in rent) I now get paid 40k/yr for doing in Northern VA (better benefits, $750/mo in rent). It's all relative. Someone who is having trouble making ends meet in one area isn't going to be able to move somewhere else and magically get better, in fact moving away from Northern VA would probably hurt them more overall because of less availability of jobs.

[Vatoreus]

Originally Posted by Cad

Nobody is forcing anybody to live in northern VA. It seems pretty basic that if you can't afford to live where you are living, move. I dunno.

My house is 2000 sq ft 3 bedrooms with a 2 car garage and 12 ft ceilings blah blah and cost $130k. The $90k houses are down the road a bit. Still completely viable.

Machinists may be unionized in some places, but Texas is a right to work state, and afaik my father in law isn't in a union.

How do you expect these people who don't have very much money to magically gain the income to move to a new state and find a job, place to live, etc. Jesus you are being dumb.

[Cad]

Originally Posted by Vatoreus

How do you expect these people who don't have very much money to magically gain the income to move to a new state and find a job, place to live, etc. Jesus you are being dumb.

I guess they could show a little personal initiative and ability to solve problems. Or they could post on message boards about how bad they have it and how it's the country's fault and they aren't responsible, and won't somoene help them.

[lendarios]

Bottom line if you are a smart and hard working individual you will make it. Either by gettin a high paying job or starting your own business.
If you are lazy/afraid/unsecure of yourself then you will have problems getting by.
Our case, a part of the family came to the US in the 60, now they are are firmly into middle class, one generation later. My part of the family came late 90's, my uncle has his own business and doing great, he is the work horse of the family and now its reaping the benefits with 2 houses a boat the toys, etc. My mother is too afraid to go and get a better job because she doesn't know English, she's been here since 2000 and has not done a serious effort learning the language, her salary, $10 and hour. Its too late for her due to her personality. There are plenty of opportunities for individuals that are smart, competent and responsible, if you are lacking any of those three then good luck to you, but don't blame the rest for your lack of discipline.

[Ronne]

This thread has literally made me dumber. I'm serious, Cad, lendarios and Gaereth have all apparently taken it upon them selves to crusade against intelligence in general. Never mind the fact that all three of you were very obviously born into the middle-class (very, very likely that you are white as well) households and thus had every possible opportunity under the sun handed to you on a silver platter (possibly literally as well!). But this completely asinine argument of economic opportunity aside...

Jesus fuck, do any of you even have the slightest idea of what anecdotal evidence is, and how much of a fucking ass you're making of your selves with it? You would get laughed out of any real-life debate/forum/ANYTHING in about half a second with that shit, so god bless the internet for you being able to spew your retarded bile all over the place.

[Agraza]

Originally Posted by Yutnopash

Meanwhile in the land of the Writer's strike.

The AMPTP keeps on trucking trying to damage control their image and the WGA filed a suit with the NLRB for the ultimatum they issued and then walking.

Edit: Also... AMPTP It's a mock AMPTP site some comedy writer's put together, which, made the real AMPTP change up their website etc..

Your quote was hilarious to read through, and on topic too! Nice find.

[chaos]

Originally Posted by Cad

Nobody is forcing anybody to live in northern VA. It seems pretty basic that if you can't afford to live where you are living, move. I dunno.

My house is 2000 sq ft 3 bedrooms with a 2 car garage and 12 ft ceilings blah blah and cost $130k. The $90k houses are down the road a bit. Still completely viable.

Machinists may be unionized in some places, but Texas is a right to work state, and afaik my father in law isn't in a union.

So your answer is that instead of asking for a livable wage everyone should just forsake urban centers and move to Bumfuck Texas? That isn't even logical. Someone has to be the manager at Safeway. Someone has to work the convenience stores, and all the rest of the shit jobs you may not want to do. The economy collapses without those people. And what happens when housing prices int hat are become out of reach of the average family? All the working class people should just move again!

[Gaereth]

Well Ronney....there is factual evidence all over the place that if you work hard you will succeed. I understand if this goes against what you have learnt :P in your life, but it is factual rather than anecdotal.

I am white...well, mixed with amerindian. I'm a farmboy from nowhere that worked hard, studied hard, paid for my own stuff since it was a single mother house hold. Latch key kid, blah blah blah. I have been a manager for corporations, a contractor, had my own business, worked for people, etc, etc.

I have had my own hurdles in my life and I don't pretend they are greater or more abundant than anyone else. I do however, feel that if I can get over hurdles then others can as well. I do not assume that I am special and somehow am the only one that can overcome obstacles. I do always assume that if someone else can do something then I can as well.

I have lived what I have said, and I have watched others that I know personally do the same. I am sorry if you find that at odds with what you believe but I really tend to think thats more of an ingrained "Its not possible" negativity more than reality.

People can do wonderful things with their lives but most people don't because they think just like you. I believe that anyone can start their own business and make a fine living. I believe that anyone can come from the gutter and head a corporation. There are examples of this everywhere....but its much easier for most people to say it won't work. Why?? Because its a much easier route to take. Its always easier to quit.

Thats you Ronney.....a quitter and an apologist. Sad but true.

[Arbitrary]

And if you don't make it then you just aren't working hard enough.

[Cad]

Originally Posted by chaos

So your answer is that instead of asking for a livable wage everyone should just forsake urban centers and move to Bumfuck Texas? That isn't even logical. Someone has to be the manager at Safeway. Someone has to work the convenience stores, and all the rest of the shit jobs you may not want to do. The economy collapses without those people. And what happens when housing prices int hat are become out of reach of the average family? All the working class people should just move again!

Sure, lets just adjust the housing market somehow so people have a place to live. I'm all for it. How do we do that?

I'm saying from a purely procedural point of view, if I could not find a job that paid enough for me to afford housing in the area I am living in, I would move someplace that I could. If in your infinite wisdom you recommend simply continuing to plug away with no health insurance and spending 80% of your income on housing and food, then by all means, you do that. I would look elsewhere.

And yes, Dallas sure is "Bumfuck, TX". D/FW is about 200k people over the Washington, DC--VA--MD area in population with the density of the Washington area being a bit higher. I will concede political significance (duh) but I don't see how you can argue VA would be a vibrant job market while Dallas is "bumfuck".

Originally Posted by Arbitrary

And if you don't make it then you just aren't working smart enough.

fixed

[Arbitrary]

Those skills don't come out of the sky.

[Cad]

Originally Posted by Arbitrary

Those skills don't come out of the sky.

Not being stupid isn't something you learn in school imo. Spending more money than you have is just dumb on any level.