Stoic Friday XXXVI

by | Sep 22, 2023 | Advice, LifeSkills, Musings | 136 comments

Last Week

Meditations

How to Be a Stoic

How to Think Like a Roman Emperor

Seneca’s Letters from a Stoic

If you have anger issues, this one is a great tool (h/t mindyourbusiness)

This week’s book:

Discourses and Selected Writings

Disclaimer: I’m not your Supervisor. These are my opinions after reading through these books a few times.

Epictetus was born a slave around 50 ad. His owner was Epaphroditus, a rich freedman who was once a slave of Nero. Though he was a slave Epictetus was sent to study philosophy under Musonius Rufus.

Epictetus was lame and there are some stories it was caused by his master and others that it was caused by disease.

He was a freedman when all philosophers were banished from Rome in 89 by the Emperor Domitian. He then started his school in Greece, and had many students. He did not leave any writings from his lessons, but one of his students, Flavius Arrian, took notes and wrote the Discourses.

Epictetus did not marry, had no children, and lived to be around 80-85.In retirement, he adopted a child that would have been abandoned and raised him with a woman.

He died sometime around AD 135.

He might be my favorite Stoic teacher. I love his bare bones and very straight forward approach.

Following is a paragraph-by-paragraph discussion of one of his lessons. Epictetus’s text appears in bold, my replies are in normal text.

 

TO THOSE WHO WOULD BE ADMIRED

When a man has his proper station in life, he is not all agape for things beyond it.

I have been mostly satisfied with my station in life since I got married. When I was in high school, I had dreams of being the next Bruce Dickinson. As an adult, I haven’t had those delusions.

Man, what is it you want to have happen to you? As for myself, I am content if I exercise desire and aversion in accordance with nature, if I employ choice and refusal as my nature is, and similarly employ purpose and design and assent.

Now I am learning how to be happy regardless of circumstances. Admittedly some times are more trying than others. For the most part, I am much more in control of my emotions(especially anger) than I was a few years ago. For example, today we had 2 meetings in the morning and I had paperwork I had to prepare for an inspection I am doing tomorrow. After the second meeting, as soon as I started getting the paperwork ready, my laptop started giving me blue screens at the cyclic rate. I finally got it all done around 2:30 (that looks wrong, it should be 1430). I have a class I’m taking with a zoom call at 4:30, so I planned to leave by 3:00.At 2:50 they tell me they need me to take a couple packages to FedEx, but they haven’t been approved by upstairs yet. I had to sit and wait for 30 minutes and I could feel the anger bubbling. In the past I would have been angry and that would have led to driving angry and maybe being rude to the FedEx worker. Today, I was able to talk myself down and while I barely made it for my zoom call, I was in control of myself at FedEx and while I was driving.

Why, then, do you walk around in our presence as though you had swallowed a spit?[1] “It has always been my wish that those who meet me should admire me and as they follow me should exclaim, ‘O the great philosopher!'” Who are those people by whom you wish to be admired? Are they not these about whom you are in the habit of saying that they are mad? What then? Do you wish to be admired by the mad?

Here, Epictetus is trying to correct a wannabe philosopher that is very full of himself. If he thinks he is so much better than the “normal” people, why does he crave their attention and adulation?

 

IN ANSWER TO EPICURUS

Even Epicurus understands that we are by nature social beings, but having once set our good in the husk which we wear, he cannot go on and say anything inconsistent with this. For, he next insists emphatically upon the principle that we ought neither to admire nor to accept anything that is detached from the nature of the good; and he is right in so doing.

While the Stoics believed that good was living in accordance with nature and understanding what is outside of our control, the Epicureans believed in pleasure as the ultimate good.

But how, then, can we still be social beings, if affection for our own children is not a natural sentiment? Why do you dissuade the wise man from bringing up children? Why are you afraid that sorrow will come to him on their account? What, does sorrow come to him on account of his house-slave Mouse?[1] Well, what does it matter to him if his little Mouse in his home begins to cry? 5Nay he knows, that if once a child is born, it is no longer in our power not to love it or to care for it.

Epicurus said that since having kids causes pain than you shouldn’t have them or if you jave them then you shouldn’t get attached.. What a hollow way to got through life. While my kids have added to my struggles sometimes, they have added so much to my life. Epictetus correctly points out that we have no choice but to get attached to them.

For the same reason Epicurus says that a man of sense does not engage in politics either; for he knows what the man who engages in politics has to do—since, of course, if you are going to live among men as though you were a fly among flies,[2] what is to hinder you?

I agree with Epicurus about politics and not getting involved with them. Living among men like a fly among flies is not a way to get good outcomes. Some of the worst actions in the cities come from this kind of attitude.

Yet, despite the fact that he knows this, he still has the audacity to say, “Let us not bring up children.” But a sheep does not abandon its own offspring, nor a wolf; and yet does a man abandon his? What do you wish us to do? Would you have us be foolish as sheep? But even they do not desert their offspring. Would you have us be fierce as wolves? But even they do not desert their offspring. Come now, who follows your advice when he sees his child fallen on the ground and crying? 10Why, in my opinion, your mother and your father, even if they had divined that you were going to say such things, would not have exposed you!

It is natural to care for children. There is no future for any species that does not take care of their offspring in one way or another. While we had problems as the kids were growing up, I have 2 capable adults and 1 that still needs to find his way, but the clock is ticking. I don’t understand those who make a choice to not have kids after marriage.

 

Music for this week is the Turnpike Troubadours, because I am going to DC to see them in concert on Saturday.

So these are three of my favorite songs from them.

Well, I can’t narrow it to three, but I really like these three.

The Bird Hunters I love how he’s happy to be back home with his best friend and away from his ex-girlfriend, yet he misses her and thinks about getting her back at the 4th of July dance.

Quit While I’m Ahead Favorite lyric- Darlin’ if I called you would you even talk to me? When I am lit up like a star atop your favorite Christmas tree.

Before the Devil Knows We’re Dead  Great energy in this one.

Staying in a hotel that night, so on Sunday, we will be planning on breakfast in Fredericksburg.

Any good breakfast recommendations?

Also Lt Fish is trying to do a Gourmeltz meetup on Oct 7th, hope to see some of you there.

I gotta say I am a little disappointed with the level of pedantry around here.

No one noticed I used XXXII twice and then to make up for it, I skipped from XXXIII to XXXV.

 

About The Author

ron73440

ron73440

What I told my wife when she said my steel Baby Eagle .45 was heavy, "Heavy is good, heavy is reliable, if it doesn't work you could always hit him with it."-Boris the Blade MOLON LABE

136 Comments

  1. PieInTheSky

    what does stoicism say about being late with the post?

    • UnCivilServant

      That it is something outside of your control and you shouldn’t get worked up over it.

      • R.J.

        Indeed.
        Perhaps try rocking back and forth?

    • Robonerfherder

      It says you’re an informant.

      https://www.racket.news/p/forget-bellingcat-meet-a-real-open

      Poulson identifies companies like Flashpoint that do surveillance work and shows examples of how groups across the political spectrum, from anti-pipeline protestors to groups opposed to vaccine mandates, are being infiltrated and investigated by firms with longstanding ties to enforcement arms. He follows these actors closely. In a report after the public outing of so-called “Pentagon leaker” Jack Teixiera, for instance, he reminded readers that Flashpoint boasted as recently as recently as last November that it was the “best tool” for Bellingcat, the would-be “citizen journalist” organization that worked with the New York Times to out Teixiera.

      • MikeS

        from anti-pipeline protestors to groups opposed to vaccine mandates

        For some reason I doubt those two groups get equal scrutiny.

      • R C Dean

        The greens they keep an eye on to make sure they are paying the right ones and getting their money’s worth.

    • ron73440

      “No, I didn’t. Honest… I ran out of gas. I… I had a flat tire. I didn’t have enough money for cab fare. My tux didn’t come back from the cleaners. An old friend came in from out of town. Someone stole my car. There was an earthquake. A terrible flood. Locusts! It wasn’t my fault, I swear to God!”

      • MikeS

        L. O. L.

  2. Tundra

    Yeah, I’m not down at all with Epicurus.

    “Let us not bring up children.”

    Nah. Despite the challenges, raising kids has been the most meaningful thing I’ve ever done.

    Have fun at the show!

    • R.J.

      Agreed. Also raising children really teaches you a new level of Stoicism.

    • ron73440

      We’re hoping they are exaggerating the storm, since we have a 3 hour drive to get there and it is right on the river.

    • Grosspatzer

      Nah. Despite the challenges, raising kids has been the most meaningful thing I’ve ever done.

      This x100. In my case, maybe the only meaningful thing.

  3. robc

    “I had dreams of being the next Bruce Dickinson”

    So you wanted to be a pilot?

    • Tundra

      Not a legendary record producer with a penchant for cowbell?

      • ron73440

        Never understood why that was so popular.

    • cyto

      I had dreams of being the next Scott Cherry.

      He was a reserve basketball player under Dean Smith …. walk-on, I think. Even my hyper-realistic “yeah, I ain’t gonna be Michael Jordan, but I could be a walk-on” dreams are unrealistic. Dude was a captain on a national championship team and has been a college coach for decades. I didn’t lead my intramural team in scoring.

    • ron73440

      Pilot, fencer, decent singer, all of the above I guess.

  4. The Other Kevin

    “I don’t understand those who make a choice to not have kids after marriage.”
    I do. In our set of friends we have a few married couples that chose not to have kids. It just wasn’t for them. They enjoy traveling and going to concerts and things that are harder to do when you have kids. I’m happy that they were honest enough about it to make that decision. In contrast, I also know couples who are selfish and shitty parents, and had no business having kids but do.

    • Nephilium

      I decided quite a while ago that I didn’t want kids. I don’t regret that decision, and may have made a decent father. But I was aware enough of my own tendencies that I decided I probably should just stick to the uncle role.

      • Tundra

        My best friend and his wife are kidless. I think it was always more her than him , but she was very clear going into the relationship and he was cool with it. She came from a really shitty household so not shocking, but they are very important to my kids – better than relatives in many ways.

    • Mojeaux

      Agreed on both counts. If you don’t want kids, you shouldn’t have any. If you can’t afford to have kids, perhaps take steps to ensure that you don’t. To me, that’s just pragmatic. Now, mine came along because I had always been told I could NOT have children, so I didn’t bother with birth control that made me sick. Surprise!

      My daughter doesn’t want to pass her mental illnesses along, and she doesn’t like kids anyway. I wish I’d had her clarity of thought when I was her age but I was conditioned to want children, even though I too hated babysitting. It never occurred to me NOT to want children.

      That said, I wouldn’t trade my kids even if I sometimes wish they’d make different choices.

      • robc

        “I wouldn’t trade my kids”

        Is that an option?

      • R C Dean

        I, err, heard rumors, yeah, that’s the ticket, while I was working for a hospital that delivered 5,000+ babies a year, that a healthy infant could bring $20K on the secondary market.

      • ron73440

        a healthy infant could bring $20K on the secondary market.

        If only I’d have known, I had three and could have had more for 20K a pop.

      • kinnath

        The costs of having children are tangible, while the benefits are intangible.

    • ron73440

      That’s the mindset I don’t understand.

      They enjoy traveling and going to concerts and things that are harder to do when you have kids.

      I know everyone has different priorities, and I’m sure most people don’t understand a guy getting married at 22.

      • Robonerfherder

        Self-help, self-care, me-time… We have a society of self-absorbed overgrown children.

        I have some married friends without kids. Most (but not all) of them struggle in their marriages because they’re too focused on themselves. As they progress into their fifties, you can see the strain. They cheat on each other. They come home shitfaced on a regular basis.

      • Sensei

        I’ve made the comment I can generally quickly tell with new couples I’ve just met who has had children and who hasn’t.

        Mostly because children cause you to have a certain level of patience. Even with my temper…

      • Suthenboy

        This is my experience as well. Also, what Sensei says.
        I ended up raising 5….3 that were not mine because their parents had them but did not want them, my son and my stepson.

        It was difficult but they all turned out much better than they would have otherwise. I have no regrets but I dont think I could do it again. I am just too old for that now.

  5. The Late P Brooks

    Today, in demonology

    Few media figures in the last 27 years have had a larger and more profound effect on American political and media life than Rupert Murdoch. Most of it for the worse.

    Stepping down Thursday from day-to-day control of the Fox and News Corporation boards, to become chairman emeritus of the two companies, the 92-year-old founder leaves behind a legacy of reckless, partisan journalism and commentary that has contributed to a citizenry so angry and polarized that our very democracy seems threatened according to some analysts. And with Murdoch handing off day-to-day control of the empire to his son, Lachlan, Fox’s dangerous way of doing business does not seem likely to change for the better.

    While there are other factors contributing to the polarization — like politicians and global economics — Murdoch’s Fox News has played a role even in those by showcasing the loudest and most transgressive members of Congress and scapegoating various groups from immigrants to Democrats for the nation’s economic challenges.

    ——-

    After World War II, mainstream media gatekeepers in the US were very careful about propaganda and disinformation. They saw the effects of it in Europe in the 1930s and ‘40s. Propaganda was a key component in the rise of Adolf Hitler in Germany and Benito Mussolini in Italy.

    But not Murdoch. He gave Ailes free rein to do whatever it took to put Fox News on the map, another major part of Murdoch’s legacy that we should not overlook: He opened the cable news floodgates to propaganda, misinformation and disinformation. And he laid down the template for what has become a powerful right-wing messaging machine.

    Fire up the time machine. We got us a baby to strangle.

    • WTF

      reckless, partisan journalism and commentary that has contributed to a citizenry so angry and polarized that our very democracy seems threatened

      Mmmmmm….that’s some tasty progjection!!

      • cyto

        This.

        Sooooooo, so very much this.

      • Sensei

        Let’s play the “name that party” game.

        NBC News
        Sen. Bob Menendez and wife, Nadine, indicted on bribery charges

        Fox News
        Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez facing indictment on bribery charges

        Bloomberg
        Listen: Menendez Indicted, Ford Progress, More

        CNN
        Sen. Bob Menendez and wife indicted on bribery charges, Justice Department says

      • cyto

        That’s great.

        I haven’t even thought about those old “bias” arguments in at least a decade. Way back in the 90’s I documented a bunch of incidents just like your post. That people pretended it was even a controversy is pretty laughable…. but now? Well, now it just seems quaint.

      • mindyourbusiness

        Isn’t it vampires that can’t see themselves in a mirror?

      • Ownbestenemy

        Ask Pie

      • Suthenboy

        Also, they cannot come in unless you invite them.

        The voters are getting what they voted for, good and hard.

    • R.J.

      Christ, what an asshole.

    • Suthenboy

      Transgressive = not commie. I got that part.

      CNN complains about propaganda in a propaganda piece. Nice.
      Propaganda, misinformation and disinformation…we definitely need a Ministry of Truth to sort all of that out for us ignorant, irredeemable deplorables.

  6. The Late P Brooks

    I’m glad I don’t have children.

    • cyto

      Why? They can do the dishes and mow the lawn, they fetch a decent price on the open market and they are a good source of protein if it ever comes to that.

      • R.J.

        They can be taught to sort change, in a similar fashion as orphans.

      • cyto

        Exactly. And you get them for free, unlike orphans.

      • R.J.

        Good point. Pop out a kid, get a bag of deer corn, and you’ve got feed and labor for a year, at least, before you need a new bag of corn.

      • cyto

        And like the bag o’ corn, you could probably use them as bait. Not sure about that one, but they seem like they’d make good bait. For lots of things. Never tried it though. Wife probably would get pissed if I did…..

  7. cyto

    In the southern tradition of self-deprecation, I like to post confessionals so that my fellows can get a laugh and maybe make that “you to, huh?” eye contact.

    So… confession.

    I had never clicked on the dashboard until a moment ago. It has a list of recent comments and the current post lineup. It is very nice. I’m not usually this incurious… so I guess the company is to enthralling in the current thread for me to take an interest in exploring the rest of the work that has been webdommed into existence. It’s nice. If I get a wild hair, maybe I’ll click around more.

    I think this is proof that I’m actually turning into my dad. Dang.

    • UnCivilServant

      I almost never visit the front page of the site.

    • R.J.

      When I first got here, I figured out you could look up “zoom” in the comments and find the current zoom link. It has uses.

      Also buried in there is a calendar of the upcoming posts.

      • kinnath

        Don’t tell all the secrets.

      • R.J.

        You’re right. I need to save the good stuff and ask for cash.

      • cyto

        Or sexual favors. Those are as good as cash.

        Probably less fungible though. Maybe ask for crude oil. I remember from the talk about the strategic patroleum reserve that “oil is fungible”. So maybe hold out for crude oil.

  8. cyto

    Hey, did Sarcasmic from TOS ever post here?

    • UnCivilServant

      I think he shows up from time to time.

      • cyto

        Really? Damn, I’m thick. Someone was asking if he “really got banned” at glibertarians and I said I didn’t think he was ever a poster over here.

      • cyto

        dang… that explains a lot.

        I have VASTLY different impressions of him than the rest of the non-trolls on TOS. Probably because of interactions here. And i’m just to dense to segregate the knowledge.

        Welp. I feel like I just had my first senior moment. I think I should go have a good cry.

      • UnCivilServant

        It’s not as if he’s a prolific commenter, barely above lurker, really.

      • robc

        I only know of two people who got banned.

        I do miss any friendly opposition.

        Maybe I should right another SLT article to generate some bile around here.

      • robc

        sigh…write. Which is why I dont do it as often as I should.

    • Sean

      He was here recently.

      • cyto

        That comment goes incredibly well with your profile pic.

      • ron73440

        I think he was here about about a week ago.

    • Nephilium

      I seem to recall he was just posting here last week.

    • The Other Kevin

      I think he was here maybe around 7 days or 1/4 of a month ago.

      • R C Dean

        Less than a fortnight, anyway.

      • Robonerfherder

        I think it was 15/64ths of a month ago.

      • Ownbestenemy

        Quarter of a moon or so ago.

      • Suthenboy

        How much is that in bananas?

  9. Not Adahn

    Woot!

    New computer in.

    Steam installed.

    Installing LOTRO now.

    It SUCKS not having a computer in the house.

    Mr. Robot says that the laptop isn’t worth fixing because the problem is with the mobo. Can that be right? I mean, I’d imagine that a modern laptop mobo could be dropped in, seems a waste of a good screen/case.

    • UnCivilServant

      How muct customization of the plastic would be needed for any form factor changes? Are the connectors for the keyboard/display/power supply still the same? Would the side ports (ethernet, usb, etc) line up with the existing openings (If they’re directly board mounted, which is common if I recall)

      I’m not as familiar with the internals of laptops as I am with towers, but even with towers these things change fast.

    • Robonerfherder

      Depends on what the mobo costs

      Just had mine replaced under warranty and now the Thunderbolt port is dead.

      So I’m getting a small workstation computer and just using the laptop for games and other time wasting activities now.

    • Nephilium

      Most laptops I’ve dealt with had a custom built MB for that line/model. And if it’s not under warranty, they have inflated costs, as they’re not a standard form factor.

      Unless things have changed a lot in the laptop world in the past 5-10 years.

      • Sensei

        I hope these guys are successful.

        https://frame.work/

        If I were in the market now I would strongly consider them. They are new and just starting so they’ve been having inventory issues.

      • UnCivilServant

        🤔

        My current travelling laptop is getting painfully slow… but the price tag to replace isn’t appealing either. I mostly just check email, write stuff in LibreOffice and visit Glibs when not at home. (which is why the laptop runs Mint)

      • R C Dean

        Sounds like a tablet and keyboard would be plenty.

      • UnCivilServant

        Incorrect, a Mouse is required. I do not browse without one.

      • Nephilium

        There’s been a couple attempts at getting laptops onto a standard like desktops have been. Hell, I seem to recall a couple of groups doing a similar thing with smart phones as well. None have taken off yet because there hasn’t really been a push to standardize.

      • Sensei

        I just like the level of customization available.

        Do you want an honest to goodness ethernet port? If not replace it with something else. Do you want USB-A or USB-C instead? Prefer memory card slot? 3mm audio?

        https://frame.work/marketplace/expansion-cards

      • Nephilium

        I’ve never been a big fan of laptops. Especially for the people who are using them docked 99% of the time. I understand for those who need to travel and the like, but watching normal users default to the item that’s half as powerful for twice the cost has always seemed wrong to me.

      • Sensei

        Same reason I don’t own one.

        OTH, I carry my work issued one with me everyday. It’s docked at home two days a week and docked at the office. With usually two or so moves to conference rooms when I’m in the office.

      • kinnath

        I’ve been using a laptop since the middle 90s. Over the last 25-30 years, there have been extended times where I travel a lot alternating with times I almost never travel. But even when I don’t travel, I don’t sit in an office non-stop. There are many, many hours spent in labs doing testing. While I much prefer desktop computers, I really could not do my work with one.

        I do not have a personal computer nor would I think about getting one. But, I can’t get by at work without a laptop.

      • kinnath

        I do not have a personal computer laptop nor would I think about getting one

      • Ownbestenemy

        I attribute to ‘throw away’ electronics. People are put off on tightly packed electronics and customizing.

    • Mojeaux

      The last time I needed a new laptop, my husband got a customized gamer Asus, as he is an Asus fanboy. My mobo is an Asus TUF.

      • Mojeaux

        And just to be clear, I have a laptop so I can/could go to the library and work if I want/ed. I don’t have any call to do that anymore, but I wouldn’t go back to a desktop for anything. I need my streamlined desk space.

  10. Sensei

    One accountant’s advice I’m not taking

    A 32-year-old senior accountant and CPA in Levittown, Pa., said she is considering going back to school for nursing because that career likely would yield more meaningful work and potentially a better work-life balance.

    I understand that sometimes we all make career mistakes. Why, at age 32, as a licensed CPA are you going to go back to school and spend that kind of cash to become an RN? And yes, you can get better hours, but for at least 3-5 years you are going to be working all the worst shifts.

    Job Security Isn’t Enough to Keep Many Accountants From Quitting

    Anyone have a stoic suggestion?

    • The Other Kevin

      My wife’s cousin’s wife worked in the steel industry for a long time, and in her 40’s she went back to school to be a nurse. She loves it. I don’t see anything wrong with switching careers, as long as you figure out a plan financially.

      • Sensei

        It’s the work / life balance thing that makes me question her.

        If she said she didn’t like accounting and wanted to help people and become an RN I’d be more sympathetic.

        (Mrs. Sensei is an RN. She did the reverse – she worked the ICU and got depressed watching people die and got an MBA and met Sensei,)

    • R C Dean

      “And yes, you can get better hours, “

      Weirdly, hospital RNs (and most work in hospitals these days) bitch endlessly about their hours.

  11. Robonerfherder

    Nothing about this helps me remain stoic.

    https://twitter.com/nickineily/status/1705199235950334001

    Secretary Cardona openly dismissed thousands of American parents who have been speaking out at school board meetings:

    “I don’t have too much respect for people that are misbehaving in public and acting like they know what’s right for kids.”

    • Sensei

      I can charitably interpret that after listening to it.

      Prior to that he is suggesting being civil and disagreeing and contrasting it being an asshole and saying you no what’s right.

      • Robonerfherder

        The even broader context of the DOJ investigating parents as domestic terrorists and local school boards having parents arrested because they were pissed that their kid was raped in school puts a completely different spin on it.

        Cardona knows exactly what he’s saying and that’s “Complain loudly enough that we have to adjust our predetermined plan and we’ll remove you from the chessboard.”

        Remaining civil achieves nothing because they just ignore it.

      • JaimeRoberto (carnitas/spicy salsa)

        “Cardona knows exactly what he’s saying…”

        I’m not sure he does. I think a lot of these people are idiots who have no idea what’s going on. That’s why they are surprised when someone reads the text from the books that are being “banned”.

      • Ownbestenemy

        Sure if we didn’t infer from his and the administrations view points that they own our kids.

      • Sensei

        I agree he’s an ass who thinks he owns your children.

        This particular statement doesn. trigger me however.

      • Ownbestenemy

        Agreed. Civility though has to be from behind the gavel and the speaker. Reason people have gone beyond is the gavel has shut down parental concern

      • Robonerfherder

        And keep in mind that they think they own the definition of “civil.”

    • Suthenboy

      That is just what we need. A govt bureaucrat that knows what is better for children than their parents do. It takes a village, ya’ know and every village needs a Commissar.

      Fuck that guy with a chainsaw. That is the kind of civility he deserves.

  12. The Late P Brooks

    Hate speech

    The United Auto Workers has filed a labor complaint against Sen. Tim Scott for saying workers should be fired for going on strike.

    The complaint filed with the National Labor Relations Board on Thursday accuses the South Carolina Republican’s presidential campaign of interfering with workers’ rights to engage in union activity under federal law. The right to strike is protected under Section 7 of the National Labor Relations Act.

    “Tim Scott threatened employees with adverse consequences if they engage in protected, concerted activity by publicly responding to a question about striking workers as follows: ‘You strike, you’re fired,’” UAW President Shawn Fain said in the complaint. CNBC has not independently obtained the document, but Fain confirmed its authenticity to NBC News.

    When asked Monday how he would deal with labor talks, Scott told voters at an event in Fort Dodge, Iowa that he would emulate President Ronald Reagan, who fired thousands of striking air traffic controllers in 1981.

    “Ronald Reagan gave us a great example when federal employees decided they were going to strike,” the South Carolina senator said.

    “He said, ‘You strike, you’re fired.’ Simple concept to me. To the extent that we can use that once again, absolutely,” Scott said.

    The senator doubled down on his attack against the UAW in a statement to CNBC on Friday. Scott said he union was trying to intimidate him.

    “The UAW is one of the most corrupt and scandal-plagued unions in America,” Scott said. “They are showing their true colors once again and autoworkers and taxpayers will be left holding the bag together. They want to threaten me and shut me up.”

    It doesn’t sound as if he was referring specifically to the UAW strike, but what difference does that make?

    I hope that Fain character gets run over by a truck with cut air brake lines.

    • The Other Kevin

      When the strike started, I was wondering if Trump would make the smart move and get involved. Sure enough, during the next debate he’s doing an event with the auto workers. At lease some of those rust belt people were a big reason he won the first time. Of course Fain is railing against Trump.

      My gut is that just like last time they’re going to reach a settlement that benefits the Dems politically, and it won’t be long until they find they got screwed. But as a lot of you said, this is the bed they made for blindly supporting Team Blue.

    • The Last American Hero

      Hopefully a truck made by the Big3

  13. The Late P Brooks

    A 32-year-old senior accountant and CPA in Levittown, Pa., said she is considering going back to school for nursing because that career likely would yield more meaningful work and potentially a better work-life balance.

    Maybe she should read some of CNN’s multitude of “Nurses are quitting in droves because it sucks” articles first. Lots of whining about work life balance.

    • Sensei

      Yeah, that was my point above.

    • Timeloose

      Nursing will probably be around longer than accounting. Isn’t it one of the white collar jobs like a paper pusher lawyer under threat by “ChatGPT” like systems? https://www.businessinsider.com/chatgpt-jobs-at-risk-replacement-artificial-intelligence-ai-labor-trends-2023-02?op=1#customer-service-agents-10

      I am also baffled by the long hours comment, other than tax season or if you are a corporate controller the end of the period, when are you under the gun in accounting? Nursing has a long history of working extra shifts and long hours, but it pays well.

      • Sensei

        Monthly and quarterly closes.

        I have 12 credits of accounting and hated every second of it. I use it all the time for understanding financial statements, but would never want to be an accountant.

        Everytime I deal with my accounting department (who I like) it confirms that I never want to be in accounting. I disagree that ChatGPT will be putting an end to it any time soon.

      • The Last American Hero

        The adding machine, calculator, pc, internet, big data and now ai were supposed to be the end of accounting. Still here.

    • Grosspatzer

      NYC is about to get a bunch of new nurses now that the Venezuelan “immigrants” wlii be fast tracked for employment. That should help.

  14. The Late P Brooks

    Scott’s home state of South Carolina has a strong anti-union reputation. The Palmetto State is a hub for foreign car manufacturers who are taking advantage of the South’s lower labor costs compared to heavily unionized Midwestern states, the traditional heart of American auto manufacturing.

    Nikki Haley, who is also running for the Republican presidential nomination, proclaimed that she was a “union buster” while governor of South Carolina. Haley pointed to her record of recruiting foreign car manufacturers such as Mercedes Benz and Volvo to the Palmetto State.

    “I didn’t want to bring in companies that were unionized simply because I didn’t want to have that change the environment in our state,” Haley said during an interview with Fox News.

    The anti-union comments made by Scott and Haley come ahead of the second Republican presidential debate next week. Former President Donald Trump, the Republican frontrunner, is skipping the debate to talk to union members in Detroit.

    If you don’t love unions you ain’t American.

  15. Gender Traitor

    One nice thing about being on vacation is the enhanced ability to avoid hearing/reading the news…as long as you’re careful where you sit down to eat your complimentary hotel breakfast.

    • Gender Traitor

      I suppose I should ask anyway. Have I missed anything important since a week ago Wednesday?

      • Sean

        Taylor Swift won a bunch of awards at the VMA.

        🤪

      • Gender Traitor

        Who? At what? 😉

      • Gender Traitor

        ERMAGERD! MUST HAVE!!! Thank goodness for our Sam’s membership!

        This morning at the hotel in Paradise, MI, Froot Loops was part of my balanced breakfast.

      • kinnath

        The world took 7 steps closer to Armageddon.

        Otherwise, nothing of interest.

      • Gender Traitor

        So SS, DD. ::yawns::

      • kinnath

        Correct

      • UnCivilServant

        I usually get SD, DS.

      • Gender Traitor

        Huh. I’ll be up there for an afternoon/evening a week from Tuesday. It’ll be interesting to see if there’s signage all over town yea or nay.

      • JaimeRoberto (carnitas/spicy salsa)

        Once again the headline is wrong. It bans performances in public or where children are present. But I guess if you can’t shake your shenis in front of kids, it’s as good as banned.

    • ron73440

      Once I was home with the flu and my wife was out.

      I fell asleep on the couch and was awoken by the doorbell.

      When I opened the door, I found a very confused man.

      He said, “Is this your baby?”

      He was holding my 6 month old who somehow got outside after I fell asleep.

      My wife asked if I told him I was sick as an excuse, but I told her there was nothing to say except sorry and thank you.

      • Sensei

        Precisely!

      • Ownbestenemy

        First week on base, E2 and my toddler son crawled out the gate to the park across the street

        O4 knocked on door asking if was my kid. I didn’t know what to do but he was cool and said he was just swinging along

      • Tundra

        My daughter wandered away when we were in fucking Mexico! Some moments of sheer terror there.

        Yeah, I’m not judging people at all. Kids do this.

    • The Other Kevin

      I once lost a child in Japan. Granted, it was the Japan at EPCOT but I still catch a lot of shit for it today.

      • Sensei

        Makes sense.

        A rather childish way to say you are lost in Japanese is to say “you’ve become a lost child”.

        The adult way is to say “you’ve lost your way” – or more literally the road or path.

      • The Other Kevin

        In this case, my youngest was a toddler, and my wife and I went to look at different parts of the store. She saw our kid following me, but I didn’t. We found her in the care of a stranger and crying. Bad dad moment.

    • The Other Kevin

      There’s a joke in there about all the migrants and lawn care but I haven’t put it together yet.

      • The Gunslinger

        Soldier Field turf is notoriously awful so the lawn care equipment is probably junk.

  16. Ownbestenemy

    We have stalked the new house 4 times this week. Get our walkthrough on Monday. Mrs OBE is already measuring the drapes

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