Long day Monday. Up at 0415, got to the courthouse in Los Angeles with an hour to spare. First witness, all went well and fairly quickly, and I got off before noon. Twenty-five cents to ride the downtown shuttle bus to Union Station, and I could change my Amtrak ticket to the previous bus/train leaving at 1:05 PM. Ultimately I got to Fresno three hours earlier than I would have by airlplane, for less than a tenth of the price. My client would have readily paid the airfare, but I like getting home before sundown a whole lot more than sitting around in airports. Going over the Tehachipi Mountains by Antrak bus on the way from the Los Angeles Basin to the Central Valley, there was a lot of Spanish Bayonet [Click] to be seen on the hillsides. Changed to the train in Bakersfield. Riding the train rather than driving one gets to see a very good illustration of why this area is called "The Appalachia of the West."
44 years ago today, I got to meet my firstborn son. Today we are taking him out for lunch, along with his spouse and two of his siblings. The other two siblings are currently in Boston and Alaska, respectively.
Another note from my travels yesterday: I decided to give myself a once-in-many-years treat by purchasing a (large!) "Ben and Jerry's" ice cream cone at LA Union Station (coffee/chocolate flavor). [Yes, I know it is owned by Unilver.] I received two one-dollar coins in change, and when I got home I looked at them carefully and realized that the head side had James Buchanan on it! I guess it could have been worse...
I was wondering why the IRS would be interested in a company that has never shown a profit in its history. Then I remembered that, 30 years ago, Microsoft got in trouble with the IRS for characterizing people the IRS considered employees as independent contractors. Uber could very easily be vulnerable in the same way. (Note: I framed my contract with my now-former client in a way the explicitly incorporated some of IRS's rather flexible criteria for being an independent contractor. But you recall that a few years ago, when someone with suing in civil court to have all Uber drivers characterized as employees, the criteria they were proposing were so broad they would have made me an employee as well.
The Coalition Out to Kill Tech as We Know It; With enemies like these, the industry is going to need some friends. [Click] In the section "Antitrust Theoreticians:"...How can there be consumer harm if consumers are paying $0.00? ...antitrust scholars...have argued that...free services can still be harmful to societies." I suppose the author of the column has not heard the story of the lamps of China. In the old days Chinese peasants would manufacture during the winter, among other things, ceramic oil lamps. Then came Standard Oil, which gave away lamps for free to increase sales of their petroleum-based oil, thereby destroying the important cottage industry of lamp manufacturing, as well as the sale of vegetable oil for the old style lamps.
Long day Monday. Up at 0415, got to the courthouse in Los Angeles with an hour to spare. First witness, all went well and fairly quickly, and I got off before noon. Twenty-five cents to ride the downtown shuttle bus to Union Station, and I could change my Amtrak ticket to the previous bus/train leaving at 1:05 PM. Ultimately I got to Fresno three hours earlier than I would have by airlplane, for less than a tenth of the price. My client would have readily paid the airfare, but I like getting home before sundown a whole lot more than sitting around in airports. Going over the Tehachipi Mountains by Antrak bus on the way from the Los Angeles Basin to the Central Valley, there was a lot of Spanish Bayonet [Click] to be seen on the hillsides. Changed to the train in Bakersfield. Riding the train rather than driving one gets to see a very good illustration of why this area is called "The Appalachia of the West."
ReplyDeleteWow! That is one tall plant!!
DeleteSo glad your day had some spaces in it and that the timing went so very well! Especially good to hear that your part in the day went so smoothly.
The typos are an indication that I am tired. Now to bed.
DeleteAlan
I must be tired too; I never noticed any typos! 😆
DeleteNever get old. Ha!
44 years ago today, I got to meet my firstborn son.
ReplyDeleteToday we are taking him out for lunch, along with his spouse and two of his siblings.
The other two siblings are currently in Boston and Alaska, respectively.
Happy birthday. For some reason our sons tend to send me greetings on their birthdays. I like that. So, happy birthday, Listener.
ReplyDeleteNice!! Seems only fair.
Delete🎉 Thank you, Hannah! 🎂
...after all, Mom remembers the day most! Ha!
DeleteAnother note from my travels yesterday: I decided to give myself a once-in-many-years treat by purchasing a (large!) "Ben and Jerry's" ice cream cone at LA Union Station (coffee/chocolate flavor). [Yes, I know it is owned by Unilver.] I received two one-dollar coins in change, and when I got home I looked at them carefully and realized that the head side had James Buchanan on it! I guess it could have been worse...
ReplyDelete😂
DeleteI complained to B&J headquarters.
DeleteUber braced for bumper tax bill as authorities begin examination [Click] Sounds good to me!
ReplyDeleteToo much news about Trump’s shenanigans in England, and the abject behavior of the UK government.
I was wondering why the IRS would be interested in a company that has never shown a profit in its history. Then I remembered that, 30 years ago, Microsoft got in trouble with the IRS for characterizing people the IRS considered employees as independent contractors. Uber could very easily be vulnerable in the same way. (Note: I framed my contract with my now-former client in a way the explicitly incorporated some of IRS's rather flexible criteria for being an independent contractor. But you recall that a few years ago, when someone with suing in civil court to have all Uber drivers characterized as employees, the criteria they were proposing were so broad they would have made me an employee as well.
DeleteButtigieg was in Fresno yesterday [Click] Interesting
ReplyDeleteTrump as the boy who cried wolf [Click]
ReplyDeleteJoe Biden as the Democratic Mitt Romney [Click]
David Brooks: The Coming GOP Apocalypse [Click]
Biden’s climate plan plagiarizes others [Click] Not again…
DeleteI always called my mama on my birthday to thank her. My boys tend to do the same, lol!
ReplyDeleteThat's a sweet custom, puddle.
DeleteThe Coalition Out to Kill Tech as We Know It;
ReplyDeleteWith enemies like these, the industry is going to need some friends. [Click]
In the section "Antitrust Theoreticians:"...How can there be consumer harm if consumers are paying $0.00? ...antitrust scholars...have argued that...free services can still be harmful to societies." I suppose the author of the column has not heard the story of the lamps of China. In the old days Chinese peasants would manufacture during the winter, among other things, ceramic oil lamps. Then came Standard Oil, which gave away lamps for free to increase sales of their petroleum-based oil, thereby destroying the important cottage industry of lamp manufacturing, as well as the sale of vegetable oil for the old style lamps.