Ever since last week, when the NYS wage board recommended increasing the fast food minimum wage to $15 by the end of 2018, everyone online has been flipping out.t I've seen so much complaining on Facebook and Reddit that low skill jobs don't deserve to be paid that much, especially from other people who are in other low paying jobs (skilled and unskilled). Personally I think it's a step in the right direction but:

Seeing this reception makes me question why this wasn't across the board minimum wage hike. The conspiracy theorist in me would say it was aimed at rallying most workers against the idea of any hike (the thought process going "why should a Tim Horton's worker get $15 an hour, when I'm still going to make $10 as a trained paramedic paramedic?") The optimist hopes that it will keep drawing more people's attention to wage inequality - like how for anyone outside the top 20% (of household income), wages have not kept up with productivity and inflation since the 70's!

I've noticed a similar attitude with unions, even from normally liberal people. Those not protected by a union want to know why union workers should be compensated more than a non-union worker, when they also work over 40 hour weeks for no additional benefit. The real question they should be asking is why are they willing to do more for less?
At some point in time, it looks like every worker ended up in a bizarre race to the bottom, where the winner gets to brag about who works the most while getting paid the least.

We continued our bike exploration of Buffalo with a trip down Route 5 to Woodlawn beach. They were having a karaoke night - (e:Terry) was cringing to the JLo tributes going on.

The tiki bar area was pretty nice. I never stuck around for it when I worked next door.

Yesterday I got home at 7:30 and booked it to the quarry. sorry (e:Paul), I know you were mad at me.

I got to swim for 20 minutes, but not before I heard the life story of the security guard and his immigration from Hungary. He met Sylvester Stallone in the 80s and was supposed to be his stunt man. But the US wouldn't let him in, so he got sent back to the Hungary where he had to flee the communists. After running across the border under gunfire, he made his way to France where he met his Canadian wife, who brought him to Montreal.

There was much more to it, but it was long and rambling. I felt bad walking away to swim, but he seemed so excited to tell his story. What else can you do?

I kept up the bike death march with (e:paul), because (e:terry) broke his big toe on the stairs ;(

Have you ever noticed the maze of signs near Church Street and the 190 talking about the Irish Famine Memorial? I've seen them before but never thought about it. Paul and I decided to follow through with them.

Starting at South Elmwood and Church, you zip across the street down Lower Terrace. There, you're sent under the 190, west via Erie Street. The last one just points into the Synacor parking lot on the Inner Harbor.
Which is where the memorial actually is.



At first I thought this was the memorial - a sign and some flowers.


It turned out it was 20 feet behind it. A big stone fountain that wasn't filled with water. I wonder if it was there before Synacor's office? The whole Inner Harbor is a suburban mess if you ask me.






Anyway Paul wanted clams, so we went to the Hatch. He seemed to like them a lot. There were a ton of people hanging around and lots of mom and gramma booty shaking going on to Sweet Home Alabama.






Our last stop was looking at Riverworks. It feels like a crazy big city entertainment area. Even on a Sunday they had people rollerskating on a rink, a big snackstand and double decked restaurant etc. I wonder how big it's going to get. They had the remnants of a warehouse nextdoor with the old rebar all artsily layed out. I wanted to jump over all the concrete and explore ;( too late to do that in Buffalo anymore.

The quarry trip was followed up with a große feier. We cooked out and had a nice dinner, when (e:flacidness) stopped by.



Mark was having a meetup at Q to finish celebrating his birthday.
We all went down, besides (e:terry). Things got cray at the bar, where everyone started showing up - Mike, Seth, Patrick. Half the bar ended up coming over to our house, and I ended up passing out immediately with Terry.