January 10, 2017

Wal-Mart is rolling back its workforce as layoffs loom by months end

A Walmart worker organizes products for the Christmas season at a Walmart store in Teterboro, New Jersey. Wal-Mart to cut hundreds of jobs: DJ
3 Hours Ago | 01:24
Wal-Mart Stores will be giving hundreds of additional workers pink slips as the discount retailer prepares a fresh round of job cuts, sources familiar with the matter told CNBC.

The layoffs were first reported by the Wall Street Journal. The cuts would affect both regional workers and employees at the company's headquarters, sources told the Journal. They added that many of the layoffs will impact its human resources department.

In a statement to CNBC, Wal-Mart said, "As we've previously shared, we are always looking for ways to operate more efficiently and effectively. While we continually look at our corporate structure, we have not made any announcements."

The move marks the latest in a series of cuts as the retailer pares some expenses. In September, it said it would slash 7,000 back-office jobs while it said in October 2015 that it was cutting hundreds of positions at headquarters.

http://www.cnbc.com/2017/01/10/wal-mart-is-rolling-back-its-workforce-as-layoffs-loom-by-months-end.html?__source=yahoo%7Cfinance%7Cheadline%7Cheadline%7Cstory&par=yahoo&doc=104210241&yptr=yahoo

January 10, 2017

Memo to Gov. Greitens: Heres how to KILL the middle class

(EDITOR’S NOTE: Supporters of the so-called “right-to-work” say it’s not about killing unions, but bringing more industry, thus jobs, to Missouri. We know the latter is not true because site selection experts don’t consider RTW in the top 10 reasons companies select new plant sites. This excerpted article shows the real impact on ALL Wisconsin workers. Missouri workers be warned, it’s just around the corner here.)

Back in 2009, Rick Erickson was happy with his job as a teacher in one of the state’s northernmost school districts on the shores of Lake Superior. He made $35,770 a year teaching chemistry and physics, which wasn’t a lot of money, but then again, he received stellar healthcare and pension benefits, and could talk honestly with administrators about what he needed as a teacher every two years when his union sat down with the school district in collective bargaining sessions.

Then, five years ago, Wisconsin passed Act 10, also known as the Wisconsin Budget Repair Bill,(in Missouri, we call it the “paycheck deception” bill) which dramatically limited the ability of teachers and other public employees to bargain with employers on wages, benefits, and working conditions.

After Act 10:

Erickson saw his take-home pay drop dramatically: He now makes $30,650.
His wife is a teacher, too, and together they make 11 percent less than they did before Act 10.
The local union he once led — the Bayfield Education Association — is no longer certified to collectively bargain, so he can’t formally negotiate with the school district for things like prep time and sick days.
He pays more for health care and his pension, and he says both he and his wife may now not be able to retire until they are much older than they had planned.
“We still haven’t recovered from Act 10,” Erickson, who was Wisconsin’s 2014 High School Teacher of the Year, told me. “It’s definitely changed things.”

http://labortribune.com/memo-to-gov-greitens-heres-how-to-kill-the-middle-class/

January 10, 2017

Daily Holidays - January 10

Bittersweet Chocolate Day Sometimes the rich sweet flavor of milk chocolate just isn’t what you’re looking for, sometimes you want to relish in the underlying bitterness that is intrinsic to darker chocolates, and Bittersweet Chocolate Day is the day to celebrate them. There are a lot different types of chocolates, but dark chocolate reigns supreme on Bittersweet Chocolate Day. https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/bittersweet-chocolate-day/

National Cut Your Energy Costs Day It’s been a long cold winter, and no doubt you’re still living under the weight of those winter heating bills. Ever wonder if there’s a way to break away from such high bills while not having to live in your house like you’re out in the cold? Cut Your Energy Costs Day is your opportunity to take a look at your life and your home, and find ways of reducing how much energy you’re using. Not just for focusing on the winter months, this is your chance to address the year ahead and find out how to make your energy bills more affordable all year long. https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/cut-your-energy-costs-day/

Peculiar People Day s here to celebrate the leaders of the strange and unusual, those who refuse to succumb to the world’s idea of what is normal and sane. They challenge the status quo and utterly rebuke the concept that that which is out of the ordinary is bad. Whether they simply dress in their own style, or have very clear ideas of what is right and normal, Peculiar People Day is their opportunity to shine. https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/peculiar-people-day/

House Plant Appreciation Day Houseplants are a wonderful addition to any home, adding the fresh scent of living earth, the subtle fragrance of your favorite flowers, or just a bit of the outdoors in the indoors. While some people have difficulty being able to sustain these little treasures, it has been shown to be incredibly therapeutic to have this blush of the natural world inside your home. https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/houseplant-appreciation-day/

http://www.famousbirthdays.com/january10.html

January 9, 2017

Daily Holidays - January 9

National Apricot Day Apricots ripen in the early summer, but they’re quite commonly dried so that way we can enjoy them year round. The word ‘apricot’ in Latin purportedly means “precious”, but further investigation reveals that while this moniker is appropriate, it actually comes from Arabic ‘al barqūq’ (“early ripe”) via French ‘abricot’. “Early ripe” is appropriate because apricots tend to ripen earlier than most summer fruits. Drying apricots has been a common preservation practice for centuries. Most store-bought apricots retain the bright orange colour that the fruits have when ripe. Organic dried apricots would be more brown in colour and the bright orange is a sign that the fruits were treated with sulphur compounds. https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/apricot-day/

Balloon Ascension Day Anyone who has ever been in a hot air balloon will tell you it is an incredible experience, especially if they have been on such a ride in a place that boasts a particularly majestic landscape. It may be hard for us to imagine nowadays, but there was a time, not quite so long ago, when humans had no idea how to go about getting up into the air and staying there in a way we take for granted today, via planes or helicopters. In those days, being able to fly, or even float, was a near-impossible goal that many strove to achieve, but only few succeeded. Jean Pierre Blanchard was one of those who succeeded, and January 9th is the day to remember his feat. https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/balloon-ascension-day/

National Static Electricity Day It’s the bane of wool wearers, and the champion of older brothers. Static electricity has been experienced by all of us, whether we’re simply grabbing a door handle on a cool dry day, or experiencing the magnificence of natural lightning. Whether you got it from walking across a carpet in wool socks or from petting your friendly purr-box kitten, static electricity has occasionally added a little spark to your day. https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/static-electricity-day/

Clean Off Your Desk Day heralds the beginning of some serious spring cleaning. Do you really need all that junk, old paperwork and mess on your desk? If the answer’s no, take the opportunity to do a little tidying! https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/clean-off-your-desk-day/

http://www.famousbirthdays.com/january9.html

January 8, 2017

A Day in the Life of Joe Republican

Joe gets up at 6 a.m. and fills his coffeepot with water to prepare his morning coffee. The water is clean and good because some tree-hugging liberal fought for minimum water-quality standards.

With his first swallow of water, he takes his daily medication. His medications are safe to take because some stupid commie liberal fought to ensure their safety and that they work as advertised.

All but $10 of his medications are paid for by his employer's medical plan because some liberal union workers fought their employers for paid medical insurance - now Joe gets it too.

He prepares his morning breakfast, bacon and eggs. Joe's bacon is safe to eat because some girly-man liberal fought for laws to regulate the meat packing industry.

http://www.gbpotus.com/single-post/2017/01/02/A-Day-in-the-Life-of-Joe-Republican

This has been around more than once in some variation or another, but still is a good read...

January 8, 2017

Daily Holidays - January 8

Argyle Day Argyle – you probably think of argyle socks and sweaters when you hear the name, but there’s no reason to limit its usage to only those sorts of things when there’s a diversity of argyle designs. An argyle pattern is made of diamonds or lozenges, with overlapping motifs that typically contain an overlay of intercrossing diagonal lines on solid diamonds. You’ve seen it on the tartan hose that Scotsmen wear with kilts, on old golf costumes, and on numerous pairs of socks. We must say that the pattern has lent itself to a wider variety of uses in recent years, everything from leggings to kinesiology tape. https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/argyle-day/

Bubble Bath Day That first bath, bubbles rising up around us in a scent that would soon become associated with warmth, comfort, and safety. It started with the love of a mother’s hands, and in time we began to pamper ourselves. Rich bubbles, beautiful candles, quiet music, and a little time to ourselves have all been the hallmark of the bubble bath. Bubblebath Day reminds us of these little luxuries, and to take time out of our day to treat ourselves to a little special TLC. https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/bubble-bath-day/

Earth’s Rotation Day The earth rotates on its axis and one full rotation takes 24 hours to complete. We’d be very surprised if you didn’t already know that, but what you may not know is that the speed of the earth’s rotation can change from day to day and year to year. So a true solar day is not exactly 24 hours, but the variations are a matter of seconds. A mean solar day is based on the yearlong average, but the basic concept of a solar day itself is the length of time for the earth to complete one full rotation on its axis. https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/earths-rotation-day/

National Joy Germ Day Back in 1981, Joan White of Syracuse, New York thought of the idea of holding joy germ Day, and the idea has developed a following that stretches across the US as well as around the world. Ms. White is a retired advertising and public relations specialist and it’s little surprise that she’s displayed her creativity and positive thinking to promote the idea of joy germs. The original joy germ Day also fell on White’s mother’s birthday, as it was her energy that inspired White to have the day to honor her. White isn’t entirely sure how she came up with the idea of joy germs. One mention of it came from a piece she wrote one time for a local inn, but the inn owner had asked her to remove mention of the phrase at that time. So she kept it for herself and ultimately came up with joy germ Day. https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/joy-germ-day/

http://www.famousbirthdays.com/january8.html

January 7, 2017

Daily Holidays - January 7

I’m Not Going To Take It Anymore Day I’m Not Going To Take It Anymore Day is when we as human beings fight back against the injustices inflicted upon us, to show that we cannot be controlled nor contained like wild animals. To show that we have our own lives and our own prerogatives. https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/im-not-going-to-take-it-anymore-day/

Fruit Cake Toss Day Let’s be honest: nobody really likes fruitcake, and nobody ever really eats it, either. Heavy, flavorless and always too sweet, fruitcake is one of our century’s biggest holiday jokes. So when Christmas is over, and you’ve taken the tinsel down, and thrown out the tree, what should you do with that old fruitcake that you’ve been using to prop open the door/to replace a missing limb/as a headrest? Fruitcake Toss Day has a “fruitful” answer (see what we did there?). The event, which is reported as having originated in Manitou Springs, Colorado, was created in order to help people get rid of unwanted fruitcake after Christmas. https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/fruitcake-toss-day/

Old Rock Day despite some misconception, is not a day of celebrating classic Rock ‘n’ Roll tunes of days gone by but is, in fact, the day that Geologists and amateur rock enthusiasts take it upon themselves to show their appreciation of all things fossilised and stony. https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/old-rock-day/

Bobble Head Day Take me out to the ball game! Take me out the fun! Buy me some peanuts and … bobbleheads? That’s right! Bobblehead day is when we celebrate the fantastic development that are bobblehead dolls! Whether you’re buying them for your favorite baseball team, or one of those commemorative presidential bobbleheads, Bobblehead Day is your opportunity to get out there and learn a bit about these iconic toys history! https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/bobblehead-day/

http://www.famousbirthdays.com/january7.html

January 6, 2017

Giant Eagle planning to close five supermarkets

http://www.post-gazette.com/business/career-workplace/2017/01/04/Giant-Eagle-planning-to-close-five-supermarkets/stories/201701040236

Giant Eagle plans to close five supermarkets and four GetGo locations in Ohio, Maryland and in Altoona, the O’Hara-based grocer said.

Three supermarkets and one GetGo are located in central Ohio; two supermarkets and one GetGo are located in northeastern Ohio. All of these locations will close between Feb. 4 and March 4, the company said.

GetGo locations at 100 West Plank Road in Altoona and 1700 West Seventh Street in Frederick, Md., are expected to close at the end of business on Jan. 17.

Meanwhile, the company is preparing for the spring opening of its Millcreek Mall supermarket in Erie, according to spokesman Dick Roberts.

Add these store closings to the list of Macy's and Sears/K-Marts. Makes things look somewhat bleak...

January 6, 2017

Aldi (UK) becomes first supermarket chain to pay all staff MORE than the real living wage

Aldi is to become the first supermarket to pay staff above the voluntary living wage.

The discount chain is increasing its minimum pay rate for more than 3,350 workers to £8.53 an hour - and £9.75 in London - from February 1.

It means most staff will get 8p an hour more than the Living Wage Foundation’s £8.45 an hour, and piles pressure on rivals.

The new rate is 91p an hour more than Tesco pays, and 87p an hour more than Sainsbury’s.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/business/aldi-becomes-first-supermarket-chain-9570557?ICID=FB_mirror_main

It appears that the light bulb has illuminated at this UK Chain.....

January 6, 2017

Daily Holidays - January 6

Bean Day Beans are a common food around the globe and for good reason: they’re rich in fiber, protein, and can be delicious. You might think of beans only as an ingredient in chili con carne or baked beans, but they’re not limited to these applications – in Japan, for instance, red beans are commonly used in desserts. There are also various Chinese sweets that also incorporate either red beans or mung beans. That, of course, excludes things like soya beans which are used both fresh (as edamame) as well as in various sauces and condiments ranging from soya sauce to miso and various fermented condiments found throughout southeast Asia and northeast India. Tempeh and tofu are also made from soya bean and that just goes to show how versatile and essential beans are to various cuisines worldwide. So whether you’re indulging in a nice steamy bowl of chili or a Japanese sweet, there are numerous ways to celebrate humble beans. https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/bean-day/

Cuddle Up Day Winter has the coldest days of the year so there’s many ways to stay warm. One of the best ways to stay warm is a three-dog night, a night so cold it takes cuddling up to three dogs to stay warm. There are multiple benefits to cuddling with people, canines, and other pets. Let’s find out what those are in the history of Cuddle Up Day! https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/cuddle-up-day/

Epiphany or Twelfth Night or Three Kings' Day,[2] is a Christian feast day that celebrates the revelation of God in his Son as human in Jesus Christ. In Western Christianity, the feast commemorates principally (but not solely) the visit of the Magi to the Christ child, and thus Jesus' physical manifestation to the Gentiles.[3][4] Moreover, the feast of the Epiphany, in some Western Christian denominations, also initiates the liturgical season of Epiphanytide.[5][6] Eastern Christians, on the other hand, commemorate the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River, seen as his manifestation to the world as the Son of God.[7]

The traditional date for the feast is January 6. However, since 1970, the celebration is held in some countries on the Sunday after January 1. Eastern Churches following the Julian calendar observe the feast on what for most countries is January 19[8] because of the 13-day difference today between that calendar and the generally used Gregorian calendar.[9] In many Western Christian Churches, the eve of the feast is celebrated as Twelfth Night.[10][11] The Monday after Epiphany is known as Plough Monday.[12] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epiphany_(holiday)

Apple Tree Day could also be called ‘Put a Doctor Out of Business Day’ because of the fruit’s health benefits. However, the origin of this day is quite different. Apple Tree Day started as a celebration of an old apple tree almost two centuries old, and has grown to become a celebration of the apple itself. https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/apple-tree-day/

National Shortbread Day. There are very few foods that suggest Scotland quite so strongly as shortbread. The only other close contender would be haggis and those tend to evoke rather mixed sentiments when mentioned to anyone outside of Scotland. Yeah, there are Scotch eggs too, but we’d like to remind you that while they are decidedly British in invention, it’s harder to pin them particularly on Scotland. Scotch whiskey is a beverage after all, so it doesn’t really count. While no Robert Burns Night observance would be complete without some shortbread, we feel that having a day dedicated to making and eating shortbread can’t really be a bad thing. After all, who doesn’t like shortbread? So now you have two days where you can enjoy shortbread, even though we knew that shortbread is good year round and no one really needs an excuse to make and enjoy shortbread. https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/shortbread-day/

http://www.famousbirthdays.com/january6.html