The environment has been improving a lot. More forests, and less air and water pollution.

MAD or a war between great powers is low. We actually had big wars 100 years ago.

It's more of a matter of if the thing is really needed or just a 'nice to have' while budget dollars are still available.

Yes, but spending $100 to save $20 in taxes still nets you down $80.

That said, sure, if you're having a good year letting everyone spend every dollar in their budget makes sense. You'd reduce taxable income and leave some meat on the bone for next year in case budgets need to be slashed.

Budgets can be pretty big, and buying a few things extra to fill out the budget isn't a big deal.

Budgets get changed all the time. If you don't use it this year it may be gone the next. Getting authorization to exceed budget can be difficult, while spending what's already authorized is easy.

Take the converse.. if everyone is hyper incentivized to come in below budget you get scrooges that pay poorly, understaff and remove free coffee from the office. You get a bad place to work.

Sure, when a company has a good year bonuses are generally higher.

What difference does that make?

Storing money in a coffer isn't an inherent good. You should either be improving the company with that cash or returning it to shareholders.

If you let cash pile up the business with either issue a dividend, share buyback or make an acquisition, etc.

IIRC deliveries are announced next week and should be a catalyst higher and carry until earnings hit. Post earnings depends on margins and the macro environment.

Gold is silly money.

I like it, but it depends a lot on your budget. I wouldn't prioritize over a good TV and sound system. I'd also suggest limiting 4k blue ray to particularly good and rewarchable movies.

Can't see energy and finance getting back to 36% of the index.

>Do you think because it'll take time that we just shouldn't do it?

I literally wrote that I want us to do it.

Sure, but that only works if we can actually get things like nukes built quickly and efficiently. I don't think we can replace pipelines with renewables alone.. we need a lot of power for heat in the winter and solar isn't as productive in the winter.

Would love to see a big nuke / renewable build out next recession, but big builds need a long time to plan and approve.

$2.29 / dozen at my nearest Hannaford. $2.99 / 18.

If it's in shortage and expensive where you are, buy less. Buy seasonal / on sale first.

Nat Gas is like 2x as expensive as a year ago. Price is up way more than that in Europe.

There's no reason to think this year will be the new forever normal. Years of surplus and deficit come and go.

I'd think they have quite a few challenges not just immediate kitchen access.

Do you have a few dozen apartments you can lend them and improve the situation?

Hotel rooms don't typically have kitchens.

Putting people in a hotel doesn't sound like just dumping folks off.

>Why is the government allowing the free flow of illegal immigrants into the country??????

They aren't. The US does not have an open border.

They also need to sleep and eat other meals during their life. You want to pay people to sleep too?

Cleaner to just ban lunch and start the shift later.

Just have people work 40 hrs no lunch break. Otherwise the employer isn't getting anything out of you eating and will adjust overall comp.

If you want more pay just ask for that. I don't see why "paid lunch" is a compelling argument. You're not working, nor doing work prep. You're taking care of yourself just like breakfast, dinner or whatever. The fact that leaving the worksite can be inconvenient due to travel time is.. whatever.

> I believe that employees—especially those with hourly wages—should get paid more.

But why not just advocate for that?

>And lunch is not the same as free time. It’s built into work because it keeps employees working effectively (and safely)—especially manual laborers—and is time that aught to be compensated.

And that argument is job specific. Office worker may be better off with some light snacking during the day. Lunch only became the norm with factory work.

MA is not a right to work state. Are you thinking "at will employment"?

It sounds like you just want to get paid more and think "paid lunch" is some hot idea it isn't.