Let’s Talk… Wage Gap
A little while ago, I saw a picture someone had posted on social media and it said: Amount a man makes (it was a dollar bill) and then it said amount a woman makes (it was a bunch of change that when added up equaled a dollar). I shook my head and removed myself from the internet for awhile. When I came back, I saw a woman had posted a response about the meme not being funny – I was exuberant. Then the man responded: educate yourself followed by a WSJ (Wall Street Journal) opinion piece on why the difference in the wages existed; the piece was the classic argument: women take jobs in sectors that don’t pay as much. So, when I decided I would jump into the public forum, I knew I needed something that was from a source that would be reputable (and luckily I had a subscription to the WSJ, so I knew they had many non-opinion based pieces on the wage gap). I came across my weapon: an infographic built on census backed data which controlled for career path. By choosing a visualization based on census data, I removed the classic argument about choosing positions that pay less. (Check the infographic here: http://graphics.wsj.com/gender-pay-gap/ or click [Read More] for my analysis).
Read MoreBuy That Television in Person
In a previous post, I discussed the paradox of decision in regards to shopping online versus in person. Here, I am going to argue that you should shop in person because of the economic ramifications. Now, I feel lot of people think that shopping at mega-corporation’s brick and mortar store is the same as shopping at their online store, but you are wrong (I apologize, but I assume two things: 1) you believe that all the profits go to the corporate headquarters so there is no difference between shopping online or at their in person store as all the money funnels to the same place, 2) the stores would stay open anyway).
Let’s tackle point two first: the store would stay open anyway. No one is going to keep a store open if there isn’t a semblance of profit. Not only that, these companies have some of the profit measuring models in the world. The moment a store stays in the red for an extended period of time, they will close it. Keeping a store open means that they have to pay: utilities, wages, shipping fees, and many other pieces. While, if they are making all the sales in the area online, they can cut that entire cost out and just ship from their distribution center (the place that supplies you your online purchases also supplies the store’s inventory). So no, stores will close and I think most people can see that as we see massive retailers shut down their storefronts and move to online only.
The second assumption was that all the profit goes to a central headquarters. I was tricky here, all the profits do go to a central headquarters but not all the revenue does (revenue is the total sales, profits are what is left over after expenses and all that jazz). So when you buy a television in person, it costs a little more (even though they will often price match online prices). However, the profit margins between an instore and online purchase are vastly different. That single in-store purchase now kept some of the capital of your city in your city (the money gets doled out to the utility company and their employees, the retailer’s employees, the landscapers, everyone in the city that supports that company’s brick and mortar store). So yes, all the profits do go back to the mothership, but an in-store purchase provides less to the company and more to the workers of your city. So buy locally, even buying at a mega-corporation store will provide some benefit to your community (but I suggest you try and find an independent store cause then all your money stays in the area).
Read MoreParadox of Decision – Commerce in Person
There is a phenomenon that is solely human (it could exist in other species, but I cannot communicate with my cat so I don’t know if she experiences regret); regret is the outcome that one experiences when they are thrust into the paradox of decision. As humans, we are often given decisions. The paradox of decision focuses on the feelings of satisfaction with a choice. The theory is that the more options you receive, the more likely you are to regret or be less satisfied with what you have chosen. This is a well documented outcome, as choices increase, the decision maker will be less satisfied with what they chose. The example is usually ice cream – if I offer six choices instead of a hundred, then the person is quick to decide and not feel regret as there was only one flavor out of the six that they truly wanted, but if there was a hundred, they may have three choices they would like so they assume they chose poorly after they make their choice. [click “Read More” for more]
Read MoreSolutions to the Weaponized Internet
Awhile ago, someone mentioned to me that when analyzing problems I was able to provide a tapestry of detail about the issue, but I was depressing them. They further explained that my analysis showed a bleak future and that I offered no solution. In turn, I responded with the fact that my goal as a writer is to display what I see are problems in the world and carefully make you aware of them in an entertaining format. That, I am not a person who can produce a solution, but I am someone who has chosen to be the megaphone to rally the people around the problem, and in doing so, support those that are in a position to produce the solution.
But I did agree, if I had a possible solution, then I should present it. That same person read my previous post (Weaponizing the Internet) and engaged me in discussion to see if I was just ranting and raving or if I had a better model. Now, I sometimes forget where I have ranted and raved about issues – this blog is but a minor glimpse into the world of problems I discuss regularly. Normally, I have solutions floating around in my brain box. So here are some that would shift the way we consume:
Read MoreAntibiotics? Hell No, Grab Some Garlic
I have had the pleasure of being raised by a skeptical mother. Throughout my life, I have been told to question what I see on television and never believe what I read on the internet (so don’t trust or believe this post). Furthermore, it is important to acknowledge that being skeptical doesn’t mean you disregard everything that is around you. Being skeptical is questioning the asymmetrical knowledge that permeates all of our lives. To be a true skeptic, you should even question or validate your own knowledge on a regular basis (something most forget to do, including myself).
But with all this questioning, when will I have time to chow on some sausages? Simple, never, but I will give you a quick hint… it is possible to have time for fun without believing everything you see. If it sounds batshit crazy, odds are it is batshit crazy. If you are on a social media site and see something that is wholly unbelievable, don’t believe it (one because it is a social media site and getting you engaged pays their bills, and nothing will engage you more than: Garlicman appears and destroys Godzilla with breath attack). If you go to a blog that is promoting the healing powers of garlic and there are advertisements everywhere for GarlAxe (An axe made out of garlic that you can munch on) you are probably on a website that is promoting garlic to help sell more GarlAxes – they are either lying to you or inflating the results of studies on garlic. [more hidden, click “Read More” for super secret access]
Read MoreWeaponizing the Internet
When I created my website years ago, I made a simple promise to everyone who ever visited it. That promise is on the About the Website page and it is about advertising and it simply states: No Advertising. I take that seriously, to the degree that I don’t promote anything in my blogs on purpose. Sometimes, I have to use the names of companies but they are not advertisements. Furthermore, I make it clear that I am footing the bill for this website and I own all of the content. Why would I not monetize (weaponize) my website and generate income from it?
Simple, I hate advertising on the web. Perhaps I am remembering the past with rose tinted glasses, but I think many of you would agree with me – the internet has gotten out of control. [There is a lot more below, click read more for my full analysis]
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