Archive for July 2016
Favorite Movies
- The Great Escape – This is from 1963 and has a large ensemble cast including Steve McQueen, James Garner, Donald Pleasence, Richard Attenborough, Charles Bronson, James Coburn and David McCallum. It was aired annually in the 1960’s and 1970’s and I grew to enjoy it.
- Sole Survivor – This was a TV movie from 1970 that was very memorable and made big impact on me when I first watched it as a kid. The ending was what made the lasting impression. I recently re-watched it and it had much less effect on me. In fact the main plot centered around a General who was a young navigator on a doomed plane who bailed out and left the rest of the crew flying blind. This was mostly lost on me when I originally watched it. It starred William Shatner shortly after Star Trek ended.
- Wizard of Oz – I liked it as a kid when it scared me and appreciate the comedy scattered throughout as an adult.
- A Christmas Story – Despite the constant showings around Christmas I still like to watch it.
- E.T. – I knew it was going to be a classic the first time I saw it and was right. I even insisted that my parents watch it but they were not impressed.
- Gran Torino – This stars Clint Eastwood and that is all I am going to say about that.
- Forrest Gump – That is all I am going to say about that.
- Breaking Away – I saw this when it was released at the local drive in theatre around 1979 or 1980. This was a movie that was about some friends in High School who were going through changes as they graduated. A bicycle played a part in the plot. Who knew I would become a bicycling nut about ten years later.
I guess that is about I can recall, I am not a movie enthusiast. I have other favorites that are universally liked but these are ones that made a significant impression on me for one reason or another. If you haven’t seen any of these I would recommend them without hesitation.
Have a great week.
Be Careful What You Wish For
In September 2014 I wrote a blog about the push for a $15 per hour minimum wage. I cautioned that it was a very bad idea and described what would happen if it were to be implemented. You can read about that by clicking here. As it turns out the push has continued and the fast food industry has reacted well before the rate has reached $15. Click here to read what a former CEO of McDonalds has to say about this in a recent article.
My prediction of what would happen is coming true and instead of helping those who work in minimum wage jobs or at entry-level jobs near minimum wage it will hurt. There will be fewer entry-level jobs. Please don’t hail me as an economic genius; this is really simple to anyone who has any business sense. The technology has been available for a long time and now that labor is becoming more expensive a switch to automation becomes more viable.
At the beginning of June, Chick-Fil-A launched their mobile ordering app similar to the wildly popular Starbucks app. This switch to automation was inevitable and the ruckus that the $15 per hour movement caused simply accelerated the move to machines. I applaud the move to more technology only because it is a more efficient way to “deliver the goods”. My wife and I use the app that Panera Bread has to order food and pick it up when we are ready. It is a fantastic way to avoid the lines and save time. I am worried about where all the low skilled workers, students and people looking for part-time work to augment their income are going to find employment.
Have a great week.