Random questions to which you seek an answer
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Not sure where to put this: I'm looking for a possible US Proxy that can Forward me some T-Shirts that otherwise are super expensive to ship to europe. I'm still waiting for feedback for lower shipping costs but if that fails me any help would be apreciated.
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Thanks guys!
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Disclaimer: not political, I am genuinely curious: Does anyone know how this whole "working without pay" thing for US federal government employees during a shutdown works?
Furlough seems straightforward, and like you could try to occupy yourself gainfully (e.g., Uber/Lyft, etc) while a shutdown is in progress, but if you're working without pay, do you get back pay when the government resumes, or are your earnings completely forfeit? Can it be considered volunteer work for tax purposes? Is the only upside that you eventually get your job back? It's hard to imagine how "working for free" isn't considered involuntary servitude.
@madmonday didn't you work for the government? Any help here?
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unfortunately not all government employees are the "same" i believe those who work for a federal agency ( ie TSA, National Parks, Homeland security, IRS) will get paid once a new temporary budget is passed & Govt reopen. those who work as consultants and such are probably not provided the same coverage.
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I'm letting my critical thinking course read V for Vendetta. We are all interested in how Guy Fawes and his holiday are viewed overseas. Anyone have insight? Is the holiday a celebration of him or rebuke? Thank you for your time hive-mind!
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@Max Power just saw your post. I can buy and ship you anything you want.
Just saw on the news it seems Brexit didn't pass. That's good for Iron Heart right?
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My wife is a Federal employee who was furloughed during the previous shutdown. She worked as normal and received her full pay amount once the shutdown ended. From what I remember her saying was that all vacation days/sick days during this time were essentially null and void and those who didn’t show up to work as normal could be considered AWOL.
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@Filthy thanks mate. Right now im set but might gladly come back to that offer
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I'm letting my critical thinking course read V for Vendetta. We are all interested in how Guy Fawes and his holiday are viewed overseas. Anyone have insight? Is the holiday a celebration of him or rebuke? Thank you for your time hive-mind!
I view it as a celebration of chutzpah, so whilst Guy Fawkes did not get away with his plan, the British people applaud his audacity…..
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@Max:
Not sure where to put this: I'm looking for a possible US Proxy that can Forward me some T-Shirts that otherwise are super expensive to ship to europe. I'm still waiting for feedback for lower shipping costs but if that fails me any help would be apreciated.
i experience expensive shipping on items whenever i decide to order from the US. now i'm wonder for you guys with experience.. is it much cheaper if there's a proxy like a friend and such to help with shipping or are they about the same price as what the company quotes?
i've ordered stuff from a $10 magazine where the shipping is about twice the price of the magazine, to getting a quote for rims where they are about $600 just for shipping..
i understand with magazines and maybe a couple of tees that the shipping might be more than the item. but assuming buying a T-shirt about $100 and the shipping being $40-50 just to ship to australia. i'd honestly feel it might be a little much. although, with that said, i can understand that same amount for a pair of shoes/sneakers because of the box..
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@Filthy:
Just saw on the news it seems Brexit didn't pass. That's good for Iron Heart right?
Not how it works I’m afraid. The suggested deal for Brexit didn’t pass. This leaves Brexit still happening at the end of March but with no deal in place. Which is potentially a disaster.
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And the deal was struck down in a way that is politically devastating for May and perhaps for the entire government.
Good luck, Britons, I hope you pull through this nonsense unscathed.
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I'm letting my critical thinking course read V for Vendetta. We are all interested in how Guy Fawes and his holiday are viewed overseas. Anyone have insight? Is the holiday a celebration of him or rebuke? Thank you for your time hive-mind!
That is an interesting question. It’s a little ambiguous. On the one hand kids build a Guy Fawkes doll and drag him around, showing him off before throwing him on the pyre. This is a recreation of the end of his execution, (he was hung, drawn and quartered first).
That supports the rhyme «remember, remember…», in suggesting that we should remember he was caught and executed and that was a good thing.
At the same time the celebration ends with lighting fireworks in an apparent reference to the big bang that didn’t happen. I grew up in Wales and Liverpool, and it’s fair to say he was seen as something of an anti-hero in both places. I clearly remember my History teacher in Wales suggesting it was a shame he failed. I was about nine at the time. The monarchy don’t enjoy a great deal of popularity in Liverpool either.
So it’s a case of one man’s terrorist being another man’s freedom fighter I think. He was certainly considered a folk hero/resistance leader type in some of the more anti-establishment milieux I was acquainted with back in the day.
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So sort of like a Che Guevara type?
For the record, as an American I had no idea who he was and we never learned about him in school. I knew what the masks were but I never knew anything about the man.
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Re: furlough
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unless you already have an outside activity form and have permission from your agency, it is not allowed to seek outside employment during furlough. Sometimes they look the other way, but it's the exception not the rule. So no Uber nor Lyft. If you didn't already get the approval, you cannot find an alternative source of income. You are trapped because you are not getting paid and cannot do anything to get money.
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each and every time there is a furlough, a bill must be created and pass through the Senate, the House and the White House for federal employees to get back pay. The latest bill guarantees back pay for every furlough, this is the first time such a bill was created. It passed through the Senate unanimously, the House 411-7, and is waiting for Executive signature.
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working during furlough is a little complicated. When you are an exempted employee, the government will tell you what specific tasks you are allowed to work on during the shutdown. You must itemize your time during that time. This may be a regular 8 hour day, this may be a 4 or a 2 hour day. You are promised to get paid back for that time whenever the shutdown ends. In the meantime, no paycheck.
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