Texsox

It's behind the NY Times paywall but I just read of the 500,000 refugees from Ukraine, 139,000 have fled to Russia. I was kind of shocked.

I actually paused as I was writing that. I was wondering if it was "the" like in The United States or "" like Canada. Thank you for clarifying.

I kind of miss having a crazy ass President like that. Scares the shit out of the citizens of his country and the world.

Their currency is trash, their stock market is closed. The poor don't want to die, the rich folks kids have flat feet and they don't want to lose their fortunes. Hopefully it helps.

My path to understanding people and places is through the literature that is produced. I'll admit that I knew almost nothing about Ukraine. I still know so very little but can feel the struggle and can appreciate those common emotions that connect us all. If you are interested I think this piece is a good jumping in point. It's something I'll be using in my classes this week. https://www.calvertjournal.com/articles/show/12137/contemporary-ukrainian-poems

Smirnoff manufactured in Illinois. Stoli also not made in Russia. Boycotts are tough in a world of International trade.

I think when a spotlight is shining on a problem it's a great opportunity to help everyone. If this work stoppage could help millions of similarly mistreated workers it could change history.

Exactly. Why isn't the players union fighting to represent minor league players? It seems like that's an even bigger need.

Just like Amazon employees, just like Walmart employees.

I agree that NATO shouldn't jump him. It would be interesting if NATO forces came on a non combat humanitarian mission.

Don't be fooled by the numbers, this is a labor versus owner issue and does not exist in a vacuum. Posters have posted how baseball players don't have the opportunity to find another company to hire them. Guess what? In the rest of the world having that option isn't an advantage. Employees get exploited in our society. If we can rally around baseball players when they are being exploited, why not bankers, and software developers, and order pickers at Amazon?

I believe corporate greed is out of control and employees need to be paid a middle class wage. I wish we were as concerned about $40,000 a year employees getting exploited than $600,000 athletes. Why is it ok for one corporation to make billions and not another? Merck employees earned $138,000 in profit per employee. Give everyone a $38,000 a year raise and you would still have most of those profits. We're losing middle class wages and arguing that baseball teams are too profitable.

Apple $55 billion in profits, 154,000 employees. They could easily afford a $100,000 bonus to every employee and still earn $25 billion in profits. Bank of America's 140,000 employees created over $27 billion in profits but because they can go work somewhere else we don't care about their meager salaries. They all should received $50,000 bonuses. They are the reason the owners are making so much money. American corporations are exploiting us and we're worried that baseball's minimum wage is unfair at $600,000.

The players have compromised, the owners have not. As you said earlier the owners are not negotiating in good faith. Sure it works for the owners to not compromise and keep allowing the players to give in. And that's how the player's lose. Meanwhile Berkshire Hathaway racked up over 80 BILLION dollars in profit. Minimum wage there should be $100,000 per year. How greedy are the owners. 81 billion in profits.

Exactly. The players keep compromising, the owners have not. Any more compromising and it is a loss for the players. Meanwhile Amazon racks up record profits and their employees remain severely underpaid. Minimum salary at Amazon should be $60,000 a year. Jeff Bezos is greedier than JR.

Zach Britton says they aren't even close so I'm guessing the players wanted some nice Boston Creme and the owners brought day old bagels.

Are you suggesting that the players first offer wasn't fair? Seems like if the player's continue to give towards the middle they lose. What was unfair in the player's proposal that they should give up?

The problem with "meeting in the middle" is one starting point was the current agreement the other was set by the union. If the union made a fair offer than they lose if it gets settled in the middle. It has to be closer to what the players proposed unless you believe the players made an offer that was double what is fair. Meanwhile tens of millions of Americans are also working for greedy owners who could be paying them more yet those workers aren't represented by unions. The Walmart family are among the richest in America. Starting salary at Walmart should be $60,000 a year. Plenty of profits to support that.

NATO will have to grow a pair and accept the risk of a nuclear reply.

Gov Abbott of Texas is urging Texas companies to boycott Russian Products. Russian vodka is being replaced but Ukrainian sources.

EU financing weapons for Ukraine. The proxy war heats up. When do we officially send "advisers" in?

And the best lies have a kernel of truth.

I only hope the good citizens of the world will continue to support freedom for the Ukraine when it starts hurting their pocketbooks.

Imagine if every employee in your entire industry was part of the same union and negotiating for you. No insurance could be sold until the insurance union and insurance companies reached an agreement. Retail workers everywhere belonging to the same union. No groceries being sold until a CBA was settled. Why would any employee not want to be part of a union?

I'll continue to support the owners by going to games, watching on TV, probably buy a hat or two. I'll also support the players by going to games, watching on TV, probably buy a hat or two. I guess the only way to support the players and not the owners is by sending some cash to the players while boycotting games. Maybe the owners have figured that out.