It seems like I've constantly been tweaking my Sportster since I bought it. When I purchased it new, it was a bone stock, baseline 2006 Sportster 883. Over the years, I've put on aftermarket exhaust and intake (paid the Harley tax), done the 1200 conversion, added cams, and had the heads ported and planed. Each change made a noticeable improvement in performance. My most recent addition was installing the TC88A Ignition Module. It was definitely money well spent.
Installation was a breeze. I had the old module out, and the new module installed in less than 30 minutes. I should state that this ignition module is really designed for Twin Cam engines. What this means to Sportster owners is that you won't get the maximum benefit unless you purchase the USB cable as well, which means an extra $75 to $100 on top of the ignition module, because it's a separate purchase. With the USB cable, you can connect your computer to the ignition module and modify the module with a surprising degree of detail. You can also save these modifications and even download mods that others have made from the Internet and upload them to your ignition module.
Learning all of this during the research phase saved me a lot of work. I downloaded a couple of very popular maps before my ignition module even arrived, and made a couple of small modifications to them.
Some of the modifications you can make...
-Control the RPM of the rev limiter
-Control the timing advance, based on Manifold Air Pressure, RPM, etc.
-Offset the timing of the rear cylinder. This supposedly keeps the rear cylinder cooler and prevents pre-detonation (pinging). You do this by retarding the timing on the rear cylinder. I set mine back 2 degrees.
-Recalibrate your speedometer/odometer
I'm still doing some minor fine-tuning, but overall here's what I've noticed: The adjustable rev limiter is awesome. I set mine at 6500 per my mechanic's recommendation, and I can hit 40 MPH in first gear! I have noticeably more power in the low and mid range. All of this comes with no noticeable decrease in fuel economy.
I can, without a doubt, wholeheartedly recommend this ignition module for anyone considering it. It was easy to install, it's easy to configure, and the increase in performance is noticeable.
Saturday, April 26, 2014
Monday, March 31, 2014
An Unexpectedly Excellent Day
Who'd have thought that I'd write this on a Monday? It started out with work. Usually, I have to drive about 30 miles to work, but I got to work in town today, meaning I drove for about five minutes. The work day was kind of light, so I got off a bit early. My wife and I bought a new memory foam bed, which was delivered today. We had originally planned to recycle the old bed, but a friend wanted it, so he got our old bed. I got off of work early enough to go for a motorcycle ride with my daughter.
But here's the absolutely best part. About six years ago, I lost my wedding ring. I looked all over the place for that ring, but never found it... until today. When my friend picked up my old bed, my wife found my wedding ring.
A slew of small things fell in line to make this a great day.
But here's the absolutely best part. About six years ago, I lost my wedding ring. I looked all over the place for that ring, but never found it... until today. When my friend picked up my old bed, my wife found my wedding ring.
A slew of small things fell in line to make this a great day.
Sunday, March 30, 2014
Working out with Fatties, Oldies and Wimps
Last week was spring break. It was kind of nice. The usual gym rats and high schoolers were out of town, so the gym was almost empty. Instead, what I saw was a gym full of fatties, oldies and wimps. There were fat bodies in the pool, a couple of whom were so large that I suspect they noticeably raised the water level when the entered the water. There were fat bodies huffing and puffing as they walked -- yes, walked -- around the track. There were old people and wimps who actually used the machines without any weights! Apparently, adding five or ten pounds was more than they could handle. As I saw this group of misfits hanging around the gym, working up a sweat to zero pounds, or huffing and puffing at a snail's pace as I effortlessly lapped time and again around the track, one thought kept running through my mind...
Good on you! Keep it up! You see, despite what you may think, fat body, old dude, or prepubescent wimp, I relate to you more than I do to the stereotypical gym rat. Yeah, you may not see a lot of fat on me, and I have a relatively toned physique, I relate to you far more than I do to the gym rats. Though I'm in decent shape, I didn't get that way overnight. It took discipline and dedication. I hope that it's a dedication that you're in the early stages of developing. I remember where I started, and as a nerd at heart, I hope I never forget.
What I'm trying to say, (poorly, I may add) is that I support you in your endeavor to become a healthier you. You may think we're all looking at you... judging you... deriding you in our minds. But that's not the case. Most of us are silently cheering you on. Keep it up, folks! You can do it! The only difference between you and me (especially the oldies and wimps) is that I've been working out a bit longer than you. Never forget that.
Good on you! Keep it up! You see, despite what you may think, fat body, old dude, or prepubescent wimp, I relate to you more than I do to the stereotypical gym rat. Yeah, you may not see a lot of fat on me, and I have a relatively toned physique, I relate to you far more than I do to the gym rats. Though I'm in decent shape, I didn't get that way overnight. It took discipline and dedication. I hope that it's a dedication that you're in the early stages of developing. I remember where I started, and as a nerd at heart, I hope I never forget.
What I'm trying to say, (poorly, I may add) is that I support you in your endeavor to become a healthier you. You may think we're all looking at you... judging you... deriding you in our minds. But that's not the case. Most of us are silently cheering you on. Keep it up, folks! You can do it! The only difference between you and me (especially the oldies and wimps) is that I've been working out a bit longer than you. Never forget that.
Saturday, March 29, 2014
Evaluating the LS2 FF386 Modular Motorcycle Helmet
The V-Tune was a step up, but isn't something that I'd buy again. It was lighter, but it was kind of cheaply built. It was noisy, and the bluetooth was effectively useless at highway speed. I was also disappointed that it went belly-up after less than three years.
This time, I decided to buy the helmet and bluetooth module separately. I went this route for a couple of reasons that I will discuss later. The bluetooth I purchased is the Sena SMH10, but I haven't finished evaluating that yet. That will come in a separate write-up. For now, let's get back to the helmet.
Let me start off by saying that I like the LS2 better than the Vega in every possible way. The construction is far more solid, without adding a significant amount of weight. It's a little bit heavier, but I believe that's more a function of purchasing a modular helmet this time. The V-Tune isn't modular. The external visor on the LS2 doesn't vibrate like the V-tune did. The field of vision on the LS2 is clear and undistorted. The V-Tune distorted things a bit in the periphery. The drop-down sun visor is sturdier. It's not quite as dark as the V-Tune, but I didn't see that as a problem at all. The LS2 does a far superior job of keeping out environmental noise (which helps for bluetooth communication) and wind. It's not absolutely silent... I can still hear wind noise (obviously) and the sound of my engine/exhaust (which I like... it makes me feel more in tune with my bike), but again, it's better than the V-Tune.
Since it's still early in the year, I kept the vents closed, so I can't yet say much about warm-weather airflow. I also can't say much about airflow with the visor partially opened. One thing I can say though, is that I'd like to see an anti-fog feature on the clear visor. The sun visor didn't fog up at all, but at stop lights I had to open the primary visor to prevent fogging. I also haven't yet spent a lot of time using the modular opening. My main reason for getting a modular helmet is so that I can talk to other riders who don't have bluetooth when I'm at stop lights and so forth. I have opened the modular face once or twice, and I've noticed that it's a tad difficult to close it from the fully opened position. This might work itself out over time, but I did notice it.
One last negative with my specific configuration. The sun visor opens and closes via buttons on the right side of the helmet. This is very close to where the bluetooth headset is mounted. As a result, the microphone boom is kind of in the way of raising and lowering the sun visor. I don't see this as a problem during the summer months, but it's a bit problematic when I'm wearing thick gloves.
While my configuration isn't perfect, I am pleased with the initial performance of my rig. The LS2 helmet is far superior to the Vega helmet, and the Sena bluetooth module is (based on what I've tested so far) is head and shoulders above the bluetooth that came with the V-Tune. As I said, I will do further testing on the Sena bluetooth and write a separate review in the not-too distant future.
Since this is a review of the helmet, let me wrap up by saying that the LS2 is a solid helmet with a lot of features and a good price range. The only thing I really would like is anti-fogging on the primary visor and for the sun visor open/close lever to be located where the V-Tune open/close lever is located. Overall though, I fully recommend the LS2 FF386.
Oh yeah, I bought the LS2 at J&P Cycles.
Finally, here's a link to my original review of the Vega V-Tune helmet.
Thursday, March 27, 2014
Dumb$h!+'s Latest
DumbSh!+, for those of you who don't know, is my daughter's sleazebag, deadbeat ex-boyfriend... the one who was just recently took a plea bargain on a first degree burglary charge, who's facing first degree theft charges, who has two assault charges pending, and who can't find enough time to visit his son for one hour, twice a week. Yeah, that dumb$h!+.
Well, daughter filed her 2013 taxes last week, and they were rejected due to a problem with her adjusted gross income. Long story short, we found out that ex-boyfriend and his crooked (or incompetent) accountant flied their 2012 taxes claiming married filing jointly.
My daughter will nowf be filing an amended 2012 return, along with a note of explanation. If everything turns out as I hope, the IRS will be paying dumb$h!+ a visit in the not-too-distant future.
Well, daughter filed her 2013 taxes last week, and they were rejected due to a problem with her adjusted gross income. Long story short, we found out that ex-boyfriend and his crooked (or incompetent) accountant flied their 2012 taxes claiming married filing jointly.
My daughter will nowf be filing an amended 2012 return, along with a note of explanation. If everything turns out as I hope, the IRS will be paying dumb$h!+ a visit in the not-too-distant future.
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
Catching Up With a Longstanding Friend
This week my wife and I went to Beaufort, SC to attend a friend's retirement ceremony, which capped a 30-year career in the United States Marine Corps. I met Keith at MCAS Tustin in 1997, when I was a Private First Class and he was a Corporal. At first he was a mentor. He took me under his wing and taught me practical application of Avionics. As time went by, we became close friends, spending a lot of time at the local dive bar drinking beer and playing pool. Towards the end of my enlistment, we both got married and lived one building away from each other in base housing. The Marine Corps by nature fosters close friendships, and ours was tight even by those standards.
After six years, I left the Marine Corps to pursue other endeavors, but Keith stayed in. He became a drill instructor around the time I returned to Iowa. We lost touch for about two decades, but he was never far from my mind. Finally, I found his wife on Facebook a couple of years ago. Late last summer, it hit me that I hadn't actually seen them for 20+ years, and mentioned that we should plan to get together. His wife said that he was retiring in February and that I should come out. A little bit of planning culminated with my wife and I driving to Beaufort for the ceremony and a long-overdue visit.
After a 16-hour drive, which included several hours of driving through the type of light snow that can induce highway hypnosis, and an awesomely fun drive through the winding roads of I-40 in western North Carolina, my wife and I arrived in Beaufort. I was greeted with a broad smile and a back-slapping man-hug that told me he had missed me as much as I had missed him. We got signed on base and checked into the base hotel, then it was off to his house to see his wife and start catching up.
At the house, I was greeted with an equally warm welcome by Keith's wife, and I was reintroduced to their son, met their daughter, and introduced everyone to my wife (who, for those of you not familiar with me, is a different wife than the spouse I lived with in base housing). I also met Mike, a Marine Corps Captain who has been friends with Keith for just shy of 20 years. I spent the rest of the night listening to Keith and Mike tell sea stories, asking them questions about today's Marine Corps, and reliving some Keith and Dave stories from the old days. Keith's wife, Mike's wife and my wife were in the next room, getting to know each other and probably telling "my-husband-is-such-a-dumbass" stories. Over the course of the evening, I decided that Mike was definitely a cool guy, and completely understood why Keith and he became such good friends. Keith and Mike had a golf date for the next day, and they invited me to come along. I had never golfed in my life, and I told them this. They explained that golf is a game to them, and I agreed to give it a try. Shortly after that, Keith's brother-in-law arrived. He's an avid golfer who can't play right now because of recent surgery. He offered to drive the cart and give me pointers so that I didn't embarrass myself too badly.
We spent the entire morning on the golf course, where I cracked my first beer before the mist had lifted from the green. (But then again, those of you who know me realize that I always start drinking early when I'm on vacation. Hey, you can take the Marine out of the Corps, but you can't take the Corps out of the Marine.) The four of us had a LOT of fun. I had a couple of awesome shots... a few whiffs... a couple of balls ended up in the drink... I became a master at getting out of the sand bunkers... we all talked smack about each others' games. I don't really know what to say beyond this, except that I'm chuckling out loud as I write this part of the story.
After finishing our round of golf, I took my wife to Parris Island boot camp, partially to rekindle some distant memories of my own boot camp, partially to give her a glimpse of a process that helped mold me into the man I am today. We visited the Parris Island Marine Corps museum, which far exceeded my expectations. From Parris Island, we returned to Keith and Toni's place for dinner, where Mike and his clan joined us. After dinner we played Cranium... boys against the girls. The girls started out kicking the boys' asses, but we rallied for a comeback. We started a second game, but didn't finish. The women were ahead, so we all agreed that the entire evening was a draw. Regardless of the outcome, it was an absolute blast. We all got to know each other better over several drinks and laughed mercilessly at one another's lame attempts to hum songs, impersonate famous people, draw, mold sculptures out of clay, and pretend to be a clam and drive low-riders. Sorry... inside joke from the game, but I know that everyone who was there that night just laughed out loud.
Next day was Keith's retirement ceremony. The Parris Island Marine Band played. The squadron did a pass in review. Keith got letters from the Commandant, the Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps, and President Obama. Mike spoke about their friendship and what Keith had taught him as a Marine and as a man. Keith spoke about what the Corps had given him. Toni was given flowers. I briefly questioned the wisdom of leaving the Marine Corps 21 years ago. There were a lot of misty eyes. And I'm sure a lot of the Marines in the formation were wishing they could go home. But that's just part of participating in a ceremony. For what it's worth, if you were one of the Marines who participated in Keith's retirement ceremony, I know that he appreciated it, and so did I. You may not have volunteered for the detail, but your presence was noticed and valued. Thank you for being there, and thank you for your service in general.
The retirement ceremony was over pretty quickly, and we moved to the Staff NCO club for the retirement party. There were many Staff NCOs, a few warrant officers, and a few field grade officers. I had the privilege of talking in depth with a Gunnery Sergeant (Mark) and a Master Sergeant (Mike) about today's Marine Corps, covering topics such as today's young Marines, our presence in Iraq and Afghanistan, the future of the Corps and a plethora of other topics that kept us all engaged for about an hour. I also spoke briefly with a Staff Sergeant who was an immigrant from Communist Poland. Keith came in during this conversation, and told the Staff Sergeant that he needed to tell his story to any Marine who would listen, because he was the embodiment of what makes America great.
Shortly after that, we moved back to Keith's house for the after party, which, oddly enough, included the exact same people who had been around for the last two days. We ate, drank and felt merry until late in the evening. There was a lot of smack talk and a ton of laughter. But it was time to go home because my wife and I needed to leave early the next morning. So we threw around the hugs, the handshakes and the Marine tongue-in-cheek insults. As my wife and I left the next day, I kept thinking that it was perfect. I wanted to stay an extra couple of days. It felt that I'd been away from Keith and Toni for 20 minutes, not 20 years. I loved getting to know Mike and his wife Amy. I greatly enjoyed Joe's company (even though he is a retired squid). They've all got great kids. Everyone made my wife feel welcome. This week forged a memory that will endure as long, and be remembered as fondly, as the the events that transpired when we were young Marines in the late 80's and early 90's.
Keith and Toni: It was incredible beyond words to see you all again. It's been two decades, but it seemed like 20 minutes. In my opinion, the ability to seamlessly pick up where you left off is the litmus test of friendship. Mike and Amy: I had a wonderful time meeting you. I wish that I could have spent more time getting to know you, and pray that our paths may cross again. Joe: It was great to meet you as well (even though you are a squid). Thank you for the golf lessons; it was a lot of fun hearing stories about Keith and Toni from your perspective. If you're ever in Iowa, look me up. To all of you. Thank you for making my wife feel welcome. I believe she enjoyed the visit almost as much as I did. She spoke very highly of you all.
After six years, I left the Marine Corps to pursue other endeavors, but Keith stayed in. He became a drill instructor around the time I returned to Iowa. We lost touch for about two decades, but he was never far from my mind. Finally, I found his wife on Facebook a couple of years ago. Late last summer, it hit me that I hadn't actually seen them for 20+ years, and mentioned that we should plan to get together. His wife said that he was retiring in February and that I should come out. A little bit of planning culminated with my wife and I driving to Beaufort for the ceremony and a long-overdue visit.
After a 16-hour drive, which included several hours of driving through the type of light snow that can induce highway hypnosis, and an awesomely fun drive through the winding roads of I-40 in western North Carolina, my wife and I arrived in Beaufort. I was greeted with a broad smile and a back-slapping man-hug that told me he had missed me as much as I had missed him. We got signed on base and checked into the base hotel, then it was off to his house to see his wife and start catching up.
At the house, I was greeted with an equally warm welcome by Keith's wife, and I was reintroduced to their son, met their daughter, and introduced everyone to my wife (who, for those of you not familiar with me, is a different wife than the spouse I lived with in base housing). I also met Mike, a Marine Corps Captain who has been friends with Keith for just shy of 20 years. I spent the rest of the night listening to Keith and Mike tell sea stories, asking them questions about today's Marine Corps, and reliving some Keith and Dave stories from the old days. Keith's wife, Mike's wife and my wife were in the next room, getting to know each other and probably telling "my-husband-is-such-a-dumbass" stories. Over the course of the evening, I decided that Mike was definitely a cool guy, and completely understood why Keith and he became such good friends. Keith and Mike had a golf date for the next day, and they invited me to come along. I had never golfed in my life, and I told them this. They explained that golf is a game to them, and I agreed to give it a try. Shortly after that, Keith's brother-in-law arrived. He's an avid golfer who can't play right now because of recent surgery. He offered to drive the cart and give me pointers so that I didn't embarrass myself too badly.
We spent the entire morning on the golf course, where I cracked my first beer before the mist had lifted from the green. (But then again, those of you who know me realize that I always start drinking early when I'm on vacation. Hey, you can take the Marine out of the Corps, but you can't take the Corps out of the Marine.) The four of us had a LOT of fun. I had a couple of awesome shots... a few whiffs... a couple of balls ended up in the drink... I became a master at getting out of the sand bunkers... we all talked smack about each others' games. I don't really know what to say beyond this, except that I'm chuckling out loud as I write this part of the story.
After finishing our round of golf, I took my wife to Parris Island boot camp, partially to rekindle some distant memories of my own boot camp, partially to give her a glimpse of a process that helped mold me into the man I am today. We visited the Parris Island Marine Corps museum, which far exceeded my expectations. From Parris Island, we returned to Keith and Toni's place for dinner, where Mike and his clan joined us. After dinner we played Cranium... boys against the girls. The girls started out kicking the boys' asses, but we rallied for a comeback. We started a second game, but didn't finish. The women were ahead, so we all agreed that the entire evening was a draw. Regardless of the outcome, it was an absolute blast. We all got to know each other better over several drinks and laughed mercilessly at one another's lame attempts to hum songs, impersonate famous people, draw, mold sculptures out of clay, and pretend to be a clam and drive low-riders. Sorry... inside joke from the game, but I know that everyone who was there that night just laughed out loud.
Next day was Keith's retirement ceremony. The Parris Island Marine Band played. The squadron did a pass in review. Keith got letters from the Commandant, the Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps, and President Obama. Mike spoke about their friendship and what Keith had taught him as a Marine and as a man. Keith spoke about what the Corps had given him. Toni was given flowers. I briefly questioned the wisdom of leaving the Marine Corps 21 years ago. There were a lot of misty eyes. And I'm sure a lot of the Marines in the formation were wishing they could go home. But that's just part of participating in a ceremony. For what it's worth, if you were one of the Marines who participated in Keith's retirement ceremony, I know that he appreciated it, and so did I. You may not have volunteered for the detail, but your presence was noticed and valued. Thank you for being there, and thank you for your service in general.
The retirement ceremony was over pretty quickly, and we moved to the Staff NCO club for the retirement party. There were many Staff NCOs, a few warrant officers, and a few field grade officers. I had the privilege of talking in depth with a Gunnery Sergeant (Mark) and a Master Sergeant (Mike) about today's Marine Corps, covering topics such as today's young Marines, our presence in Iraq and Afghanistan, the future of the Corps and a plethora of other topics that kept us all engaged for about an hour. I also spoke briefly with a Staff Sergeant who was an immigrant from Communist Poland. Keith came in during this conversation, and told the Staff Sergeant that he needed to tell his story to any Marine who would listen, because he was the embodiment of what makes America great.
Shortly after that, we moved back to Keith's house for the after party, which, oddly enough, included the exact same people who had been around for the last two days. We ate, drank and felt merry until late in the evening. There was a lot of smack talk and a ton of laughter. But it was time to go home because my wife and I needed to leave early the next morning. So we threw around the hugs, the handshakes and the Marine tongue-in-cheek insults. As my wife and I left the next day, I kept thinking that it was perfect. I wanted to stay an extra couple of days. It felt that I'd been away from Keith and Toni for 20 minutes, not 20 years. I loved getting to know Mike and his wife Amy. I greatly enjoyed Joe's company (even though he is a retired squid). They've all got great kids. Everyone made my wife feel welcome. This week forged a memory that will endure as long, and be remembered as fondly, as the the events that transpired when we were young Marines in the late 80's and early 90's.
Keith and Toni: It was incredible beyond words to see you all again. It's been two decades, but it seemed like 20 minutes. In my opinion, the ability to seamlessly pick up where you left off is the litmus test of friendship. Mike and Amy: I had a wonderful time meeting you. I wish that I could have spent more time getting to know you, and pray that our paths may cross again. Joe: It was great to meet you as well (even though you are a squid). Thank you for the golf lessons; it was a lot of fun hearing stories about Keith and Toni from your perspective. If you're ever in Iowa, look me up. To all of you. Thank you for making my wife feel welcome. I believe she enjoyed the visit almost as much as I did. She spoke very highly of you all.
Thursday, January 30, 2014
Raising Minimum Wage
A friend of mine posted an on Facebook today. The article discussed eleven facts about minimum wage that President Obama failed to mention in his State of the Union address. Since Blogger appears to have some difficulty lately with links, here's the full URL of the original article...
http://thefederalist.com/2014/01/28/11-facts-about-the-minimum-wage-that-president-obama-forgot-to-mention-during-the-state-of-the-union/
The original article essentially argues against raising minimum wage. I would like to point out some counter-arguments from items asserted in the original article...
"...because nothing says “I deserve a raise” like refusing to show up to work..."
The Strike is a legal, time-honored method of seeking higher wages.
"Only 1 Percent Of The U.S. Labor Force Earns The Minimum Wage."
I will take this statement at face value, however, the article does not discuss the people who make more than current minimum wage, but less than the proposed new minimum wage of $10.10.
"Teenagers Comprise The Single Largest Age Group Of Minimum Wage Workers."
The point goes on to say that 31 percent of all minimum wage workers are between 16 and 19 years old. Okay... that means that 69 percent of all minimum wage workers are 20 or older. Using the article's own math, 45 percent of those making minimum wage are 25 or older! Have you tried living on minimum wage? Have you tried raising a family on minimum wage?
"... 25.5 percent of all minimum wage workers work in sales and related occupations..."
"26.1 percent of all minimum wage workers work in food perparation and serving related occupations..."
Again, they're missing the point. Waiters and waitresses generally work for LESS than minimum wage (because of a loophole in minimum wage law). Also, many who work on commission make zero if they don't make a sale. These occupations are kind of beside the point of minimum wage anyway. Servers are compensated by tips. Sales personnel have additional motivation to sell, and are in a position to make a great deal more than minimum wage through commissions.
"A Majority Of Them Also Worked Less Than 30 Hours Per Week"
"Less Than One-Third Worked Full-Time"
Yep. I totally agree. I would also asssert that this is the employer's choice, not the employee's. Employers don't have to give as many benefits to part-time workers. In fact, I believe that a lot of minimum wage workers are working multiple part-time, minimum wage jobs, which skews the author's first point even further.
"One-Third Of Minimum Wage Workers Either Dropped Out Of Or Never Attended High School"
Okay, I agree with this. If you don't work hard, it's harder to get ahead. That's a fact of life.
"There Are Nearly Six Times More Minimum Wage Workers Today Than In 2007"
Isn't that another reason to raise minimum wage? Statistic after statistic shows an increasing divide between the haves and the have-nots, and a shrinking middle class. Both of these indicate that it's time to raise minimum wage.
"A Change In The Minimum Wage Often Triggers Union Wage Hikes And Benefit Renegotiations"
Again, what's wrong with giving the working man a bit more of the pie?
A couple of final take-aways from the original article...
Raising the minimum wage would theoretically reduce the number of people eligible for public assistance, though I will concede that I don't have the statistics to back me up, and the Federal Government would undoubtedly adjust this as the economy adjusts to the increased minimum wage.
A large point of the original article is to minimize the impact of raising minimum wage. Okay, if it's not a big deal, then why is corporate America fighting it so hard?
I also want to point out that I make more than minimum wage, and I don't work in a union job. I will not benefit directly from raising minimum wage, but I support it.
Finally... I have included some links for further reading. These articles present both sides of the argument, so you can make up your own mind.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/timworstall/2013/12/03/so-lets-look-at-what-happens-when-they-raise-the-minimum-wage-in-bangladesh/
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/02/14/why-economists-are-so-puzzled-by-the-minimum-wage/
http://www.aei.org/article/economics/fiscal-policy/labor/why-we-shouldnt-raise-the-minimum-wage/
http://www.npr.org/2012/07/08/156458470/raising-minimum-wage-a-help-or-harm
http://www.raisetheminimumwage.com/pages/job-loss
http://thefederalist.com/2014/01/28/11-facts-about-the-minimum-wage-that-president-obama-forgot-to-mention-during-the-state-of-the-union/
The original article essentially argues against raising minimum wage. I would like to point out some counter-arguments from items asserted in the original article...
"...because nothing says “I deserve a raise” like refusing to show up to work..."
The Strike is a legal, time-honored method of seeking higher wages.
"Only 1 Percent Of The U.S. Labor Force Earns The Minimum Wage."
I will take this statement at face value, however, the article does not discuss the people who make more than current minimum wage, but less than the proposed new minimum wage of $10.10.
"Teenagers Comprise The Single Largest Age Group Of Minimum Wage Workers."
The point goes on to say that 31 percent of all minimum wage workers are between 16 and 19 years old. Okay... that means that 69 percent of all minimum wage workers are 20 or older. Using the article's own math, 45 percent of those making minimum wage are 25 or older! Have you tried living on minimum wage? Have you tried raising a family on minimum wage?
"... 25.5 percent of all minimum wage workers work in sales and related occupations..."
"26.1 percent of all minimum wage workers work in food perparation and serving related occupations..."
Again, they're missing the point. Waiters and waitresses generally work for LESS than minimum wage (because of a loophole in minimum wage law). Also, many who work on commission make zero if they don't make a sale. These occupations are kind of beside the point of minimum wage anyway. Servers are compensated by tips. Sales personnel have additional motivation to sell, and are in a position to make a great deal more than minimum wage through commissions.
"A Majority Of Them Also Worked Less Than 30 Hours Per Week"
"Less Than One-Third Worked Full-Time"
Yep. I totally agree. I would also asssert that this is the employer's choice, not the employee's. Employers don't have to give as many benefits to part-time workers. In fact, I believe that a lot of minimum wage workers are working multiple part-time, minimum wage jobs, which skews the author's first point even further.
"One-Third Of Minimum Wage Workers Either Dropped Out Of Or Never Attended High School"
Okay, I agree with this. If you don't work hard, it's harder to get ahead. That's a fact of life.
"There Are Nearly Six Times More Minimum Wage Workers Today Than In 2007"
Isn't that another reason to raise minimum wage? Statistic after statistic shows an increasing divide between the haves and the have-nots, and a shrinking middle class. Both of these indicate that it's time to raise minimum wage.
"A Change In The Minimum Wage Often Triggers Union Wage Hikes And Benefit Renegotiations"
Again, what's wrong with giving the working man a bit more of the pie?
A couple of final take-aways from the original article...
Raising the minimum wage would theoretically reduce the number of people eligible for public assistance, though I will concede that I don't have the statistics to back me up, and the Federal Government would undoubtedly adjust this as the economy adjusts to the increased minimum wage.
A large point of the original article is to minimize the impact of raising minimum wage. Okay, if it's not a big deal, then why is corporate America fighting it so hard?
I also want to point out that I make more than minimum wage, and I don't work in a union job. I will not benefit directly from raising minimum wage, but I support it.
Finally... I have included some links for further reading. These articles present both sides of the argument, so you can make up your own mind.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/timworstall/2013/12/03/so-lets-look-at-what-happens-when-they-raise-the-minimum-wage-in-bangladesh/
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/02/14/why-economists-are-so-puzzled-by-the-minimum-wage/
http://www.aei.org/article/economics/fiscal-policy/labor/why-we-shouldnt-raise-the-minimum-wage/
http://www.npr.org/2012/07/08/156458470/raising-minimum-wage-a-help-or-harm
http://www.raisetheminimumwage.com/pages/job-loss
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