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[W:254] What is a "living wage?"

@Citizen

Might wanna bring that up to the author of this article that weaver2 generously supplied,

Tell me again how you don't have to work for a stipend?
Some companies may give their employees stipends to offset the costs or time spent undergoing training related to their careers. For example, if an employee takes a training course, the company may provide a stipend to compensate the employee for the costs of the course. Employees may also receive stipends for specific job-related training, especially if the training costs the employee out-of-pocket expenses.


Fellowships are stipends or monetary awards given to students to help offset the cost of education. Fellowships may also be referred to as merit-based scholarships and are typically awarded at the graduate or post-graduate level. These awards are usually competed for and given to individuals based on their potential.

These quotes are from the article. You don’t have to work for a college stipend
 
Of course, how else would you compare different countries? In the end, disposable personal income is the only number that matters and the US is way above most European welfare states.



Half of the US population gets their healthcare through their job, and another 11% are uninsured.



No it doesn't. First of all, every single country with so-called universal healthcare has a thriving private insurance market. You know why? Because access to a waiting list isn't access to healthcare.



They do. I sure af wouldn't want to live there.
I am sorry but you are mistaken, disposable income to the oecd is not true disposable income, it's just after tax income. Moreover, no employer pays the full cost of insurance. You are still out hundreds of dollars a month at minimum.
 
I don't "know" any minimum wage workers. They're not the kind of people I would hang around because the topics of my conversations do not revolve around sex, beer, dope and sports.

I do know of people who live on the federal minimum wage in Kentucky and the State minimum wage in Ohio.

You do understand that no one has a right or is entitled to live "independently" right?

If you have to share an apartment or house, then that is what you do. I did it. It didn't kill me, but it did get me 2 additional undergraduate degrees, an MA and PhD.

That was about 15 years ago. In the graduate program, I got a stipend of $10,000/year and worked a part-time job for less than minimum wage (I waited tables). I had my own apartment near campus.
Oh my, you win in the post battle. Partly for apparently having done **** work too, and partly for having admitted (insert scare quotes) you are not one with the people who are consigned to that stuff forever. I like it, kudos. I too have done lots of **** work, with nothing suggesting I am above it, while feeling that those who get stuck there tend to (for lack of a more diplomatic phrase) deserve it. It's not that hard to rise above that, at least in the big cities where developed economies exist. All IMO, I'm not claiming to attribute any of this to you.
 
Oh my, you win in the post battle. Partly for apparently having done **** work too, and partly for having admitted (insert scare quotes) you are not one with the people who are consigned to that stuff forever.

Few people actually work for minimum, and 90% of them are part-time workers, who want to get paid as though they worked full-time.

If, as you suggest, they are "consigned" it's because that's a choice they made.

Right?

They got $125 burning a hole in their pocket. Should they spend the $125 to get MIG/TIG welding certification so they can earn $17 to $45/hour (depending on where you live in the US), or should they get a new tattoo?

They'll get a new tattoo.
 
Your tuition was low and affordable because the state subsidizes college tuition.

Using my tax dollars. You forgot about that part. Money doesn't fall out of the sky and land in the State Treasurer's Office.


Your grant was partially paid for by federal programs to state universities.

In my case, no. It was completely funded by the university on the condition that I teach classes and conduct research for the professors I worked for.

The professors that took an interest in your dissertation topic helped you.

Helped? No, wrong answer.

You got it backwards. I helped them.

I already had a BS in Law Enforcement. After 2 successful careers, I went back to get more education.. I had 38 years when I went back.

I already knew what my dissertation was going to be about before I entered the Master's program. I have knowledge in certain areas that few people on Earth do, and what I brought to the table was insight and experience that none of them had.

Most people claiming to be "experts" in that field aren't experts at all. They're well-read, but nothing more. It's like standing outside a factory thinking you know what goes on inside the factory, when you really don't have the first clue.

And the roommates that put up with your selfishness for 3 years helped you. Everybody gets help going through life, most intelligent people acknowledge their help.

My room-mates weren't the government and they didn't think I was selfish. All of us worked, and only one borrowed on student loan, and she only borrowed $2,000 unlike the selfish witch who borrowed over $200,000 and bought herself a car, and bought a car for her boyfriend, and lived in the swankiest part of town.

Well, hell, read for yourself from an actual court case in Ohio:

Christen currently has well over $225,000 in student loans. (Id. at 51); (Ex. 3-1 to 3-3). Christen estimated that $128,453 in student loans were directly attributable to living expenses Christen used student loan money to purchase at least two vehicles—one of which was titled in her boyfriend's name. (Tr. at 64, 206) Christen's bank statements also evidenced financial irresponsibility. Christen spent much of her student loan money purchasing coffee from high-end coffee shops like Starbucks, Caribou, and Cup O'Joe; products and clothes from retailers; I-tunes; tanning sessions/products and massages; arts and crafts; OSU athletic tickets; and other food and entertainment. (2006 Chase Bank & Credit Card Statements, P's Ex. 7). Christen also made several ATM withdrawals for several hundred dollars at a time; it is unclear where this money was spent. (Id.). After reviewing all of the financial records, it is clear that Christen was spending more than the typical student on miscellaneous items and services, often incurring late fees for failing to keep up with her credit card bills. All of these expenses were in addition to the high living expenses that Christen incurred by choosing to live in Dublin, Ohio, an affluent suburb of Columbus.

[emphasis in original court decision]

And she thinks her student loan should be forgiven, and if not, then her ex-husband should pay it....yes, she bought the car for her boyfriend while she was still married.
 
Few people actually work for minimum, and 90% of them are part-time workers, who want to get paid as though they worked full-time. If, as you suggest, they are "consigned" it's because that's a choice they made. Right? They got $125 burning a hole in their pocket. Should they spend the $125 to get MIG/TIG welding certification so they can earn $17 to $45/hour (depending on where you live in the US), or should they get a new tattoo? They'll get a new tattoo.
My experience has been totally different. I've met part time workers and low wage workers. They worked hard at their jobs, didn't whine, were proud of the work they did, did not expect anyone to hand them anything for free and were generous to a fault with their money their time and their skills. They had many interests and could talk about their interests with a deep knowledge. What a sad experience you have had with so many terrible people. I feel sorry for you.

BTW, beer, sex, dope and sports are the topics of interest to 99% of graduate students also.
 
Using my tax dollars. You forgot about that part. Money doesn't fall out of the sky and land in the State Treasurer's Office.

In my case, no. It was completely funded by the university on the condition that I teach classes and conduct research for the professors I worked for.
All state universities are funded by the state, (read up on the Morrill Act) some to a large extent others to a lesser. The national average for state funding is about 51%. And of course part of your taxes came back to you in the form of your stipend, but others in the state helped fund the professors that never helped you, your classrooms, the library, the computer center, your tuition waiver, your housing allowance, text book allowance, printing costs for your dissertation, secretaries to help you with the finding supplies, taking messages, getting references, contacting experts, lending a sympathetic ear on bad days.

John Donne doesn't agree with you.
 
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