Coming
on mid-morning. The technician from Cincinnati Bell is here installing
FiOptics. Carol and her friend Ann are at First Watch for their monthly
breakfast with other retired teachers. The day is sunny and clear from the
rains just to the east. Carol has her physical therapy this afternoon,
otherwise a fairly normal day in the neighborhood. – Amorella
0839
hours. It turns out we are the first on our street to elect Bell’s FiOptics System.
This was a no-brainer for us in that with the phone, Internet and television
cable bundle we will save about a thousand dollars a year to switch from Time
Warner cable. To my surprise this cable business switching is somewhat
exciting.
This is because you love the use of
technology in the modern world and while you are here you are going to use some
of the best and most practical available. – Amorella
You
cannot believe that a small concept that your story put into play from your
marsupial humanoid friends is actually being tried in Finland. - Amorella
** **
BBC - Europe
Finland
considers basic income to reform welfare system
By Maija Unkuri
Helsinki
20 August 2015
The Finnish government is considering a pilot project that would
see the state pay people a basic income regardless of whether they work.
The details of how much the basic income might be and who would
be eligible for it are yet to be announced, but already there is widespread
interest in how it might work.
Prime Minister Juha Sipila has praised the idea. "For me, a
basic income means simplifying the social security system," he said.
The scheme is of particular interest to people without jobs. In
Finland, they now number 280,000 - 10% of the workforce.
With
unemployment an increasing concern, four out of five Finns now are in favour of
a basic income.
"A basic income? Yes, I'd gladly have €1,000 (£700, $1,100)
a month," says one man at a centre for the unemployed in Pori, near
Finland's west coast. But the amount is unlikely to be anywhere near that high.
He is the among
the jobless who have come to an old, wooden building in city, where they can
get cheap food, shop at a second-hand market, and take part in a variety of
activities on offer.
"It's a nice place to socialise," says another man
sitting on a bench outside, enjoying the summer sun. People here have been out
of work for a long time.
"A basic income would encourage people to take a temporary
job," says Paivi Hietikko, who helps out at the centre. Although she has
no regular income at the moment, she does receive a payment for her work here.
"Having a
basic income would mean the bureaucracy I´ve encountered at the employment
agency would decrease."
In Finland, taking on work can cost you money if you are
unemployed.
A paid temporary job means lower welfare benefits.
And if that job comes from a low-wage sector, you lose out
because there is a delay before the authorities allow your benefits to be restored
once you have left the job.
Fundamental change
Many Finns nowadays have what are described as atypical working
lives, in that few spend their entire lives in the same occupation and with the
same employer.
This fundamental change has prompted a need for reforms to the
social security system.
Supporters of the basic income believe it could offer an
alternative to Finland's complex and costly benefit models.
Paivi Hietikko
certainly sees its potential advantages - but she also wonders whether it would
deter people from looking for work.
"The young especially might lose the motivation to look for
a job, if it was, say, €700 a month. That would be too much," she says.
This has become one of the main concerns surrounding the idea.
But experts say it is too early to tell what the outcome would
be.
"What would be the impact of a basic income to employment
in Finland - positive or negative? We can't really foresee how people would
behave with a basic income," says Ohto Kanninen, from the Tank research centre. So
the pilot project aims to get some answers.
Equality obstacle
The prime minister has expressed support for a limited,
geographical experiment. Participants would be selected from a variety of
residential areas.
Mr Kanninen proposes testing the idea by paying 8,000 people
from low income groups four different monthly amounts, perhaps from €400 to €700.
"If the impact on employment during the experiment was
catastrophic, basic income would of course not be implemented on a large
scale," he says.
One obstacle to staging a pilot project is Finland's
constitution, which states that every citizen must be equal.
Even a small-scale experiment would put its participants in an
unequal position.
However, Finns
may be prepared to waive that principle of equality, if an experiment produces
valuable information for society.
Selected and
edited from - http://www.bbcDOTcom/news/world-europe-3397763
** **
0921
hours. I remember when you were telling me about the marsupial humanoid’s
cultural system you said it would not include anything not already thought of
(considered or not) on Earth and so far you are right. Amazing. What this bit
of news does for me is shows plausibility exists. That’s all I am asking for in
these books – a plausibility – which is meant to sharpen the reader’s interest;
mine in particular, to complete the books.
Carol is home and had a good breakfast time
with old Blue Ash Elementary colleagues Ann, Marietta and Judy. Your new
Internet is already hooked up – you didn’t know it was off. He has the material
packaged to return to Time-Warner when you cancel.
1357
hours. This has been a busy day with the new cable a distraction. The Internet
is a lot faster, at least double the old speed. We will have to get used to the
new channel numbers but otherwise the picture is bright and even clearer (if
that is possible) than with Time-Warner. When Carol completes her physical
therapy we are off to return items to T-W and cancel their service today.
Later. – Amorella
You took the T-W cable business to their store and cancelled, had Panera/Chipotle for supper, watched NBC News newly
copied, then you began a new list of channels and their numbers for upstairs
and down. Basically, you are ready for bed. – Amorella
2137
hours. We’ve selected 43 HD stations and once in a while channels to list. I am
tired and ready for bed but I may work on it a bit before doing so.
Post. – Amorella
2139
hours. Everyday life seems to always take precedence over the blog and books.
What would you think of yourself if it did
not? – Amorella
2141
hours. This is an excellent question, Amorella.
2148 hours. We ought to sleep well, we are leaving the upstairs windows open for the first time in a few months. It feels like early Fall tonight.
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