vania-janet/multiturn-rag-retrieval-data huggingface dataset:
I am very friendly with the staff at the local McDonalds in one of the ghettos of Houston. The manager is a really nice guy. I asked him why certain positions kept turning over. He complained that it was hard to find people and he kept having employees no-show. This is minimum wage and they can't even show up. Do you really believe that people want to work when simple positions that require no skill cannot be filled? You make it seem as though I am assuming the worst. It's quite the opposite. I am incredibly optimistic and giving, but with many people in the US it doesn't matter. You just don't see it on the day to day. You read a study that is incredibly biased and take it to the grave. There are many, many people in the US who do not want to work. They rely on government subsidies and refuse to improve their own lives. It will always happen, it's just a matter of what the government will try to do about it next. *I forgot to mention. Houston has built more homes in the last 5 years every year. Houston almost built more single-family homes than the entire state of California in the year 2014. Thus, my painter is leaving one of the largest construction markets in the US to go to Seattle because he can't find people to paint a building."
"&gt; Well then that kind of makes drug tests seem stupid then, right?   Well most of them fail, nothing is 100%, but its the best that we have.   &gt;  So I guess its fair to ask then, do you believe this is the best we can do?  In terms of what? Testing?   &gt;  What are your thoughts about medical conditions, should opiates be treated the same as weed? Do you know that theres different types of weed?   Sure there are different types, many different types.  About opiates, if you're impaired, you're impaired, I don't care what drug it is. I don't care if its alcohol or crack. I need a functional employee that is sharp, aware, and willing to work.   &gt; I encourage you to keep learning, and you can start to understand why so many people might be defending this topic.  I think a lot of it has to do with ""I want smoking rights"" and ""fuck you, don't tell me what to do."" Rather than agreeing that there are some issues with it in the workplace.  I have found that liberals also want to be overpaid and under-work because they have a sense of entitlement. Just like all the people that want a huge minimum wage raise for people that can't even count to 10. If you're worth the cost, you should get paid or leave to find a job that will pay you what you think your value is.   &gt; The war on drugs is over, the facts are out and proven its an extreme waste and set back to humanity.  The war on drugs is a failure because of massive corruption. The same people that are pretending to be against it are the ones making the money. The fake war on drugs only makes them much more money."
We live in a community, and as citizens we all have the right to shop in public shops and eat in public restaurants. If that right is abridged, then freedom is abridged. And the freedom to enjoy the public services of one's community is far more important than the freedom to deny services due to one's prejudice. Either way someone loses a bit of freedom. Which is more important? According to you the freedom to do what you will with your property outweighs any and all possible consequences of exercising that freedom. This is a very extreme viewpoint. I know because I once held it. &gt;Go start a business and get back to us Yeah I did that. 15 years ago and still going. And I actually hire people. You may not want to make too many assumptions about the person you are debating. As a business owner I would happily choose a world in which I had to hire the best qualified candidate regardless of my prejudices over one in which other business owners could arbitrarily refuse me services that are offered to the general public just because of who I am. &gt;If a person is refused service for any reason, they can find another store, shop, or vendor. And what if all the stores in your town have similar policies? Am I to drive to the next town every time I need to go shopping? What if all the shops within 1000 miles have discriminatory policies? How am I to live? The only reason you can make this argument is because of the success of the civil rights act. If it was repealed today you would likely be able to avoid racist restaurants and shops by going elsewhere. If it had never existed that would not be the case. &gt;THERE IS NO EQUAL OPPORTUNITY IN LIFE FOR SUCCESS That is why I very specifically said that all citizens must have a REALISTIC opportunity for success, and NOT that there should be EQUAL opportunity (impossible) or equal outcomes (ridiculous and counter-productive). What must be avoided is the creation of an economic status quo that ensures the poor remain poor and the rich remain rich. Such a status quo is just slavery without the whips. Even if the government is not enforcing the status quo, it can be just as hard to break free from.
The [exact *opposite* happens](http://www.alternet.org/story/16466/why_hospitals_overcharge_the_uninsured). They now, because you are uninsured, that you are unlikely to pay. So they *overcharge* you for the same services because they know that they will only be reimbursed a percentage of the costs if it goes to Medicare for non-payment. &gt; The swiss do everything better, You keep referring back to Switzerland. Don't get me wrong, they are a very good country, and have the number 2 ranked health care system in the world. However, I don't think they are the low tax haven that you think they are. They have an [average corporate tax rate of 17.2%](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_tax_rates), whereas the US has it at 32%. Their highest income tax bracket is 13.2, whereas the US is at 39%. Their sales tax goes at high as 8%, where ours go as high as 11%. Their [average effective tax](http://www.economist.com/node/14340551) rate is around 11%, while ours is around 18%. Including Social Security puts Switzerland at 17%, and the US at 24%. So, they are definitely a lower tax rate country, but in no way are they a no tax rate country. Then again, Switzerland has no military to speak of, while the US spends more on military then the next 7 countries put together. &gt; This is the dumbest statement youve made this entire time. I have been very patient. I have stuck with this conversation, in spite of the put downs and snide remarks. I have jabbed a little too, but you can go back to most of my remarks and see that I have been more congenial. I have given you some leeway because of your age, and I am almost twice as old as you. So, you gave me your background. I will give you mine. I am closer to 50 then I would prefer.
People are downvoting you, but the reality is that a cushion isn't a bad idea.  Not a perpetual thing, but until the OP gets set up with a job place to live etc.  They know the job is going to work out etc., they might want to have some cash, as they are likely not going to forgo eating etc... that said I would treat it as money to be used in place of a credit card (with the high rates) etc...   Again I am not saying spend the money, I am being realistic, that it takes money to secure an apt, and unless you can borrow cheaper than 6% elsewhere (I know I could probably get unsecured money cheaper than that where I live, but I don't know the OPs situation).  I wouldn't invest it given the situation personally.  If you have a great job, it won't matter, you will build up past 1200 soon and can then start to invest a portion of that cash.  If you don't, then you shouldn't be risking debt money, especially if your level of sophistication in the market has you here asking the question.  That 6% savings is tax free as well, so you need to gross it up based on your tax situation.  Also make note of any currency conversions that would need to happen, so depending on what you want to invest in, currency risk could be a real concern as well.  One other reason I think getting down at least a portion of the debt could be good is simplification.  Can't spend money you don't view yourself as having.  Some people might be more disciplined to reign in spending when they see a lower number in their account.  I'm personally not one of those people, but again, I would likely kill the debt off now just to have one less thing on my mind... but only as soon as I am stable (know where I am going to live, have enough to eat, and relatively sure that will continue in the future...)
"First Bernie, I found something I hadn't seen before. I will need to see sources, but actually they are claiming that it is on every stock, bond or derivative. As more than half of Americans just own stock, that would hurt a lot of people. To get a better route on this argument we need to do something first about the first part of your response. We need to separate what I'm just going to call the ""old infrastructure"" and the ""new infrastructure"", let's say the difference is all new infrastructure is what I've had a ""say"" in, either I was able to vote for the politician/referendum. If I vote no against that politician/referendum, that means I am not asking for it. That is clearly not the same as ""I didn't ask to be born"" Even if I didn't vote in the poll, that still doesn't mean that I should be implicitly taken as a yes. &gt; I am sure there are millions of people born in third world countries who would feel for your horrible plight! Ah yes, the people have it worse than you do argument. I really don't need to say anything else to that. &gt; Ahh, but either exist without society and the stability of civilization? While Democracy and a Republic are imperfect, they are a sight better than a Theocracy or a monarchy. I love how you assume that it takes a government to have a stable civilization. Also, it's not like I'm advocating for a Theocracy or Monarchy so that really doesn't matter. I advocate for something better than a Democracy or Republic. A society in which involves individuals as the key element of society. I want individuals to have maximum freedom to pursue their own goals however they see fit as long as they don't interfere with others natural rights. None of which needs the involvement of the government to do so. All of which we can discuss if you would like. The only infrastructure I truly need to trade stock now is my computer (made by a private business), my electricity (provided to me by another private business), and my internet connection. Yes you can make the argument that the government ""created the internet"".
http://springhillgroupcounselling.com/general-counselling/       What should I expect from therapy? You should expect one or a series of confidential appointments of up to an hour in length in a suitable professional setting. The process should also provide you with the opportunity to:  make sense of your individual circumstances have contact with a therapist who will help identify the choices for change feel supported during the process of change reach a point where you are better equipped to cope with the future Is counselling and psychotherapy confidential? Everything you discuss is confidential between you and the counsellor or psychotherapist. There can be certain legal exceptions and the practitioner should clarify this with you prior to the establishment of any agreed contract for working. You may have specific queries about confidentiality depending on the format of the therapy. For example, with online counselling, you may wish to ask the following questions to your therapist:  Are the notes from therapy protected by passwords and encrypted? Are printouts held in a secure cabinet? What happens when there are technical problems? Should my therapist carry liability insurance? Professional liability insurance is not currently a legal requirement. However, a number of professional associations, strongly recommend that therapists take out appropriate insurance coverage. Examples of insurance policies which a therapist might have are professional indemnity, public and products liability, libel and slander to name a few. It is suggested that you check your therapist has appropriate and adequate insurance in place before engaging their services. If you are unsure then you should consult an insurance professional or a legal expert for further guidance. The insurance is not only intended to protect the therapist but offer peace of mind that if something should go wrong, there are funds in place to compensate you in such an event. For further information you may find the British Insurance Brokers’ Association website useful. Author: Towergate Professional Risks
I think I understand what you are saying. What I am confused about is the gov decision to give the $5 subsidy is because they believe the ppl that qualify for the subsidy are not able to meet the $10 price point, so then more ppl are able to pay that price. If the gov was giving ppl the subsidy that can afford to pay the $10 than I completely understand s price hike, but raising the price simply due to the existence of a subsidy certain ppl qualify for, just leaves us back to square one right?   On a side note, this is the major reason I am leaning more toward socialized medicine because those Econ theories (subsidy increasing prices) work for typical markets of goods and services ppl can walk away from. The thing is that you can't walk away from health care. I work in medicine and from my experience most ppl working in the field aren't there for just making $$. Investors for sure are there for only that, but I just don't see a pure capitalistic model giving us better health outcomes.
My friend there is hope. I am 36 and went back to school 3 years ago. I will graduate in December with a BBA in Finance. I have a family, (3 girls-7,4,2), I Work almost full time, have I side business, and I am heavily involved in a society on campus (the Investment Society). I crashed an Burned out of school when I was 18/19. Here in Texas your grades always follow you. We have a renew program which wipes your slate clean, but I had 16 hours I wanted to use so I took the hit. There is a difference between overall GPA and career study GPA. You can sometimes get by on the latter.  A GPA is important for getting your foot in the door and for companies who have no idea who you are. If you have an in with a company then GPA is not as important. But you have to bust it going back. Your main focus will be getting the internship with the company you know and knowing the shit out of the fields of study.  I am part of that Investment Society on campus. We grind at the subjects of time value, statistics, accounting, fundamentals, economics, technical, management, forecasting, model building, analysis, and even coding. Coding will be your biggest asset on top of knowing the fields of study.  If you can talk the shit out of the jargon, concepts, and knowledge then you will do really well. In Finance though you have to be a master of many fields to do well.  I would recommend getting your hands on some CFA study material and hit the highlights. I am nearing the end of college and realized that the CFA study material is a blueprint for a finance degree. Also get your CFA cert ASAP out of college. While everything is still fresh.  I am not going into the field directly, as I am starting a company, but others around me are landing jobs in New York and Chicago. We are a rather irrelevant school in San Antonio, but our grads are getting picked up by Goldman, Black Rock, and JP. If you know your shit and network well and are ambitious then you have a good shot.  If I can reinvent my life with all I have on my plate, then this should be cake for you. By that I mean Sweet and enjoyable. Just develop a plan, and get it done.
Can anyone recommend a good textbook that covers Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, or more broadly the US home mortgage market? A basic search seems to mostly turn up books that aim to make an ideological point rather than attempt to provide an actual explanation.  I have a basic financial knowledge including a basic understanding of derivatives at the level of say the textbook by Hull, but know very little about the US mortgage market specifically. I don't mind technical detail, and am not afraid of math. I don't mind if the book is broader, as long as it includes a reasonably in depth look at these GSEs and their role.  This seems to be a pretty basic piece of knowledge for many financial professionals, so I assume there must be at least one standard textbook on this that I just haven't been able to find.  EDIT: I'm looking for something post 2008 of course.
"Well, I started with ""is shadowstats accurate"" on Google and there's a Wikipedia page with a well established background.   I'm not much into the MSM, but I do see value in the statistics the government reports. Though it seems less of the MSM and more of a bunch of highly degreed people in economics fields who are debating him. But maybe jet fuel can't melt steel beams.   My formal education and experience isn't financial, so I don't know if I'm qualified to speak for it. I think I know more than average person about personal finance, but that's about it.   I can speak for myself, that I am doing well with the markets and my life seems stable and secure. The rest of the country? They're probably 500 dollars away from financial ruin and living paycheck to paycheck. That's what the articles posted here say. It's a shame, if so."
&gt;We're supplementing their workers' food budgets and medical budgets. That is money that ought to be coming out of Walmart's pocket. They are not forced to work there. It is really their choice. They also have the ability to supplement their own budgets by working more, or at another company. This is a choice, and the safety nets that the taxpayer subsidizes are supporting these choices, and are not a DIRECT support for Walmart. People have free will. If you can't understand this, then we may as well stop the argument right here. &gt;Listen, everybody who doesn't come from money is forced to work. Unless you don't mind living outside without medical care, fresh food or family. If you happen to have poor access to education or failed to achieve for some reason then you're forced to take what you can get. I grew up poor. Government housing, foodstamps, the works. I find it amusing that the majority of people who want to argue about this type of topic with me actually come from a much more well-off situation than me, and then want to make it sound like they know what they are talking about. I never blamed low paying companies for my situation. My parents could have and should have worked harder. And the same goes for many of my poor friends growing up. I see human beings as powerful, amazing things, not victims who are helpless to the whims of others. &gt;If that job doesn't offer a living wage than you'll have to pick up a few extra shifts or another job altogether. This is my point exactly!! It's just reality, folks. I'm in that situation myself right now, but I'm not blaming a business owner for trying to make money themselves. Sometimes you're given a shitty situation, life has dealt you a shitty hand, and you have to find your way out of it. It's hard, but sometimes that's life.
&gt; They are outsourcing R &amp; D and just buying innovation  Yeah that was the impression I got, but it seems unsustainable!  I have to wonder what their horizon is like for breaking even on their investment. And since the barrier to entry for a new dating app/service is relatively low, it seems like a huge risk given how easily a new startup could skim off their user base.  Unlike Facebook which has infiltrated all aspects of peoples' lives, dating apps have a very narrow focus, and users can get sick of any given app very quickly.
"I think this question is perfectly on topic, and probably has been asked and answered many times.  However, I cannot help myself. Here are some basics however: Personal Finance is not only about math.  As a guy who ""took vector calculus just for fun"", I have learned that superior math skills do not translate into superior net worth.  Personal finance is about 50% behavior.  Take a look at the housing crisis, car loans, or payday lenders and you will understand that the desire to be accepted by others often trumps the math surrounding a transaction. Outline your goals  What is it that you want in life?  A pile of money or to retire early?  What does your business look like?  How much cash will you need?  Do you want to own a ton of rental properties?  How does all this happen (set intermediate goals). Then get on a budget  A budget is a plan to spend your money in advance.  Stick to it.  From there you can see how much money you have to implement various goals.  Are your goals to aggressive?   This is really important as people have a tendency to spend more money then they have.  Often times when people receive a bonus at work, they spend that one bonus on two or three times over.  A budget will prevent this from happening. Get an Emergency Fund  Without an emergency fund, you be subject to the financial whims of people involved in your own life and that of the broader marketplace.  Once you have one, you are free to invest with impunity and have less stress in a world that deals out plenty.  Bad things will happen to you financially, protect against them. The best first investments are simple:  Invest in yourself.  Find a way to make a very healthy income with upward mobility.  Also get out and stay out of debt.  These things are not sexy, but they pay off in the long run. The next best investment is also simple:  Index funds.  These become the bench mark for all other investments.  If you do not stand a good chance of beating the S&P 500 index fund, why bother?  Just dump the money in the fund and sleep well at night."
I apologize that I mixed you up with a previous commenter. On mobile, I can't see who posted and reply at the same time, and I should've been more careful.   I am aware of immigration to Europe.  All of my previous responses pertained to Scandinavia because I was replying to the Scandinavian comment specifically. I did not say that all of Europe is insulated geographically or that all of Europe is ethnically homogeneous.  To address your question specifically, this paper would suggest that not only is the scale of illegal immigration in the EU much smaller than it is in the US (this paper doesn't make the comparison, but it does mention roughly half a million illegal immigrants enter Europe every year, which is about half that of the US), but also that illegal labor is an issue and it is growing as illegal immigration grows.  https://archive.intereconomics.eu/downloads/getfile.php?id=323  So I guess we are at a bit of an impasse. I'm not sure I concede that Europe doesn't have this problem or that the US is unique in how supply and demand relate to labor. I do agree that the scale of the problem is different, so perhaps that is enough to continue discussion?
I am going to speak in general, as this has also been the case in europe.  First of all QE is an increase of money supply but using non conventional measures(there might be exceptions) some examples of this measures are changing interest rates or TLTRO.  As to why this hasnt transitioned into more inflation, which in the end has but years after, has been a question that people have asked a lot. One of the reasons for this is the transmission mechanism not working properly, which implies that despite the fact banks have received money, they havent been able to move it to the real economy hence not increasing prices.
CUs are now starting to adopt some of the bank's tricks, like using a longer float during online bill paying and for outside transfers.  Also for overdrafts they are now starting to kick into fees or automatic loans rather than transferring money from your savings account.  I've been a member for decades and my CUs weren't doing this previously.