Friday, May 31, 2019

So, some stock market experts are all over these announced tariffs that Trump has declared will occur if Mexico won't step up its game again the flow of illegals coming to our borders.  Namely, the caravans they simply let travel through their country without doing anything about it at all.  I've seen dozens of videos, Federales, policia and government officials just standing there, doing nothing while thousands of them walk on by them.  Mexico could do a heckuva lot more about the drug flow into this nation as well.

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Well that was earlier. The point was potential for making a lot of money investing in stocks that dive but are highly likely to come back up.  I'm not acting on that - yet - I'm more watching the trends.  I could risk a grand on something that has that potential and see what happens.  Well I could risk a lot more, but I'm not going to jump into this like that and I'm still hesitant to do anything regardless.  I really would like to learn more about the stock market than what I already know to be able to acquire that understanding of how to invest.

But I suspect it's much like anything else, get the head knowledge, sure, but experience gives you the upper edge.  My experience is 401k and attempting to have my money invested in higher risk stock. In fact, I have very little in lower risk.  I may be getting up there in years, but I don't have near enough money saved for various reasons that I don't want to bother going into right now. 

Anyway, it's Friday night.  I got my run "for the weekend".  It's going to Decatur, Alabama.  It's 20 miles short of the distance it is to Brownsville, so the miles aren't that bad. Not that great either, but it's a 2 day run.  Or is it? Nope, I'm pre-loading tomorrow.  How does that help me? The company has a rule I didn't know about until the last trip I took that if you preload a trailer, you will get a minimum 200 miles worth of mileage pay, on top of stop pay.  Otherwise, it's 22 miles round trip which is worthless.  I'll give my manager kudos for doing as much as she can - but there were far better runs available that I obviously didn't and won't get.  Brownsville being one of them. Brownsville has the high potential of detention pay, this trip, never.

The plant in Mexico simply cannot mitigate the problem getting across at the border, so they can't stop the detention pay happening at least occasionally, tho it's more like frequently.  It costs them a lot of money, tho I hardly feel sorry for a plant producing HDPE pipe.  Some of the most expensive pipe in the industry.  I have never seen a single truckload of that pipe coming up from there, tho.  And if they are shipping it through rail cars, why aren't they getting the product we haul through rail as well? A rail car holds 3 truckloads worth and cheaper transport.  Oh, yeah, cause rail takes forever.  And who knows how long it takes to get across the border. 

Whatever, I'll take what I can get at the moment.  I'll get back faster than all those other loads going out on Sunday, I'm hoping that works in my advantage - if - the manager's statement that "first in, first out" is actually true.  A 3 day trip after this one and ending on or before Friday would go on the week after this coming paycheck.  I have no clue tho what's coming up next week as the schedule at the plant only goes as far as Mondays. 

Of course, i keep my eye on the help wanted ads.  One company advertising "dedicated lanes in your area" with no further detail.  "call or text"  I texted and the person wanted to call me back. No thanks, just text me the details.  Dedicated lanes from where to where?  It was "light unload" and saying the boxes are light but you have to unload them, and that you start detention pay the moment you back up to the loading dock. Well of course, if you are unloading you should also be getting a stop pay. 

Whatever the case, manager wants me at the yard early - in case the plant calls and moves appointment time up. I'm not particularly inclined to show up hours early for no pay for the plant's convenience.  If they wanted to pay for that privilege I would be more amenable to it.  When we're talking early, it's 2 hours plus, not 15 or 20 minutes. 

Whatever.  I'll show up early to get the 200 free miles of pay. 

Anyway, it's getting late. 



















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