Very sad. Bourdain seemed like one of the few on TV who didn't take himself too seriously. I can't think of too many people who didn't like him or enjoy his show.
Stories like these are the reason that much of the public hates unions -- especially public sector unions and unions employed/contracted on public sector projects. If public sector unions negotiated work rules and compensation that were more in line with the private sector, I suspect that their public image would benefit tremendously.
"The other issue I see is that for some reason Houston didn't require all of these people to have flood insurance."
Banks require homeowners in flood plains with mortgages to maintain flood insurance. The problem is if you don't have a mortgage, you don't necessarily need insurance. However, perpetual Federal Government bailouts of homeowners creates moral hazard, and the expectation that Government will make you whole regardless of insurance, and thus bigger risks for all.
This is very interesting, and not something that many have given much thought to (including me). It suggests that Capitalism is a more effective path to freedom than Democracy, over the long term. Perhaps this bodes well for China.
I was able to quit my 1/2 pack a day addiction four years ago after 15+ years, but it was challenging. Smoking was expensive (four years ago: 4 packs a week = $40), but quitting smoking was even more expensive. In addition to the expense of Chantix, I also started surfing Amazon for things to reward myself instead of going outside for a smoke break. So it was probably $100 - $200 a week.
Now nicotine-free for 4+ years, it's less costly all around (not to mention the health costs), but I understand all too well the difficulty and economics of quitting.
The baby boom generation, as well as the "Greatest" generation before them, have saddled our future generations with huge liabilities. Sadly, not every younger Gen X'er, Gen Y'er, Millennial, or Gen Z'er realizes the magnitude of the debt left behind -- and more importantly that it reflects future tax increases or government services that won't be able to be provided. The only hope is that the current generations will have accumulated enough personal assets to pass along to their kids and grandkids to offset some of this deficit.
Exactly. Over time, companies will try (or at least, SHOULD try) to optimize the currency they use to deliver their total reward offering. Whether it is cash, equity, PTO, health/retirement benefits, learning, etc., companies should optimize the use a particular currency if the perceived value of such currency exceeds its economic value.