Author Topic: Life in America - I made the move. (Read 884200 times)

grizz · « **Reply #7600 on:** July 25, 2019, 08:31:23 am »

Quote from: Mrs. Zog on July 24, 2019, 06:02:31 pm

Here are three pictures of the cereus in its full splendor. The last picture was a mistake, actually, but it 's still pretty.

The scent was unbelievable - a mixture of jasmine, orange blossom, and honeysuckle is the best way to describe it. It was powerful, it scented the entire part of the garden. I'm really happy to have seen it.

It was difficult to take the pictures. As soon as it was illuminated by either a flashlight or the camera flash, it wanted to close up. I guess that's why it's night-blooming.

Just lovely

Does make you feel privileged

Mrs. Zog · « **Reply #7601 on:** July 25, 2019, 02:21:40 pm »

Quote

How long did it take for the flower to fully open up? Does the flower die in the morning?

It doesn't take long to open, maybe an hour or so. Sometimes (as in the case of botanical gardens), they have "viewing parties" to watch. There was one at the botanical gardens in Tucson, Arizona, earlier this month. About 1,500 people showed up. The garden sent a notification around noon that their plants were about to bloom that night, and everyone came to watch!

Yes, it dies after a few hours.

Mrs. Zog · « **Reply #7602 on:** July 25, 2019, 02:34:47 pm »

Quote

How does the plant know a year has passed? Is it a fixed timeing thing? Or something in the environment that triggers it? For example, would the same plant in Australia bloom at roughly the same time of year?

In a nutshell...

Plants are complex living beings, not quite as complex as humans or animals, but still pretty amazing. They have a circadian clock just like we do, so they sense day and night and also the length/amount of daylight using photoreceptors. These photoreceptors produce certain proteins that then work to "make" buds and flowers. Basically, they "know" what time of year it is, and also what time of day. Based on that, they know when to flower for the best chance of pollination.

In the case of cereus, plants in the same colony (e.g., a bunch of them at the same botanical garden) flower at the same time, even when they are far apart. Science hasn't really figured out how they communicate, but probably it's some kind of chemical action, like pheromones. We do definitely know that plants communicate, it's been well documented. It's to their advantage to flower together to ensure proper pollination (some plants self-pollinate, but that's a whole different discussion). So it's a genetic thing and ensures survival of the species.

I really don't know if a cereus colony in Australia would bloom at the same times as one here, but it would be really interesting to find out! In this case, my plant is native to South and Central America, so in the wild, they would flower together in a limited geographical area. Cereus can have multiple flowers on one plant that will bloom several days apart, sometimes over a few weeks, but I only have one plant with one flower.

Phew.

Mrs. Zog · « **Reply #7603 on:** July 25, 2019, 02:36:08 pm »

Quote

the off-shoot plants (pretty sure there is a technical term for this that I dont know)

Progeny

RobC · « **Reply #7604 on:** July 25, 2019, 02:39:04 pm »

Quote from: Mrs. Zog on July 25, 2019, 02:34:47 pm

Quote
How does the plant know a year has passed? Is it a fixed timeing thing? Or something in the environment that triggers it? For example, would the same plant in Australia bloom at roughly the same time of year?

In a nutshell...

Plants are complex living beings, not quite as complex as humans or animals, but still pretty amazing. They have a circadian clock just like we do, so they sense day and night and also the length/amount of daylight using photoreceptors. These photoreceptors produce certain proteins that then work to "make" buds and flowers. Basically, they "know" what time of year it is, and also what time of day. Based on that, they know when to flower for the best chance of pollination.

In the case of cereus, plants in the same colony (e.g., a bunch of them at the same botanical garden) flower at the same time, even when they are far apart. Science hasn't really figured out how they communicate, but probably it's some kind of chemical action, like pheromones. We do definitely know that plants communicate, it's been well documented. It's to their advantage to flower together to ensure cross-pollination (some plants self-pollinate, but that's a whole different discussion). So it's a genetic thing and ensures survival of the species.

I really don't know if a cereus colony in Australia would bloom at the same times as one here, but it would be really interesting to find out! In this case, my plant is native to South and Central America, so in the wild, they would flower together in a limited geographical area. Cereus can have multiple flowers on one plant that will bloom several days apart, sometimes over a few weeks, but I only have one plant with one flower.

Phew.

Plants use pheremones to communicate, that is why game will always start feeding downwind on a patch of their favourite plants. Our plant science department has a specialist in this field afaik.

Blou Zebu · « **Reply #7605 on:** July 25, 2019, 03:15:56 pm »

Quote from: Mrs. Zog on July 25, 2019, 02:21:40 pm

Quote
How long did it take for the flower to fully open up? Does the flower die in the morning?

It doesn't take long to open, maybe an hour or so. Sometimes (as in the case of botanical gardens), they have "viewing parties" to watch. There was one at the botanical gardens in Tucson, Arizona, earlier this month. About 1,500 people showed up. The garden sent a notification around noon that their plants were about to bloom that night, and everyone came to watch!

Yes, it dies after a few hours.

Well hold a party next year and charge a small fee......

Mrs. Zog · « **Reply #7606 on:** July 25, 2019, 09:18:27 pm »

Quote

Well hold a party next year and charge a small fee......

Hmmm... $5 admission plus two dog biscuits to get past security screening.

Mr Zog · « **Reply #7607 on:** July 26, 2019, 01:54:34 am »

So yesterday I worked with the boss and a new guy just employed for a month now.

We did a very big install at a high-rise apartment block (12 floors) on the beachside. We replaced the booster pumps that are necessary to get the water up to the top floors, including a new electronic control panel to keep the pressure up and constant. Started at 8am, got home at 9pm.

So there was no way I was going to install the new water heater last night.

But this afternoon I was done by 5pm, so after work I removed the old geyser and installed the new one. I was lucky in that when I installed the previous one I had left about 20 cm extra height on the pipes above the top of the geyser. I usually do this to make repairs easier, and I'm really glad I did it. The new water heater I got is a different model to the old one, and is about 10cm higher. But with the extra height of pipe I left I was still able to slot the new one in with just the minimum of soldered connections and fuss.

Hopefully now we can have hot AND clean water

tok-tokkie · « **Reply #7608 on:** July 26, 2019, 10:17:56 am »

Mrs. Zog,
Re your response about plants communicating amoungst themselves. If you by any chance have not read this book then it will entrance you.
https://www.amazon.com/Hidden-Life-Trees-Communicate_Discoveries-Secret/dp/1771642483

Mrs. Zog · « **Reply #7609 on:** July 26, 2019, 10:21:20 pm »

@tok-tokkie that sounds fascinating, I will definitely get this book! Thanks!

Mr Zog · « **Reply #7610 on:** July 29, 2019, 04:29:50 am »

Just another weekend.

I did a few jobs around the house, like installing a new tap in the bathroom sink for Mrs Zog. I also did a whole lot of sorting out and cleaning up and installing shelves etc in my workshop. I got 50 feet of compressor hose and routed it from the big compressor, around the wall, with two "T's" in the line for additional outlets so that I can have air at my planned workstations. I also moved some of my woodworking tools around to make things a bit easier to get to and operate. I am planning on building a workstation against the western wall for the table saw and the mitre saw and the router. The plans are still in my head, but I'll get there as funds allow. The biggest expense will be a sheet of plywood and some 2x4's. So probably all in for around $50...

I did buy some new tekkies for work on Saturday at Walmart too, as well as some new socks and jocks. Really splurging out!

Of course I also mowed the grass and did the weed eating...

On Friday I learned something about the US labor law that I find a very difficult pill to swallow.

Three weeks ago I worked the entire Saturday to build and install a new counter for the boss at the new shop he is opening. It was 10 full hours of labour. I noticed on my paysheet that I didn't get paid for 10 hours, only 2. So I asked him about it on Friday.

Because the Federal holiday (4th July) was on the preceeding Thursday (I got paid 8 hours for the public holiday even though I didn't work) and overtime is only payable after 40 WORKING hours, and the week was only 32 hours, I had to work an additional 8 hours (for FREE) before I could be paid overtime.

This is the Law, and as such I have no leg to stand on (I googled it up). But fuck me, I WORKED an additional 10 hours that none of the other staff worked, and I got fuckall for 8 of them. That law is a fuckup.

The boss has no legal obligation to pay me for them, but I think that MORALLY he should. I will follow up again this week and see what his final decision is. If he decides to pay me for that time, all good. If not, then I have learned my lesson. In the future, in a week where there is a Federal Holiday, I will not work a single second of overtime. I will work only 32 hours, and not a second more. And I will get paid for 40 hours. Because if I do work anything extra, I will not receive a single cent for the first 8 hours I do work.

Another thing that I found out while doing my research is that I CAN be FORCED to work overtime. If I refuse, I can get fired. Unless the overtime is a hazard to my health or wellbeing. And that would be wide open to interpretation...

US labour law is so skewed in favour of the employer, and virtually nothing in favour of the employee. A complete turnaround from the laws in SA that favour the employee so heavily. It is obvious that Big Business controls the lawmakers, and not the people that actually vote them in.

I suppose that it is because of laws like this that the inflation rate is so low, and that business can make so much money. But I truly believe that a middle ground can be found somewhere in between. When I found this out on Friday I was VERY pissed off. Fuck me, I worked my ass off for nothing. The other staff members sat on their asses at home, and I got paid the same as them. That is fucking unfair. Fucked my whole weekend up. Pissed me off so much that I completely forgot that Saturday was Mrs Zog's and my 7th wedding anniversary. So I wasn't just pissed off, I was in the kak too...

Rant over.

Thanks for reading, have a wonderful week

Camino Cerdo · « **Reply #7611 on:** July 29, 2019, 05:34:13 am »

They may be able to not pay "overtime" at 1 1/2 but they still need to pay the base wage for those hours. I would recommend you find out who to call in the state that deals with wage and hours.
There is federal law but most states have added to that. I know I would be in hot water if I tried that here in Washington. Here labor has the upper hand in most of the rules.

Bob

Fudmucker · « **Reply #7612 on:** July 29, 2019, 06:27:33 am »

Eish Zog !
Wackers in the US are so open to exploitation...

You could ask him:
1. When he asked you to undertake the work in the new shop, did he KNOW THEN that the work would be UNPAID?
2. If so, did he not think it good for working relations to tell you THEN so you could be informed?

I also think it was mean to use only one employee for the task.
Presumably the other employees are better informed of the 40 working hours before overtime rule...?

TeeJay · « **Reply #7613 on:** July 29, 2019, 06:34:38 am »

Jussus man - that's just not right

What goes around comes around Mr Zog - don't sweat it man - it's done.

Have a good week there too

Tom van Brits · « **Reply #7614 on:** July 29, 2019, 10:54:17 am »

Yes Gary that is a tough one, I have read my contract and it is what you say although we will be working quite a lot more hours than 40 every week.
All the farmworkers work overtime, but prefer that since there is no baseline salary but rather just a straight hourly rate and everyone get treated the same.

I do get it though, and can see why you are upset. There is something called humanity where the boss can meet you since you have added a lot of value to his business by building that beautiful counter etc.

I am no one to advice here since I am always humble and tend to accept things rather easily and move on. I would have accepted and move on since finding another job if it comes to that may set you back big time.

In the long run you are working towards a goal; getting your hours (5 years right?) to qualify as a plumber and then you can start working for yourself and making good money.

big oil · « **Reply #7615 on:** July 29, 2019, 10:55:27 pm »

I'm leaning towards your weekend wages will be on next check, if you get paid bi-monthly?

It would be unlawful not to pay you at least straight wage for hours worked, would it not?

https://www.dol.gov/general/topic/wages/overtimepay

Mr Zog · « **Reply #7616 on:** July 30, 2019, 02:37:36 am »

Ok. So I got some clarity on the overtime issue today.

I was wrong, I DID get paid for the Saturday, but I got paid NORMAL hourly rate, until I hit 40 WORKED hours for the week, then I got paid overtime.

So I guess I can learn to live with this. Simply because every hour that I do work helps to pay the bills and put food on the table.

I didn't have a good day today, everything just went wrong. Starting with me forgetting that I had a doctors' appointment at 8:30 for my annual checkup. When I did remember I left work in a mad rush and arrived 20 minutes late. The receptionist just looked at me and told me that I would have to reschedule because I was late. Fuck me. Luckily they just had a cancellation and could fit me in tomorrow at 8:30. So I lost an hour of work, and drove 50 miles for nothing. Eish… old age must be catching up with me. I NEVER forget stuff like that.

Oh well... the good thing about old age is that it usually doesn't last long

Mr Zog · « **Reply #7617 on:** July 30, 2019, 02:42:31 am »

Quote from: Fudmucker on July 24, 2019, 09:23:21 am

Mrs Z, my son (the botanical fundi) also had a plant that flowers once at night and then dies.
He wasn't sure which night, so he stayed up for a few nights!

Mr Z - the water supply pipe to my house is HDPE 12bar.
I did a static pressure test at 02:00 one morning and the pressure at the tap was 11bar.

Sorry Fuddy, I meant to reply then something else... oh look, a butterfly

What I was told about using PVC is that the water inside it somehow keeps it lasting better. Dry air apparently causes it to degenerate faster and it becomes brittle and can shatter with dangerous results. HDPE is a whole lot better. But I was able to get 50 ft of dedicated 300psi rated 3/8" compressor line at Harbor Freight on a coupon for $18.99. I think using the correct line will be best, and it also came with fittings at each end, saving me a further couple of $.

Fudmucker · « **Reply #7618 on:** July 30, 2019, 05:34:17 am »

Quote from: Mr Zog on July 30, 2019, 02:37:36 am

Ok. So I got some clarity on the overtime issue today.
I was wrong, I DID get paid for the Saturday, but I got paid NORMAL hourly rate, until I hit 40 WORKED hours for the week, then I got paid overtime.
So I guess I can learn to live with this. Simply because every hour that I do work helps to pay the bills and put food on the table.

So, by implication, the guys who didn't work on 4th July didn't get paid 40 hours then...?

The unions in ZA would go ballistic !

USA employers definitely are in the ~~pound~~ dollar seats...

OomD · « **Reply #7619 on:** July 30, 2019, 06:49:10 am »

The way I see it, everyone got a "bonus" for 4th July, i.e. everyone got paid for 8 hours more than they worked. Mr. Zog too. But, because he only worked 32 hours for the week, he had to complete 40 hours before going onto overtime rate. So the 4th July is a bonus in terms of money, but not in terms of working hours.