#outsource estimating

[constructionvirtualsass]

Construction Virtual

At Construction Virtuals, we bridge the gap in construction staffing by providing top-tier remote professionals tailored to your project needs. Whether you’re facing a sudden staff shortage or scaling for growth, we deliver flexible, reliable, and cost-efficient solutions to keep your projects moving forward—on time and on budget.

outsource construction

[estimatingsolution]

The Importance of Accurate Electrical Estimating Services in Construction Projects.

Electrical estimating is a critical aspect of any construction project, ensuring that electrical systems are designed and installed within budget and according to plan. Whether it’s a residential building or a large-scale commercial project, accurate electrical cost estimation can make the difference between a successful, profitable project and one that runs over budget and behind schedule. In this blog, we’ll explore the importance of electrical estimating services and why professionals are vital in achieving project success.

What is Electrical Estimating?

Electrical estimating involves calculating the total cost of electrical work within a construction project. This includes the costs of materials, labor, equipment, and any specialized services needed to complete the installation of electrical systems. A comprehensive estimate allows construction managers and contractors to plan their budgets more accurately and avoid unexpected costs during the project.

Key Points:

Evaluating the scope of electrical work.

Ensuring accurate cost calculation for materials like cables, switches, lighting, and control systems.

Avoiding common pitfalls like underestimating labor costs or material needs.

The Complexity of Electrical Estimation

Electrical systems are often one of the more complex and technically demanding aspects of construction. From power distribution to lighting, security systems, and more, the variety and complexity of electrical components require expert knowledge for accurate estimation. A small error in estimating electrical costs can lead to delays, added expenses, or even safety risks during installation.

Key Points:

The need for specialized knowledge in estimating electrical projects.

Complexity of integrating electrical systems in modern construction (e.g., automation, energy efficiency systems).

Importance of adhering to safety regulations and codes.

How Professional Electrical Estimating Services Save Time and Money

Hiring a professional electrical estimating service like Estimating Solutions can save significant time and money for contractors and project managers. Professionals use industry-specific software and have extensive experience in calculating costs for complex electrical systems, providing a reliable and accurate estimate that helps avoid unexpected costs later.

Key Points:

Accurate upfront budgeting saves costs during construction.

Professionals help avoid costly mistakes by understanding material needs and labor requirements.

Efficient project planning with precise estimates reduces overall project time.

Benefits of Accurate Electrical Estimating

Accurate electrical estimating isn’t just about getting the right numbers on paper—it has broader benefits that contribute to overall project success. With a reliable estimate, contractors can secure materials early, ensure that labor is allocated properly, and reduce the chance of delays. It also helps in establishing transparent communication with clients and stakeholders, building trust, and ensuring that everyone is on the same page regarding the project’s financial outlook.

Key Points:

Preventing budget overruns with precise forecasting.

Improved client confidence through clear financial planning.

Better coordination with other trades working on the project, ensuring seamless integration of electrical systems.

Why Choose Estimating Solutions for Electrical Estimating?

At Estimating Solutions Group, we offer expert electrical estimating services tailored to your project’s specific needs. Our experienced team uses cutting-edge tools to provide detailed, accurate estimates, ensuring your project runs smoothly from start to finish. We specialize in offering services for residential, commercial, and industrial projects, giving our clients peace of mind that every aspect of their electrical systems is accounted for.

Key Points:

Extensive experience across different sectors.

Use of advanced electrical estimating software.

Customized estimates based on your project’s unique requirements.

Common Challenges in Electrical Estimating and How We Overcome Them

Electrical estimating can pose several challenges, from fluctuating material costs to coordinating with other trades on-site. At Estimating Solutions Group, we stay up-to-date with the latest industry trends and prices to ensure our estimates are current and accurate. We also work closely with other contractors and trades to ensure the electrical installation fits smoothly into the overall project schedule.

Key Points:

Staying updated with material price changes.

Coordinating with other trades to prevent delays.

Factoring in unforeseen costs like weather delays or last-minute design changes.

Conclusion

Electrical estimating is a crucial component of any construction project, and getting it right from the start can save contractors significant time, money, and headaches down the line. At Estimating Solutions, we pride ourselves on delivering accurate, detailed estimates that ensure projects stay on track and within budget. Reach out to us today to learn more about how we can help with your next project.

[internationalestimating]

Outsource Estimating Services: Smart Planning for Better Profits

Outsource estimating services are an efficient way to manage complex construction budgets. These services allow companies to save time and improve accuracy by shifting the burden of cost estimation to trained professionals. For any contractor, accurate cost estimates are essential for securing bids and completing projects within budget. In today’s fast-paced construction environment, reliable data matters more than ever.

Why Outsourcing Estimation Matters

In-house estimating teams require continuous training and software investments. By outsourcing, you reduce these costs while gaining access to experts who work across different types of projects. These professionals handle residential, commercial, plumbing, and mechanical estimating with equal ease.

Improve Bids with Reliable Estimates.

Winning a bid is about presenting the most accurate and competitive number. Outsource estimating services enhance your proposals by giving you consistent, reliable figures. With these services, your business gains a competitive edge while reducing the chance of costly errors.

Focus More on Core Construction Activities.

Estimation is essential but time-consuming. By outsourcing, your team can focus on construction work and client relationships. This boosts efficiency across your business.

How Takeoff Estimating Services NYC Support Contractors.

Takeoff estimating services in NYC are vital for planning, especially in a city with strict codes and timelines. These services help contractors extract material quantities from blueprints, drawings, and models. Getting takeoffs right means fewer delays and better project outcomes.

Detailed Material Lists for Precision Planning

Material planning sets the tone for an entire construction project. If your lists are off, you either overpay or face material shortages. Professional takeoff services provide accurate, line-by-line material breakdowns tailored to each job.

Digital Takeoffs for Speed and Accuracy

Manual takeoffs take time and are prone to mistakes. Our team uses software tools to generate clean, quick, and accurate takeoffs. We ensure your teams work with real data, not rough estimates.

Local Expertise in NYC Code and Regulations.

New York City has unique construction challenges. Local expertise ensures your project complies with city regulations from the start. Our NYC takeoff estimating services are informed by experience in the five boroughs.

Plumbing Estimating Services NYC Deliver Reliable Numbers.

Plumbing estimating services in NYC require specialized attention. They must include fixture costs, piping, labor, fittings, and installation timelines. International Estimating provides accurate breakdowns tailored for both residential and commercial plumbing jobs.

Full Breakdown of Plumbing Systems.

From water supply to drainage, each part of a plumbing job needs careful cost planning. We estimate by fixture unit counts, pipe sizes, and code compliance. Our estimates cover rough-in through to finish.

Identify Potential Cost Risks Early

plumbing issues often cost more when they surface mid-project. Good estimates identify potential risks and plan for them. This prevents costly surprises and delays later.

Estimates for Renovation and New Installations

Whether you are retrofitting an old system or building a new one, our estimates cover it all. We support mixed-use buildings, apartment blocks, retail fit-outs, and more.

Save Money with Professional Estimation Services.

Many contractors hesitate to outsource because of perceived costs. However, outsource estimating services save money in the long run by reducing staffing needs, training costs, and project errors. Professional services pay for themselves over time.

Scale Without Expanding Your In-House Team.

Your estimating needs may rise during peak season. With outsourcing, you scale easily without hiring or training new staff. We help you stay agile while maintaining quality.

Transparent Pricing with No Hidden Fees

Our services are priced competitively with transparent quotes. We work per project or on retainer, based on your needs. No hidden charges or surprise invoices.

Outsourcing Improves ROI.

When estimating improves, profit margins follow. Accurate planning leads to fewer change orders and better budgeting, making your entire operation more efficient.

Why Choose International Estimating for Outsource Estimating Services?

International Estimating is a trusted name in construction cost analysis. We offer fast, detailed estimates that help contractors manage resources and win bids. Our team includes specialists in plumbing, takeoffs, and commercial construction.

Decades of Estimating Experience.

With over two decades of industry experience, we know what contractors need. We’ve supported projects of all sizes and scopes across NYC and beyond.

Quick Turnaround Without Sacrificing Accuracy

We pride ourselves on fast delivery without compromising precision. Most estimates are returned within 24 to 48 hours, depending on complexity.

Customized Services for Every Client.

Every contractor works differently. That’s why we tailor our process to suit your workflow. Whether you use Plan Swift, Blue beam, or CAD, we adapt to your systems.

Conclusion

Outsourced estimating services offer construction companies a smarter way to plan, budget, and execute projects. From plumbing estimating services in NYC to digital takeoffs and accurate material lists, International Estimating delivers everything you need for project success. We understand local codes, timelines, and the pressure of accurate bids.

[constructionsoftware]

Why You Need BIM Cost Estimation Quantity Takeoff Software in Your Projects

In the fast-paced construction industry, accurate cost estimation is critical to the success of any project. Traditional methods of cost estimation are time-consuming, error-prone, and often result in cost overruns. To overcome these challenges, many construction companies are turning to BIM cost estimating software, which provides an integrated solution for more precise and efficient cost management. This software not only streamlines the estimating process but also enhances collaboration, reduces risks, and supports better decision-making throughout the project lifecycle.

Benefits of BIM Cost Estimating Software

Improved Accuracy and Efficiency BIM cost estimating software allows for precise quantity takeoffs by integrating 3D models with cost data. This integration helps construction professionals visualize the entire project and identify all necessary materials and quantities, reducing the risk of human error. Tools like 3D estimating software simplify the process of calculating costs based on real-time data, ensuring that estimates are both accurate and up-to-date.

Enhanced Collaboration and Communication By utilizing BIM software, teams can work on a single, shared platform that promotes better collaboration among architects, engineers, and contractors. All stakeholders have access to the same data and models, which helps in identifying potential issues early on. This integrated approach supports effective communication, minimizes misunderstandings, and ensures that everyone is on the same page, reducing delays and additional costs.

Streamlined Project Management With features designed for construction financial management, BIM cost estimation software provides real-time insights into project costs, budgets, and financial performance. It helps project managers make informed decisions by providing a comprehensive overview of financial data, including expenses, cash flow, and potential financial risks. This capability allows for proactive adjustments, ensuring the project remains within budget and on schedule.

Why Choose BIM for Quantity Takeoff?

BIM cost estimating software is particularly beneficial for quantity takeoff because it enables automated extraction of quantities directly from 3D models. This automation saves significant time compared to manual methods and ensures a higher degree of accuracy. With detailed visualizations, estimators can easily identify discrepancies or missing elements, making corrections early in the design phase.

Integration with 3D Estimating Software

3D estimating software complements BIM by offering a three-dimensional perspective on project elements, allowing estimators to see precisely what is being built. This visualization aids in identifying any inconsistencies or potential clashes in the design, which can be rectified before construction begins. Moreover, the integration of cost data with 3D models enables more reliable and efficient estimation processes.

Financial Control with Construction Financial Management Tools

Combining BIM cost estimation tools with robust construction financial management software allows companies to manage project finances with greater accuracy and control. These tools provide real-time updates on expenditures, forecasts, and budget adjustments, empowering decision-makers to keep projects on track financially.

The Role of Prediction 3D Technologies

Companies like Prediction 3D Technologies are at the forefront of providing advanced BIM cost estimating software solutions. Their innovative tools integrate seamlessly with 3D models, enhancing cost estimation accuracy and improving overall project efficiency. By adopting their software, construction firms can leverage cutting-edge technology to gain a competitive advantage in the market.

Conclusion

Investing in BIM cost estimating software and 3D estimating tools is no longer a luxury but a necessity for construction companies aiming to improve accuracy, efficiency, and collaboration. With advanced features for construction financial management, these tools help firms manage costs more effectively and deliver projects on time and within budget. By choosing solutions like those offered by Prediction 3D Technologies, you can take your project management capabilities to the next level and ensure the success of your construction projects.

[tangentiallly]

One way to spot patterns is to show AI models millions of labelled examples. This method requires humans to painstakingly label all this data so they can be analysed by computers. Without them, the algorithms that underpin self-driving cars or facial recognition remain blind. They cannot learn patterns.

The algorithms built in this way now augment or stand in for human judgement in areas as varied as medicine, criminal justice, social welfare and mortgage and loan decisions. Generative AI, the latest iteration of AI software, can create words, code and images. This has transformed them into creative assistants, helping teachers, financial advisers, lawyers, artists and programmers to co-create original works.

To build AI, Silicon Valley’s most illustrious companies are fighting over the limited talent of computer scientists in their backyard, paying hundreds of thousands of dollars to a newly minted Ph.D. But to train and deploy them using real-world data, these same companies have turned to the likes of Sama, and their veritable armies of low-wage workers with basic digital literacy, but no stable employment.

Sama isn’t the only service of its kind globally. Start-ups such as Scale AI, Appen, Hive Micro, iMerit and Mighty AI (now owned by Uber), and more traditional IT companies such as Accenture and Wipro are all part of this growing industry estimated to be worth $17bn by 2030.

Because of the sheer volume of data that AI companies need to be labelled, most start-ups outsource their services to lower-income countries where hundreds of workers like Ian and Benja are paid to sift and interpret data that trains AI systems.

Displaced Syrian doctors train medical software that helps diagnose prostate cancer in Britain. Out-of-work college graduates in recession-hit Venezuela categorize fashion products for e-commerce sites. Impoverished women in Kolkata’s Metiabruz, a poor Muslim neighbourhood, have labelled voice clips for Amazon’s Echo speaker. Their work couches a badly kept secret about so-called artificial intelligence systems – that the technology does not ‘learn’ independently, and it needs humans, millions of them, to power it. Data workers are the invaluable human links in the global AI supply chain.

This workforce is largely fragmented, and made up of the most precarious workers in society: disadvantaged youth, women with dependents, minorities, migrants and refugees. The stated goal of AI companies and the outsourcers they work with is to include these communities in the digital revolution, giving them stable and ethical employment despite their precarity. Yet, as I came to discover, data workers are as precarious as factory workers, their labour is largely ghost work and they remain an undervalued bedrock of the AI industry.

As this community emerges from the shadows, journalists and academics are beginning to understand how these globally dispersed workers impact our daily lives: the wildly popular content generated by AI chatbots like ChatGPT, the content we scroll through on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube, the items we browse when shopping online, the vehicles we drive, even the food we eat, it’s all sorted, labelled and categorized with the help of data workers.

Milagros Miceli, an Argentinian researcher based in Berlin, studies the ethnography of data work in the developing world. When she started out, she couldn’t find anything about the lived experience of AI labourers, nothing about who these people actually were and what their work was like. ‘As a sociologist, I felt it was a big gap,’ she says. ‘There are few who are putting a face to those people: who are they and how do they do their jobs, what do their work practices involve? And what are the labour conditions that they are subject to?’

Miceli was right – it was hard to find a company that would allow me access to its data labourers with minimal interference. Secrecy is often written into their contracts in the form of non-disclosure agreements that forbid direct contact with clients and public disclosure of clients’ names. This is usually imposed by clients rather than the outsourcing companies. For instance, Facebook-owner Meta, who is a client of Sama, asks workers to sign a non-disclosure agreement. Often, workers may not even know who their client is, what type of algorithmic system they are working on, or what their counterparts in other parts of the world are paid for the same job.

The arrangements of a company like Sama – low wages, secrecy, extraction of labour from vulnerable communities – is veered towards inequality. After all, this is ultimately affordable labour. Providing employment to minorities and slum youth may be empowering and uplifting to a point, but these workers are also comparatively inexpensive, with almost no relative bargaining power, leverage or resources to rebel.

Even the objective of data-labelling work felt extractive: it trains AI systems, which will eventually replace the very humans doing the training. But of the dozens of workers I spoke to over the course of two years, not one was aware of the implications of training their replacements, that they were being paid to hasten their own obsolescence.

— Madhumita Murgia, Code Dependent: Living in the Shadow of AI

[ellynneversweet]

So one of the things I have been thinking about is how charter magic in the old kingdom is a form of literacy. A very complicated form of literacy, full of synonyms and obscure symbols, the ability for the signifier to literally call the signified into existence, and, theoretically, a unique signifier for every conceivable thing. It works, arguably in at least two ways — some very powerful things might have a single signifier but could also be called forth using a long compounded string of signifiers that amount to the same signified item, depending on the skill, power, and knowledge of the charter mage doing the thing (think, say, Chinese written language vs German compound words vs a long and rambly post in English.)

This has some interesting implications. First, language in the OK is probably fairly consistent over time, because the meaning of charter marks do not change, and, while there is mundane written and spoken language, this would make consistency in spelling, meaning, and pronunciation important. You want to describe a subtly different concept? You need a new word.

Second, because widespread literacy has a complicated symbiotic relationship with complex and consistent culture (the existence of schools and the ability to attend them, educated teachers, complete-ish written references that have not been destroyed) periods where charter magic is on the wane should coincide with and maybe accelerate more general loss of civilisational knowledge, literacy generally and peacetime habits. There’s a nod to this in the gestured-at extensive guild and apprenticeship systems we see throughout the books. And, of course, the frequent, loving references to librarians.

Third, it requires active maintenance. It’s very, very difficult to revive a language you don’t know, especially if you have no or little concept of literacy generally. Archeologists with PhDs will spend whole careers attempting it. The state of the kingdom in Sabriel isn’t just the result of the broken charter — it’s the result of the loss of institutional knowledge. Characters might be baptised into the charter, but unless they’re unusually instinctively talented (Elinor arguably is like this, like someone who has a natural ear for languages) they can only do as much as they can find someone to teach them how to do, or how much they can guesstimate themselves (with the risk of burning off their tongues or fingers if they get their estimations wrong).

Just, y’know. Culture is an ecosystem and everyone’s responsible for maintaining it. (This may be a bit of a rant about attitudes towards AI. I am not a complete Luddite, AI is interesting and sometimes useful, but the amount of people who are outsourcing all their thinking to it and thinking they will never have to learn again, because their AI girlfriend will use an AI voice to read them an ELI5 on how to build a bridge built to AI schematics is…concerning.)

[mariacallous]

AI’s energy use already represents as much as 20 percent of global data-center power demand, research published Thursday in the journal Joule shows. That demand from AI, the research states, could double by the end of this year, comprising nearly half of all total data-center electricity consumption worldwide, excluding the electricity used for bitcoin mining.

The new research is published in a commentary by Alex de Vries-Gao, the founder of Digiconomist, a research company that evaluates the environmental impact of technology. De Vries-Gao started Digiconomist in the late 2010s to explore the impact of bitcoin mining, another extremely energy-intensive activity, would have on the environment. Looking at AI, he says, has grown more urgent over the past few years because of the widespread adoption of ChatGPT and other large language models that use massive amounts of energy. According to his research, worldwide AI energy demand is now set to surpass demand from bitcoin mining by the end of this year.

“The money that bitcoin miners had to get to where they are today is peanuts compared to the money that Google and Microsoft and all these big tech companies are pouring in [to AI],” he says. “This is just escalating a lot faster, and it’s a much bigger threat.”

The development of AI is already having an impact on Big Tech’s climate goals. Tech giants have acknowledged in recent sustainability reports that AI is largely responsible for driving up their energy use. Google’s greenhouse gas emissions, for instance, have increased 48 percent since 2019, complicating the company’s goals of reaching net zero by 2030.

“As we further integrate AI into our products, reducing emissions may be challenging due to increasing energy demands from the greater intensity of AI compute,” Google’s 2024 sustainability report reads.

Last month, the International Energy Agency released a report finding that data centers made up 1.5 percent of global energy use in 2024—around 415 terrawatt-hours, a little less than the yearly energy demand of Saudi Arabia. This number is only set to get bigger: Data centers’ electricity consumption has grown four times faster than overall consumption in recent years, while the amount of investment in data centers has nearly doubled since 2022, driven largely by massive expansions to account for new AI capacity. Overall, the IEA predicted that data center electricity consumption will grow to more than 900 TWh by the end of the decade.

But there’s still a lot of unknowns about the share that AI, specifically, takes up in that current configuration of electricity use by data centers. Data centers power a variety of services—like hosting cloud services and providing online infrastructure—that aren’t necessarily linked to the energy-intensive activities of AI. Tech companies, meanwhile, largely keep the energy expenditure of their software and hardware private.

Some attempts to quantify AI’s energy consumption have started from the user side: calculating the amount of electricity that goes into a single ChatGPT search, for instance. De Vries-Gao decided to look, instead, at the supply chain, starting from the production side to get a more global picture.

The high computing demands of AI, De Vries-Gao says, creates a natural “bottleneck” in the current global supply chain around AI hardware, particularly around the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), the undisputed leader in producing key hardware that can handle these needs. Companies like Nvidia outsource the production of their chips to TSMC, which also produces chips for other companies like Google and AMD. (Both TSMC and Nvidia declined to comment for this article.)

De Vries-Gao used analyst estimates, earnings call transcripts, and device details to put together an approximate estimate of TSMC’s production capacity. He then looked at publicly available electricity consumption profiles of AI hardware and estimates on utilization rates of that hardware—which can vary based on what it’s being used for—to arrive at a rough figure of just how much of global data-center demand is taken up by AI. De Vries-Gao calculates that without increased production, AI will consume up to 82 terrawatt-hours of electricity this year—roughly around the same as the annual electricity consumption of a country like Switzerland. If production capacity for AI hardware doubles this year, as analysts have projected it will, demand could increase at a similar rate, representing almost half of all data center demand by the end of the year.

Despite the amount of publicly available information used in the paper, a lot of what De Vries-Gao is doing is peering into a black box: We simply don’t know certain factors that affect AI’s energy consumption, like the utilization rates of every piece of AI hardware in the world or what machine learning activities they’re being used for, let alone how the industry might develop in the future.

Sasha Luccioni, an AI and energy researcher and the climate lead at open-source machine-learning platform Hugging Face, cautioned about leaning too hard on some of the conclusions of the new paper, given the amount of unknowns at play. Luccioni, who was not involved in this research, says that when it comes to truly calculating AI’s energy use, disclosure from tech giants is crucial.

“It’s because we don’t have the information that [researchers] have to do this,” she says. “That’s why the error bar is so huge.”

And tech companies do keep this information. In 2022, Google published a paper on machine learning and electricity use, noting that machine learning was “10%–15% of Google’s total energy use” from 2019 to 2021, and predicted that with best practices, “by 2030 total carbon emissions from training will reduce.” However, since that paper—which was released before Google Gemini’s debut in 2023—Google has not provided any more detailed information about how much electricity ML uses. (Google declined to comment for this story.)

“You really have to deep-dive into the semiconductor supply chain to be able to make any sensible statement about the energy demand of AI,” De Vries-Gao says. “If these big tech companies were just publishing the same information that Google was publishing three years ago, we would have a pretty good indicator” of AI’s energy use.

[imsobadatnicknames2]

When it comes to benefits from economic imperialism, is puerto rico also included among those who receive these economic benefits? Genuinely curious, I don't know much about the economic situation in Puerto Rico compared to the rest of América Latina

Have in mind that not being from there and I'm not like EXTENSIVELY well-read about US-Puerto Rico relations, but from what I've read the short answer is no.

I do think Puerto Ricans have a small privilege over other Latin Americans by virtue of being granted US citizenship (considering that just being a US citizen confers a non-trivial amount of passport privilege); but in the economic sense Puerto Rico is subject to the same kind of exploitative economic relationship that other Latin American countries have with the US, where the conditions enable American businesses to extract a staggering amount of wealth from the territory by operating there (either through labor outsourcing or exploitation of natural resources) in a way that benefits American investors and not the local economy, except this relationship is exacerbated by Puerto Rico's all but explicitly colonial status as an unincorporated US territory which allows American interests to create and maintain these conditions, and the fact that Puerto Rico is subject to the decisions of the US federal government while being denied any say in US politics.

I think a very straightforward example is the issue of how laws such as the Jones Act benefit certain sections of the US working class while having extremely negative consequences for Puerto Rican people. Puerto Rico, being a small island nation, is heavily reliant on importing goods and resources that can't be produced locally. The Jones act, among other things, requires all ships transporting goods between US ports (including those in territories like Puerto Rico) to be american-owned, operated, and built. Due to protecting the US maritime transport industry from foreign competition (and also due to codifying seamen's rights to compensation in the case of injury working on a US-flagged ship) it enjoys the support of US maritime worker unions, but it also increases the cost of imported goods in Puerto Rico by an estimate of 30%, which massively increases the cost of living for Puerto Ricans. (Which you know. I support labor unions, and the law does benefit maritime workers in the US, but it's an example of the way the influence that the American government wields over Puerto Rico is used to create conditions that benefit certain sectors of the US economy at the cost of the quality of life of people in Puerto Rico)

Another example is how Puerto Rico has become a tax haven for American companies and wealthy individuals under the guise of attracting investment. On top of already low property taxes, currently under Act 60 certain export industries are allowed to operate in Puerto Rico at a 4% corporate tax rate, and entitled to a 75% exemption from property taxes, 100% from passive income taxes, and 50% from municipal taxes, while US citizens who become new Puerto Rico residents as "individual investors" can apply for a 100% exemption from most income taxes.

Also there is the whole deal of disaster capitalism and American companies benefitting from natural disasters in Puerto Rico, such as firms like Whitefish Energy securing extremely profitable contracts to rebuild Puerto Rico's electrical grid after Hurricane María, or private equity firms like Blackstone swooping in to buy the affected hostels, homes, and farmland at extremely cheap prices.

Ultimately, I think the simple fact that US economic projects have turned Puerto Rico into what is considered a "high-income economy" while the poverty rate in the territory is currently 43% (more than double the poverty rate of the poorest US state) should be a pretty good indicator that Puerto Rico, despite nominally being part of the US, is on the receiving end of US economic imperialism and wealth extraction.

[dovesndecay]

The union, which bargains on behalf of more than 5,000 animation workers, has already disclosed that regulating generative AI is one of its top priorities for its 2024 negotiations. Also on the docket are addressing major layoffs that have swept the industry in the last few years (the union estimates that about one-third of its working members have been laid off in the last year alone) and outsourcing of work to foreign countries. During the rally, union business representative Steve Kaplan stated that improvements to wages and benefits will also be on the table. Talks are set to begin at the Sherman Oaks offices of the AMPTP on Monday and last through Friday, which is the final day of the union’s current contract extension.

[wheelsgoroundincircles]

Bugatti Aerolithe

Bugatti was one of the most important sports and racing car brands in the 1930s. It was a position Bugatti deserved due to numerous victories and extremely advanced road cars. However, since Bugatti was a small company that relied on outsourcing bodies for their cars, they are hard to keep track of today. Most car histories are missing the documentation of their history. It’s estimated that Bugatti built and sold around 10,000 cars until 1947, and many of them were restored and preserved by drivers. However, there is one Bugatti that is possibly the most extreme classic car missing for 80 years. Unfrotunately, there isn’t any trace of its fate or whereabouts. This car is the legendary Bugatti Aerolithe.

Bugatti introduced it in 1935, building the Aerolithe on a T37 chassis with a design like the gorgeous Bugatti Atlantic. However, it came with a body they made from an extremely advanced aluminum-magnesium alloy called Electron. Since it wasn’t possible to weld Electron, the panels were riveted, which became a trademark detail. The car proved popular in car shows around Europe. It was also featured in magazine reviews, but then it vanished. Nobody knows where the car is and the people who made or sold it are long gone. Some people believe that it disappeared during the Second World War, but no one knows for sure. If the Aerolithe ever resurfaces, it could possibly be the most expensive car in the world.

[smalllady]

Places in Mass Effect 2 - Purgatory Owned by the notorious Blue Suns mercenary company, the Purgatory was once an "ark ship" used to hold agricultural animals. Now it is used to hold prisoners, whether taken in battle or sold by unscrupulous politicians under the name of subcontracting and outsourcing. Rumors abound that the Blue Suns turn skilled or fit prisoners over to batarian slavers, but few have ever seen the transaction and lived to tell about it. Its population is listed at 4,350, but independent journalists estimate it is nearly three times that in periods of overcrowding.

[docnomore]

Pretty sure it’s COVID. So let’s talk science, history, statistics, politics and facts. It’s got me a little rattled. I’ve had COVID at least once before. I slept 48 hours, dealt with flavorless food for a week and it was gone. The incubation period was a little over a week. This time, I presumably got it from Mrs. Doc who came down with it first. Within 12 hours both I and our youngest got it. We may all have been exposed at the same time, given her weakened immune state. Hard to say. But 12 hours is lightning fast. I then gave it to an employee. I try to never breathe on people, as I have a thing about being breathed upon. Still, standing shoulder to shoulder with him, within 48 hours he got it.

Viral infections have no cure. No vaccine. A vaccine is made up of dead, crushed cell parts of the bacterium, injected into the host (you and me), it allows the bodies soldiers a snapshot of what to look for so when it sees it or any mart of it, it can isolate and destroy it. mRNA doesn’t do that at all. It modifies YOUR genetic markers, changing you, hopefully to be resistant to the virus. That in my not so expert opinion is a wildly dangerous theory that should NEVER have been tested on the population.

So, 12-48 hours incubation. Where else have we seen this? 1918 with the Spanish Flu. That too was a Corona/SARS virus. It was a naturally occurring hybrid of swine and avian flu. The incubation period was an estimated 12 hours. Diagnosed, the patient was dead within 12 hours. It attacked the young, vibrant and healthy. Starting with cold like symptoms, observers witnessed a plaque build up of White Blood Cells presenting as mucous on the back of the throat that quickly spread to the bronchioles rendering them worthless. The patients would turn a deep purple to black color and then, just prior to death, all of that mucous/WBC plaque would simply vanish. They literally suffocated. In 1918, the average daily death toll in Philadelphia was 426. That’s per day. Let that sink in.

From 1918-1926 the newly established Department of Public Health, along with the US Army and the insurance company Mutual of New York conducted a study. What they found was the wearing of (cloth) surgical masks did nothing to slow or abate the spread. Also, the imposition of quarantine was a death sentence for those not infected, living in the same residence.

The US government has had in its labs since 1967, COVID-19. It was by direction of Dr. Fauci, approved by President Obama that the bio weapons lab at Ft. Detrick be shut down and those agents/experiments be outsourced to among other places, Wuhan, China. That is China, a communist country/enemy of the US.

Dr. Fauci and Dr. Collins funded the Gain of Function research of COVID-19. There are two very similar definitions for the term Gain of Function. The civilian definition is that it is the ability to understand what makes a given virus/bacterium tick so that we can then either kill it or render it ineffective. Sounds good. The military definition is the same but the goal is to enhance its virulence all the while we can control/target it to a given enemy. Think mustard gas and gas masks in WW I.

Now, think back to 2020 when this thing sprang out of nowhere. No one stopped to ask how Dr. Fauci knew immediately what it was. Nor did anyone bother to question his constant reversals on whether or not wearing a mask was necessary. He just knew because he is smarter than the rest of us. At least, that is what we were told.

Immediately, the US Army deployed a Surgical Field Hospital to NYC. Dozens of refrigerator semi trailers were brought in as holding containers or the onslaught of dead that they were sure were coming. A month went by and due to great expense, having seen only 100 patients, none of who had COVID-19, the Army packed it in and went home. The CDC brought in Dr. Birx who changed the way we count Cause of Death. People who objected quit and were immediately silenced. No longer interested exclusively in COVID-19 as the Primary COD, we now actually paid hospital groups to test the dead for COVID-19. Literally, you could die in a horrific car crash, and post mortem be tested for, pop positive and then have that secondary, tertiary or ancillary finding become the Primary COD. Philadelphia 1918, 426 per day. Philadelphia 2020, you weed through and filter out the extraneous bull shit diagnoses and what you end up with is a probable 23 per month. A monumental intentional inflation of numbers. Now pay attention because here where federal law and policy matter.

In 2012 President Obama signed into law the new Smith-Mundt Modernization Act. That allows the government to pay “news” sources - like ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, MSNBC, etc., to report propaganda pieces that can be patent lies. Now think fear mongering, suspension of inalienable rights, and the liberty to exercise those rights.

Federal law requires that there be no other known cure available, in a time of “national emergency” to suspend and waive requisite testing of new drugs or vaccines. There were again doctors: immunologists, who spoke out against mRNA and pointed to other drugs that could prove effective. Just like those at the CDC who opposed Dr. Birx, these experts were shut down, silenced and in several cases imprisoned.

Sound like “conspiracy theory”? Think twice. Look up nuclear testing on US military from 1946-1962. Having signed a record of non disclosure many went to their graves carrying that secret. That non disclosure was finally lifted in 1996. MK Ultra, The Tuskegee Experiments, etc.. Would the Democrats diabolically unleash this upon the world to rid themselves of Trump? Both Charles Schwab and Bill Gates insist this is exactly what happened - and they are both in favor of it. I’m not saying the Democrats did this, I’m only looking at history, their party history. Figure the odds. And so many want to turn healthcare over to these monsters?