Holy Smokes Batman, check out this unemployment chart..

[PocketThunder]

http://cohort11.americanobserver.net/latoyaegwuekwe/multimediafinal.html

I got a call today from a headhunter asking me if i want to move to the pacific north west to do what i do.  I politely said, no thanks..  I guess i made the right choice.   

[bull]

It's been at around 11% in Oregon for quite a while. Of course that doesn't stop them from raising taxes.

[RECHRGD]

That can't be right!  We have been in a recovery mode for over a year now.  Somebody said that anyway.

[69bronzeT5]

If that thing is right......HOLY CRAP

[NHCharger]

If that thing is right......HOLY CRAP

and that's only the people the government reports. Does not include people who have given up or their benefits have run out. Rule of thumb is the real unemployment number is double the number the government reports.

[RD]

That can't be right!  We have been in a recovery mode for over a year now.  Somebody said that anyway.

recovery never happens overnight.. it takes a long time.. the economy didnt happen overnight.. it was going down hill for a long time.. its just that those who were making millions didnt care to let anyone know it was happening.. they kept milking the money and then got their bailout.  welcome to america. where the rich get richer and the poor get poorer by making the rich get richer.  its disgusting.

there is nothing out there that will make this recovery happen tomorrow.. this is so akin to the 30's, but this war we are in is not getting us out of this situation like the former did, but instead its putting us deeper into it.  not anti-war, just comparing it to WWII.

[nh_mopar_fan]

everyone is getting laid off....

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100302/ap_on_en_ot/us_spider_man_fired_4

[Brock Lee]

I know many people currently happy with unemployment wage and taking advantage of other programs that aid them and working under the table on the side. I never knew so many people doing this than I do now. One guy is on his 3rd extension.

[chargerboy69]

I know many people currently happy with unemployment wage and taking advantage of other programs that aid them and working under the table on the side. I never knew so many people doing this than I do now. One guy is on his 3rd extension.

 

I just started on my first extension myself.  My employer closed in May and I get 99 weeks of unemployment.  It pays more than flipping burgers at Wendys.  I am using this time to finish my bachelors (only a year left) then on to my masters.  I just hope something will be available when I am finished.

[ITSA426]

Maybe if we took the profit out of exporting manufacturing and tech support jobs and quit paying benefits for locating jobs off shore.  There used to be tariffs but now they just work one way (free trade).  There is a whole lot of things that need to be done but the first is probably to quit selling off our political system to the highest bidder.  We need to have elections for our representatives, not auctions.  Sorry if this is a rant.

[Charger74]

Maybe if we took the profit out of exporting manufacturing and tech support jobs and quit paying benefits for locating jobs off shore.  There used to be tariffs but now they just work one way (free trade).  There is a whole lot of things that need to be done but the first is probably to quit selling off our political system to the highest bidder.  We need to have elections for our representatives, not auctions.  Sorry if this is a rant.

Sorry ITSA26, but the only reason that happens is because the USA has the one of the highest corporate tax rates in the world.  So taxing companies for doing the smart business thing is double dipping.  If we would reduce said tax, companies would be staying here and hiring locally instead of hiring indians and mexicans to do our work.    That is all I'm going to say cause there is so much more to add to this...  But I don't want to get into a political arguement...

[chargerboy69]

Maybe if we took the profit out of exporting manufacturing and tech support jobs and quit paying benefits for locating jobs off shore.  There used to be tariffs but now they just work one way (free trade).  There is a whole lot of things that need to be done but the first is probably to quit selling off our political system to the highest bidder.  We need to have elections for our representatives, not auctions.  Sorry if this is a rant.

Sorry ITSA26, but the only reason that happens is because the USA has the one of the highest corporate tax rates in the world.  So taxing companies for doing the smart business thing is double dipping.  If we would reduce said tax, companies would be staying here and hiring locally instead of hiring indians and mexicans to do our work.    That is all I'm going to say cause there is so much more to add to this...  But I don't want to get into a political arguement...

That is it right there.  You are exactly right.

[ITSA426]

No political arguments there.

[Mike DC]

  

Enron paid zero federal income taxes for something like 5 out of the 6 years before their blowup.  It's called tax dodging. 

Our corporate tax rates are huge but that doesn't mean most large corporations actually have to pay them.  We wouldn't need a rate this high if we were actually getting most of what we should be collecting on paper.  



Many private citizens at the very top levels aren't any better.

 

[mauve66]

sooooo, lets see, whats air fare to...................

eastern Montana
western North Dakota
western South Dakota
western Kansas
all of Nebraska
north-western Oklahoma

oh thats right they probably don't even have an airport cause nobody is there, cause there's nothing to do but watch the snow drifts.................. does the snow even melt by july 4th in some of those places???

don't anyone get the p's in a wad, i'm just funnin

[ITSA426]

Jeez, Robert all those places you listed are places I enjoy; especially western South Dakota.  Most of those places are  desolate but promote their lack of taxes as a drawing feature. South Dakota advertises that all the time here.  The credit card industry is built on Sioux Falls and the loosely regulated usery laws.  I guess you get what you (or some one else) pay for.  Drive across I-90 on July 4th week and you'll be pretty sure the snow is melted.  Love that wide open space though.

[Silver R/T]

I guess it really depends where you at and what you do. I'm in Spokane, WA and our company has hired a few guys and brought back a few laid off guys...we must be doing good. Of course I haven't gotten a raise for ~2.5 years now.

[TruckDriver]

I found out that I won't be going back to driving the truck I was driving last year. Construction has been so slow over the past year or so, that they sold 3 trucks including the truck I drove, and only bought 2 new ones. I hate looking for new jobs. I just hope I can find something soon. Construction season is coming up in 2 months. I won't make it if I have another year like last year.

[derailed]

An economy based on over extended credit cards, mortgages and most importantly good paying blue collar jobs heading out the door for China or wherever for the last 10 to 15 years will probably take that time to come back. I don't see any real reason for it to turn around in just 2 or 3 years or what "they" tell us.

[Brock Lee]

I know many people currently happy with unemployment wage and taking advantage of other programs that aid them and working under the table on the side. I never knew so many people doing this than I do now. One guy is on his 3rd extension.

 

I just started on my first extension myself.  My employer closed in May and I get 99 weeks of unemployment.  It pays more than flipping burgers at Wendys.  I am using this time to finish my bachelors (only a year left) then on to my masters.  I just hope something will be available when I am finished.

You are doing the right thing IMHO. Take advantage of the opportunity to better yourself. It is the people that have the mindset of "It pays more than flipping burgers at Wendys" and just sit home getting drunk and do not care that irk me.