My computer at home has been down for a while. The hard drive has given up the ghost. A good excuse to upgrade. Hopefully, I'll have the new computer I ordered up & running by the end of the week. In the meantime I'm using the computer at work. Thankfully, my "work" is just around the corner, about a block from my apartment. Speaking of work, my son lost his job yesterday. He's had the same job for 4 1/2 years right after he got out of high school. He went in for his annual promotion & got laid off instead. They are hiring someone to take his place at the beginning pay rate. He's devastated. It's a small family owned company & he feels totally betrayed by his bosses. It really broke my heart because it's his first rejection. People that talk like salvation is just around the corner either have a job NOT affected by the economy or their heads are up their asses.
posted by Rita @ 5:56 PM
18 Comments
18 Comments:
People that talk like salvation is just around the corner either have a job NOT affected by the economy or their heads are up their asses.
This is confusing two separate issues: (1) the fact that there is a recession and (2) how long it will last. The people who are in the best position to understand the economy expect that the recession will be over before the end of this year. That isn't disputing the fact that there is, right now, a recession or that people are suffering from it.
Analogous situation: Patient with bad flu goes to doctor. Doctor says: "This flu will be gone in less than a week." You say, "Anyone who listens to this doctor has his head up his ass -- look how bad this flu is!" But the doctor wasn't saying the guy didn't have the flu; he was saying it would be gone sooner than expected.
I disagree, there won't be a recovery from the recession. As a result, Rita's statement holds true.
infidel That was a little harsh & off the beam, I admit.
Those people you speak of, I am done listening to them. I don't have much faith in political economists. As far as the recession being over by the end of the year. Take the housing market...The housing market claims it's up because for one thing homes are being bought at fire sale prices because they are in foreclosure or nearly in foreclosure. A Real Estate friend said wait to buy until the end of Summer. That is when they will be really cheap because the people trying to sell will be even more desperate then they are now. Wait & see. This surge in the housing market is what the "Economists" will parade before us as a sign of things looking up.
Another analogy: A sick patient goes to the doctor to be diagnosed. Doctor misdiagnoses the patients symptoms as the flu. The patient actually has cancer.
The patients friends tell him, "The Doctor has his head up his ass."
The patient says, "But he's in the best position to know, because he's a Doctor."
Non the less, I sincerely hope you are right.
phil I've become cynical. Maybe it's because I've been hanging around a lot of politicians, lately. Whether or not the recession ends, many people will not recover. I was talking to our local State Rep. Republican, Wayne Krieger, Monday morning at a press conference where he was speaking to the local high school kids about the economy. He sited major budget challenges at the state level. He said we are looking at either massive cuts or massive increases in taxes. In my notes, I have him quoted as saying, "The situation is dire."
Straight from the politicians mouth. But who knows, Predicting doom & gloom might be to his advantage at the moment. One thing I know it's up to ordinary citizens to band together & volunteer time, resources, & our own ability to exercise common sense to help ourselves out of the situation.
bummer
Greeting's Ms.Rita!
I know it may be a lil tougher in a smaller city such as your's. Your son will gain knowledge as well from this...and look at the reality and see the true face behind the mask. What does he have going for him? The fact that he actually stood in these times with a company for 4.5 year's....this tell's you(employers) that he must have been doing something right.He is also young...that count's. A neighbor of mine just went through someting similar...he was in a meeting as well for review...asked if he could get some of the overtime just to be fair...that lower paid newer employee's was getting. A week later he was called into the office and got the boot. My youngest daughter who lives with me...after 7 month's just lost her job with a thousand other's at a Global Marketing Firm cut/eliminated where she was the Int'l.Marketing Coordinator. She just bought a brand new car a couple month's ago...financing it...which run's well over $600 a month in payment's she didnt mind since she had a $50+K a tear gig, but when she bought it...I tried to talk to her...into buying maybe a car right now that was a little more modest...and maybe at least a year old...the "choice" was her's. Well fortunately...she just landed a job this week...that is comparable paywise...but how long will that last? And the only reason she was able to hustle that one mostly was because of her resume and background/references...and because this is Dallas and is fairly strong in some area's, in many US cities...she wouldnt have a snowball's chance in hell of getting what she did. Your son must stay persistent is all...and get supportive insight as much as possible from folk's like you. But, as I said before...none of us should look for a rainbow even by 2010 for that matter. We can dream whatever we want...which is fine, but mathematically looking at thing's you see the reality which speak's for itself. You just cant trust or listen like you say to anything that these economist's and their clan's tell us...the bottom line is...this is so deep...all we are getting is BS, and will continue to.One must learn their game and how to use it, instead of it using you.
Thank You Ms.Rita
Thank you ranch chimp! To nite I'm too messed up to reply...hopefull tomorrow I'll have a better answer. ;)
I don't know who is more delusional, religious fanatics or the investment/economist types. Several years ago, some of them declared that Keynesian economics was dead. If you check out the link, I draw your attention to the Public Sector economic levers and to the part where they talk about saving versus investment and negative interest rates.
Sorry to hear about your son. I too worked for a family business more than once, and realized I had the wrong last name.
The important thing is not to give in to the paralysis of despair. Pessimism and doom-and-gloom tend to be self-fulfilling prophecies.
I know how tough losing a job can be -- it's happened to me. But there are other jobs out there to be found. I know people who are finding jobs, even now. It takes even more effort than usual but it can be done.
Unfortunately experts with access to a wide range of information are the best sources we have. A doctor may sometimes be wrong, but he's still more likely to be right in any given case than some random person with no special knowledge. In the same way, the CBO is more likely to be right about the economy than this or that blogger or syndicated columnist is.
The collapse of the house-price bubble is actually a positive for the economy since it brings houses within the reach of people who could not previously afford them, and creates a powerful anti-inflationary force -- very important at a time when the government is pumping money into the economy to try to stimulate it. That kind of stimulus is classic Keynesian economics, by the way, which shows that the delusional element is no longer in charge.
On a perhaps-not-very-related note, maybe your town should try something like this.
ranch chimp My son is a pretty resourceful guy, but he's young. I'm afraid he'll get bored & well...I think you've followed my other blog & know the history of the cops around here.
infidel"Struggling US towns print their own currency" I am really excited about that concept! I'm going to present it to the city council. As if i need another project, (I've taken on the duty of designing & printing out the program for the theatre's production, this year)but the idea is so intriguing. I bet I could sell it. Of course I'd pool you for advice since it was your idea. :)
Well...Ms.Rita...being a "resourceful" fella...is a "positive"..you ceratinly dont want him to be non-resouceful, I wouldnt think.But that also tell's you he's a "thinker" and a "survivor" as well.Having you as a mom...and you pointing out thing's like maybe local cop's and having seen the situation/condition being around it,he shouldnt have any problem putting 2 and 2 together and figuring out what's in his best interest. I realize that you may say that I dont really know either one of you...which I really dont. I am just like any other person that simply look's to get the job done, and am resouceful myself. Maybe like your son in some way's...I can only assume. For instance...at 13 year's old, I was frankly bored with school, authority, the routine you can say...you know..going home after school,rules,forcefed education,etc.And I loved my parent's dearly, I wasnt out to break their heart's at all,BUT... I had to get out on my own I felt, and...I done a few dumb thing's along the way, took a few knock's, you get the idea.I had a few run in's with the cop's as a young man...and even worked with them year's later...but I never returned to live at home...even though I would alway's drop in on mom or dad..who alway's had a message for me that cop's were looking for me for one reason or another(Hmmm..made me feel loved and wanted, just kiddin).And I can tell you from my experience...that "mum's" are alway's the one's that worry the most...there's a strong bond with a mom and her son...after all...he came from you and is a part of you. I dont know much about your city as well....but I am guessing being a resouceful type guy, and getting bored...which is only natural...he can find something to do... and he has some family to support him, in you it sound's like, he is in territory that he know's as well as anyone else there. I was in totally different territories for instance with a lil less support as a kid...for instance...I changed my name and got phoney ID out of fear and because I looked too young...left the country and lived in Toronto, trying to cut it in a large town...where I actually knew no one except..those kid's like me in the street's. What I am saying Ms.Rita is his natural survival instinct's kick in is all...and that is a positive thing.My guess from the way you sound is that you love your son much...and you should sit down with him and tell him and talk ...is all.
I'll shut up now...and wish ya'll the best.
PS: My apologies for such long responses... to be frank...I never was a writer, nor know much about it...in other word's like folk's like yourself...who can take few word's and get your point across, nor to also be honest had much formal education at all, as far as getting educated in such thing's as writing and literature,etc. I was in school for a very short time at 13..but never returned.
I don't feel in such a position to give advice on this occupational matter. I've lost a few jobs before and have always had the priviledge (or is it a curse?) to fall back on my parents. To be honest, I've got some pretty large gaps in my own employment history and I don't really ever come off as impressive in the interview process either, I always seem to say something dumb or laugh at an innapropriate time or for whatever reason is I don't get the job. That perhaps is compounded by me getting fired from Home Depot over harassment claims which I contest never actually happened, well, unless making a joke about doggy style sex (it actually says that on my firing record or whatever that is called that employers look at when they do a background check....I don't know how any of that actually works) is the same thing as harassment.
Anyhow, I don't know how that's going to effect my attempt at working as a Water Treatment Operator, I guess theoretically if people perservere and don't give up on their personal goals then they will achieve them, but in practice it may not always go according to plan....
breakerslionsorry I meant to answer in that last comment I made.
Thanks for the link. economic theories are difficult concepts for me to grasp & budgets on the State & federal level, big banking & all that major stuff is definitely out of my league. But there is such a thing as common sense & it must apply in that area, too. Lately, we've seen where some people supposedly in the know in that area have taken us down some pretty destructive paths economy wise. ranch chimp Hi! Thanks for the pep talk. :) My son is lucky not because he's got such great parents or anything, but he does have parents that love & support him. He picked a heck of a time to lose his job, but at least he has an excellent work record & can collect unemployment until another comes up.
I see that most people here seem to hold the view that the economy is not going to recover any time soon.
qf It sounds like you aren't a very good player of office politics. It's always a big factor in any job with more then three employees, I think.
I'm just getting into the employment game again after many years. I was self employed when i was married & only played at it because my husband supported me. after I got divorced I decided I didn't want to do the work required to really be successful enough to support myself. Besides I was burned out. I wanted to work someplace where someone else had the managerial responsibility. The first job I got after my divorce at a health food store, was kinda fun until I realized my boss, the owner was a real nit picking micro-manager & constantly rode me pointing out every little mistake until I literally hated going to work. It was an extremely difficult work environment. I really enjoy my job now, it's challenging & fun. My boss is a great person. She's relaxed & competent & it rubs off on the rest of us. It's a totally different environment.
BTW
I've got my new computer up & running. I can blog from home, Yay!
I don't know what kind of labour laws you have down there, but that would fall under "unfit labour practice" here. I don't think you can fire one person and ten hire another, just because he'll work cheaper? At lest not here anyway.
I do know companies do try and succeed in doing so all the time, but if they're caught they forfeit the person's salary they would have received and any damages they may have caused... Home Depot in Canada and Walmart and other retailers have been successfully sued over these practices in the past.
The only way these companies can get away with this type of labour practice is to hire labourers as contractors. When a labourer is a contractor he goes under a different type of heading. If your son was a employee, he may have a case against his former employer?
wally
I don't know. I'll ask him about it. Seeing that the company was not Union, he won't have any advocate there.
The world of employment is fickle and one should never forget that. No employer really cares about you, over making a buck -they are in business and they are making a profit off of your labor. No job is safe, ever. Sometimes, employers can be quite ruthless. Best thing to do is never trust your employer, but ACT like you do. This has always been hard for me to do.
Ranch chimp, it's very tempting to buy those pretty things on the TV, but is manipulation. I make twice what your daughter does, yet I drive a Jeep that I bought used with 65K and have had it for 6 years. I always figured buying a used car is great because you profit off of the poor purchasing decisions of others. Unfortunately, a new car is one of the worst investments one can make. I hope she can learn from this. making sound financial decisions when you are young is critical.
mebbe he can look for something else??
he might have untapped talent in sum awesome field...
i know, sounds optimistic but it happened to me, it took too damn long so maybe Fate is beckoning early for yer handsome boy ;]
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