Economy tanked?

[dawgball]

I have heard this a lot on this board, and I just don't get it. I, personally, feel like the economy is in decent shape. I know there are areas that can be pointed to that "could" lead one to believe that there are struggles.

I think the main point that most people miss is the scenario that the economy is not tanking, but the industries that our economy relies on are simply changing. So, Ohio and Michigan are losing major amounts of jobs in manufacturing? I hate it that some of my fellow countrymen are losing their jobs. But beyond that, SO WHAT? We are not in the Industrial Age any longer. All of us need to acquire different skills to compete in the new industries that are popping up.

Here is a fact: The manufacturing and factory jobs that are leaving ARE NOT COMING BACK! It makes zero economic sense to do so. So if you are sitting at home moaning about when the economy is going to "turn around" and bring your job back; stop wasting your time and my tax dollars!

So your dad worked in the GM plant and his dad before that? So. It is time for everyone to wake up and realize running a press is not the great, secure job that it used to be. America was built on people creating and being innovative. This would be a very bad time to choose another path for our country. We can not weight down the entire progress of industry just so Bob's son can get his job at the mill when he retires.

Is there a chance that you have friends in other industries that have lost their jobs? Of course, but what time in history were there not people being laid off or fired or companies that just aren't cutting it any longer.

Sorry for the Monday morning rant. Have a great week.

 

[Penguinfan]

Let me translate into English for everyone,

My name is Dawgball and I still have my job, in fact I just found out I got a small raise so I could give a shit less about the rest of you. As long as I can still afford gas the economy is in great shape. I love George Bush and he can do no wrong. I gotta run back to the keyboard of my untitled job that I have in my dads company.

 

[ocelot]

Yeah, everything is cool until its MY job that gets down-sized. Good post PenFan.

 

[TonyTT]

Guys,

Although our "system" is FAR from perfect, I love our "system" and the opportunity it affords the average person. I believe it's the nature of our system to go through "slowdown" periods in our economic cycles. Although many won't agree, I do believe that the 90's replaced the 50's as the most prosperous decade in our American history. (Not that it was slick willy's doings or anything he just happened to be along for the ride in my opinion). I also believe that OVERALL we are now in one of those "slowdown" periods...which is absolutely necessary in my opinon for the good of our "system". Unfortunately many "suffer" during these slowdown periods, but one must also agree that for the "industrious" person opportunities are there. There is little doubt in my mind that things will "pickup" again OVERALL and more economic boom times lie ahead....again to me it's just the nature of our system.
TT

 

[dr. freeze]

lol these guys would rather give us all a bucket and have us hand pick wheat fo a living

Oh No! The combine took away our jobs! The farm has been downsized!

Its the government's fault!!

Help me government! Help me!!

:mj07: :mj07: :mj07:

 

[THE KOD]

pf

funny stuff. not sure dawg will agree though.

The economy in Georgia is booming. There are more housing starts and businesses being built than I have seen in a long time.

Alot of work here at least. Hope it keeps up..

 

[dawgball]

My name is Dawgball and I still have my job,

This part is partly true. Dawgball is a screen name.

Oh but wait a minute. I have a job because I started a company with absolutely no money. I also went without a paycheck in that job for 10 months while getting it off the ground. I waited tables for 4-5 nights a week after working during the day on my business to make that happen. We now employ 11 people. That's not huge but those jobs did not exist until our company existed.

But you guys wouldn't know anything about that, would you? You're too busy blaming your problems on other people.

And not all Republicans are huge fans of George Bush. I don't think he has done a good job in many ways. But our economy is not in bad shape. There are jobs available if people are willing to swallow some pride and perform tasks that they may not want to do.

 

[IntenseOperator]

Oh but wait a minute. I have a job because I started a company with absolutely no money. I also went without a paycheck in that job for 10 months while getting it off the ground. I waited tables for 4-5 nights a week after working during the day on my business to make that happen. We now employ 11 people. That's not huge but those jobs did not exist until our company existed.

They don't want to hear about what it takes.

Easier to hate that way.

 

[Master Capper]

Dawgball,

I agree with you that the old days of big steel in Ohio are days that are gone and will never return, but most of the jobs replacing these steel mills jobs pay about $10 to $12 an hour which hardly will feed a family. I do a ton of work in the Youngstown to Cleveland Coridors of Ohio and it's just amazing the amount of vacant factories that scatter the landscape of this area. These factories are going under and are being replaced by plastic plants and other low paying jobs. I picked up the Youngstown Paper today and just to verify that Dr. Freeze was correct that every paper in the country has nice high paying jobs, well it looks like he was in error. Scanning the paper classifieds around 90% of the jobs listed are in the service industry and the highest advertised wage that I could locate was $11 per hour. The remaining 10% were mostly in the sales industry and pretty much just said unlimited income, so I am assumming they are commission sales positions. I agree with you that the best scenerio is to start your own business, as thats what I have done for the past few years and it has worked out quite well.

 

[dr. freeze]

how about picking up a paper outside of smallville

try the Houston Chronicle, Dallas Morning News, Chicago Tribune, etc. etc.

plenty of jobs out there

 

[ocelot]

When the Medicare payments from the government stop Freeze's milk tit will have run dry.

 

[dawgball]

I am not saying that there is a job for every man and woman to allow them to retire in a mansion, but in what year was that the case in this country?

Our standard of living has sky-rocketed, and our society has become lazy and spoiled. The era of keeping up with the Jones' is over. It seems most people would rather sit around and bitch about the Jones' until the government comes by and gives them what the Jones' have.

$12 per hour works out to $24K gross with two weeks of vacation. You can not have a brand new automobile or 5 TV sets in your house, but you can get by. Add a spouse making the same amount and $48K gross per year is a nice living.

How many of the down-trodden have Direct TV and a cell phone?

 

[dawgball]

Let me add if $12 per hour is what your skill level provides then one should consider upping their skill set. This, obviously, will take extra effort with no immediate gratification. This is the part that most people will not stand for. They want the reward in hand, then they will consider putting in the effort.

I know the Chamber of Commerce in conjunction with the local electric co-op in my small hometown in KY is offering 24 months worth of courses for free to residents of three counties. These courses are very far-ranging but include clerical skills all the way up to specifics like Photoshop and Flash. These are classes that will immediately make you more hireable (?) to companies moving forward. I wonder how many people bitching about the economy will be in attendance. I am interested in finding out.

 

[AR182]

i just learned something this weekend from a friend who just got a new job as an engineer.alot of the higher paying jobs are not listed in the newspapers. don't know the reason & either does my friend.

he was laid off from a company where he worked for about 15 years...& after the initial shock he started looking for a new job.

he went to job fairs, to company sites, & sending his resume to companies in his field.

i wonder if it is similar in other cities ?

 

[dawgball]

Once he started applying the effort, how long did it take for him to find a job that fit what he was looking for?

A big reason that companies do not place higher paying jobs in the paper is to reduce the number of calls about it. I'm sure the better jobs at companies are listed on web job listing services or other venues, but I have always seen the paper (outside of major cities) as the place for unskilled to semi-skilled jobs.

Good for your friend for not allowing his situation to dictate his life. It is very tough to brush the dust off and get back in the ring.

 

[dr. freeze]

i just learned something this weekend from a friend who just got a new job as an engineer.alot of the higher paying jobs are not listed in the newspapers. don't know the reason & either does my friend.

he was laid off from a company where he worked for about 15 years...& after the initial shock he started looking for a new job.

he went to job fairs, to company sites, & sending his resume to companies in his field.

i wonder if it is similar in other cities ?

you are right...the reason is for screening i would guess

most jobs are sent through agencies which screen applicants

i was only using the newspaper analogy for simplicity

i would guess 90% of well paying jobs are obtainedthrough networking, headhunters, etc.

 

[ocelot]

Perhaps they don't want to get overwhelmed by hundreds of resumes from those un / under employed?

I really don't understand this concept that our standards of living have sky-rocketed but then I'm just a poor old Southern Boy.

 

[Penguinfan]

I really don't understand this concept that our standards of living have sky-rocketed but then I'm just a poor old Southern Boy.

Yes, and as such you should not be in a thread started by Dawg and replied to by the great Dr, dumbass. They have no concern for this country or the people in it, only thing they worry about is running to the mailbox on the 15th and 30th. They are the very typical "as long as I get mine" crowd. The same problem politicians in this country have, which is what causes most of the problem in this country to begin with.

They'll both have some bullshit reply and tell you how wrong I am, only because they will fell the need to defend themselves from the truth.

 

[dr. freeze]

you whiners can do anything you want in this country all you should ask for is the possibility to make it big

if you decide to not give it a go, dont bitch about those who do

we dont want to hear it

 

[dawgball]

penguinfan--I'm not sure where your unsubstantiated attacks come from. I, personally, have started two non-profit organizations that have raised over $100K to date for various charities. We have also started an endowment fund at the IU Cancer Research Center to continue to raise money for this particular cause.

Your attack on me is unfounded and very much taken personally.