Please get out of my Van Halen T-Shirt before you jinx the band and they break up.

You, Phil, and Alex are prime examples of people that are busting ass trying to get a job and having no luck. Hey, if people are going to call you a lazy fuck, you might as well play more Playstation!

I was just about to boot it up actually, dont have an interview until 4pm

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"She's like plan C after an 18 pack"

Squanto 7/27/2010

Hey Daz, I just applied to work 10 hours at the laundromat next door cuz no one else is hiring me and I don't want to be lazy. Dost thou holiness approve of mine efforts?

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mechaphil

I think this is the first 'wedding singer' reference i've ever heard made. not too shabby.

I was serious about people being cry babies, and the more I read, the more I believe they really are. Squanto, I never said, "everyone on unemployment is a deadbeat bum that isn't trying to find work. That's the message daz is portraying, and which is bullshit.". I fucking said 6 months is enough time to find SOME KIND OF EMPLOYMENT, AND IF NOT, PEOPLE SHOULD HAVE BEEN RESPONSIBLE TO SAVE UP A NEST EGG FOR JUST SUCH AN OCCASION. As x-check said, maybe people need to scale back on expenses or whatever, but fuck this notion the govt should bail anyone's ass out for 99 weeks while they still live the same life. Driving a 10k car? Sell it, and get a 3k one. Got a home? do the same. Borrow some money from friends or family. Whatever. Just don't expect joe taxpayer to flip the bill for 2 years while I GODDAMN WELL KNOW FOR CERTAIN anyone can find a service job within 6 months(or close to it). Unemployment is only $400 anyways at max. A dishwasher can clear $300/week, and if you tell me I'm wrong, then I'LL GIVE YOU THE PROOF TO SUPPORT MY THEORY(I'll apply for and get 10 jobs in that time). If anyone thinks they're too good to wash dishes, and stays home(on their lazy bum ass) collecting unemployment for 2 years, then they are just what I think they are.

I do want to applaud you Squanto for twisting my thoughts up real good. That's real cool. I have no issue with anyone collecting unemployment as long as they take the 1st thing that comes along. If you don't, THEN AND ONLY THEN are you a lazy fuck. Good going buddy.

...and phil, you shouldn't need approval to do the right thing. Of all people I EXPECT you to do the right thing, because that's your character. I never called you(or anyone else here, contrary to Squanto's belief) lazy. In fact, I offered them jobs ffs. BTW, the offer still stands. If anyone needs work, I can get them some.

http://buffalo.craigslist.org/fbh/


Your 2nd point is laughable. If I spent 12 hours a day for 6 months trying to find a job OF ANY TYPE(not just the kind you refer to as 'reasonable'), and can't get anything at all, then I'd consider myself entirely hopeless. Only a complete idiot would believe a person who told them this story. This reality, in turn, makes your 1st point laughable as well. There ya go, there's your "proof".

Before anyone thinks I'm insensitive, I'm only referring to unemployment. I realize things are tough out there. The strong will certainly survive though.

daz, I hope you lose your job. It will really fucking open your eyes.

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I'm not twisting your thoughts. You're saying it loud and clear.

If someone didn't save up a nest egg to prepare for unforeseen unemployment, they're irresponsible. Of course, you completely disegard the possibility of a single income family, husband/wife/child, living frugally, and trying to save what they can who burned through their savings after dad lost his factory job. They're clearly at fault for working at the same job for 15 years and not seeing a systemic financial collapse that froze the lending markets coming, right? People shouldn't live their lives at all, they should just work and huddle in fear at the prospect of losing their jobs, saving every penny, right? Don't try to improve your property, don't take the kids on a vacation, just work and save money just in case. Is that what this country is about? Not everyone has the means to provide basic support for their family and pack money away at the same time.

If someone doesn't take the first job that comes along, even if it's a minimum wage one, they're a deadbeat. Look at Jay's Facebook page for the last 3 months. He's applied to bars, restaurants, retail outlets. etc. He's got a BA and experience in financial management, but he's not even TRYING to get a job at what he knows. He's trying to get something entry level, barely above minimum wage. He's not a scumbag or a slouch, yet he can't get a nibble.

I have no problem with you objecting about those folks that milk unemployment and don't try to look for work. I'm right there with you. I have a SERIOUS problem with you continuing to generalize that ANYONE WHO DOESN'T TAKE A MINIMUM WAGE JOB IS A LAZY DEADBEAT.

The job market is FLOODED with people right no. FLOODED. Employers don't want to hire a 45 year old man to work at Mighty Taco. They'd rather hire that 18 year old high school kid. Employers don't have to take the first person that comes along because they need a warm body to do menial work. They're being selective. My HR department is getting resumes from former high level IT managers and CIOs for CALL CENTER jobs. They won't call them back because they are overqualified. Are they deadbeats because they can't get a $9 an hour job?

I'm not preaching age discrimination or anything, it's just common hiring practices at lower end jobs. Overqualified people are harder to employ at low end minimum wage jobs because employers don't want to deal with it. An 18 year old kid will come in and wash dishes no questions asked. A 45 year old with a masters degree is going to be more problematic.

My friend with a Stanford Law degree? She's finally getting waitressing interviews now. She had to stop putting Stanford on applications, and doesn't mention her legal profession work at all. She's still applying for jobs in her field, but just trying to get anything in the meantime. Didn't even get a NIBBLE until she took Stanford off the radar.

I'd never wish for anyone to lose their jobs, but I have a feeling you have no idea what it's like to be searching for months trying to get gainful employment in your field of expertise, only to get nowhere and settle for washing dishes or folding laundry.

NYI, I did lose my job, and had to go through a tough time. I finally am able to pay off some of the credit card I had to max out. You know, the one that says it was gonna take me 73 years to pay off at min payment. My eyes are VERY open, and maybe that's why I realize that I wasted a good amount of money that I probably should have saved for that "rainy day".

As for the "deadbeat" thing Squanto. Maybe because I'm older, and know(knew) a lot of depression era people, I believe that ANY job holds less shame than a handout. The people I said are(were) "irresponsible" were the ones wasting money thinking it was lasting forever. As for Jay and some of your friends, I'm sure that elusive $9/hour job is right around the corner. I'm sorry, but it is my true belief that almost all people could find some form of employment in roughly 6 months. Maybe one that hurts their pride a little, but is far less shameful than a handout. You said people will take an 18 year old over a 45 year old? Not so sure about that. My experience seems to tell me you take the person who appears to need the job the most, because you know they won't(can't) quit on you, because they RELY on the income.

Just one more thing that you seem quite incensed about. "I have a SERIOUS problem with you continuing to generalize that ANYONE WHO DOESN'T TAKE A MINIMUM WAGE JOB IS A LAZY DEADBEAT. " What's wrong with a minimum wage job?? For some it's the only job they can get, so for others to turn their noses up at it is wrong, imho.

I'm not turning up my nose at a minimum wage job. Minimum wage ISN'T ENOUGH TO LIVE ON.

Lets say I lose my job. I immediately take the FIRST minimum wage job I can find at $7.25 an hour. That's $290 a week. Unemployment brings me up to $400, so $20,800 for the year. Take away 15% for taxes, and I'm left with $17,600.

Time to pay my mortgage!! That's about $9400 for the year, so now I'm down to $8280. I don't have a car payment since it's paid off, but let's hope that it doesn't break.

Let's pay some utilities. I'd drop my cell phone, which would cost me around $200 to get out of my contract, but save me from a $100 a month payment. I'd get a home phone though so I can be reached for job searches, but I'd get the cheap plan at $15 a month. I'd also cancel my satellite TV. I normally would keep internet, but let's cancel it and use the public library instead. Electric bill should go down pretty good with no TV or computer time, so that's about $50 a month or so right there. (The neighbors are going to complain a bit that my pool is getting smelly because the pump isn't running, but that's ok.) The city still wants that water and sewer bill paid. There's $120 a quarter. Gas bill has to get paid too. Hope we don't have a cold winter, but I'm glad I have a new furnace. There's about $80 a month averaged out.

All that? $2420. So we're down to $5860 for the year.

Need to keep that car insured though. I can drop the extra coverage since it's paid off. There's about $600 for the year. Student loans still come due. There's another $1680.

I'll use my savings to pay minimum payments on my two credit cards so my credit doesn't take a crap. As well all know, people with bad credit are bad employees nowadays!!
Wouldn't want to lose a job because of it.

I'll have to forgo my COBRA coverage though. $400 a month is a LOT to spend on my budget. I hope I don't get sick!!

$3580 left for the year. $298.33 per month. $68.84 per week.

Gas, food, prescriptions (when I can afford them without medical coverage), pet care (I'm giving up a lot, but I'm not giving up my pets.), all of that on under $300 a month. It's pretty tough, but I can probably do it. I just hope nothing breaks on my car, or I don't get sick.

But wait... my unemployment benefits just ran out!! I just lost $5720!! Not only do I have no money for food or gas, I have no money to pay some of my bills!! I'm going to have to take a second job just to make ends meet!!

I'm lucky. Could you imagine what would happen if I had a wife and child to support?

Good thing I live in America, the Land of Opportunity.

Your $290 doesn't take into account taxes either.
Or the fact that you're eliminating time to schedule interviews/call employers/mail resumes, etc.

Plus losing the internet is a big hit for job searching.


The one interview I got, I was able to get because I had the time to work around the one day said employer was in my area.

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Proud LGBTQQ Individual

Tell me; WHEN did you lose your job?


6 months is not a long time to be unemployed. I was unemployed for almost 10 months before getting hired, and I had to MOVE 400 fucking miles, away from my ex wife and two children. THAT is a sacrifice.


What exactly IS your hiring experience? Your managerial experience? Because you're living in a fairy tale.

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I did take taxes into account. I took 15% off based on the tax bracket I would be in, just as a roundabout way to estimate it.

I know that dropping the internet would make job searching harder, but like I said, I have a public library with free internets available a 10 minute walk away, so I could just use that.

I wanted to make the point that even while dropping anything that COULD be considered a luxury, and only paying for absolute necessities, minimum wage was still not enough.

I think NYI picks up on a good point here too.



When I was the assistant manager of a convenience store many years ago, I hired the person who I felt could do the job we had best. If everything else is equal, then MAYBE you consider who NEEDS the job more, but I cannot fathom hiring solely on the basis of need.

Even someone who NEEDS a job may quit or be fired if they aren't any good at it.

Ok, I was wrong. Unchecked, unlimited unemployment for all. If 6 months isn't that long, then maybe 99 weeks isn't long enough either. I say we up it to 5 years.

I still believe I'd be pretty pathetic if I went 10 months w/o being able to find ANY sort of work. Oh well, I know I didn't have to completely rely on handouts. I put myself into debt, and now I'm repaying it.

Minimum wage not being enough to live on is certainly a fact. I would have conceded that fact w/o any description, but any income helps. It's only semi-relevant here, because unemployment will subsidize up to your max. I do believe it IS possible for 2 people to work minimum wage jobs, and survive. They will probably have to work 2 jobs and have very little, but I imagine it is possible. These people can also receive OTHER forms of assistance, though(as can anyone, including people who's unemployment ran out).



The rationale here is that an 18 year old may likely no show to go partying with his buddies, or get some pussy. He works for spare cash. The guy who is using his paycheck to heat the house may think twice about what his wife may say if he decides to blow it off. Sounds rationale enough to me.(I'm not discussing this issue with NYI, because he's being doushy)

I'm just thankful that my wife is military and we have a pay check twice a month. As a guy who has been a stay at home dad for the last 6 years I wouldn't be able to get a job to save my life until my degree is finished...and that's mostly my hopes talking, not the likelihood of me actually landing a job. If we had to go down to a minimum wage job you could kiss my future goodbye because fuck school bills right? All these classes my wife is taking to prepare for the medical school entry exams would be gone (at 2000.00 bucks a pop...psshh...fuck that) so there's that future down the drain. Basically everything I hope for would be forfeit because I would have to bust my ass everyday to scrape by. Damn the American dream tastes a bit shittier than I thought it would.

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You're up on a pedestal man, and there's no need for it. In my eyes, you're an asshole, looking down on anyone who's out of a job in this economy.

There are plenty of honest hard-working people who there just AREN'T jobs for.

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My debate has only been about whether unemployment should be 6 months, or extended to 99 weeks. That is all. If you didn't follow the thread close enough to know this, then that's not my fault. In no way do I look down on anyone who's out of work. I may, however, be looking down on anyone who could be working, yet sits home collecting benefits. Saying you hope I lose my job(which already happened), asking for my 'credentials', etc. was uncalled for, and calling me an asshole is over the top. If you can show me where I belittled any honest, working(or even trying to work) person, then fine. I expected a logical discussion here about why/why not you believe benefits should be/ should not be extended, and all I got was a bunch of shit from people who seemed to have an axe to grind. Funny thing is, I was offering employment to anyone who was suffering hardship. Even funnier was the guy who used to get 40-50 hrs/week just got another job, and there's mad hours(maybe even OT) available. If anyone seriously needs a job, then PM me, for everyone else...



Whatever.

Problem is that there never really was disagreement or discussion about the 99 weeks thing. I think that's a pretty long time too, but there didn't seem to be many opinions either way.

I'd also say that to a man, we'd all agree that if you aren't trying to find a job, or COULD be working, and you're just sitting at home on your ass collecting a check, you're a waste and abusing the system. I don't think anyone supports that either.

What people objected to is your position that 'anyone can find a job in 6 months'.

(Oh, and BTW, your 'unemployment for 5 years' line? Bullshit. Show me once where I'm advocating for 99 weeks, let alone more than that.)