We just hit 8.6% here in Charlotte County, Florida.  There are very few jobs to be found and those that do exist don't pay enough for rent, food and utilities for a single person, let alone a family.

Our homeless population is high and growing.......lots of children sleeping in the woods, yet when the officials are asked about our homeless population they reply "it's really almost nonexistant here in our county".  B.S.!!

I went to the grocery store a few days ago.....Sweetbay to be exact, and they were selling potatoes labeled "European potatoes"...the price was $7.99 for 10 pounds.  A small cucumber was $1.39........tomatoes from Canada are $3.99 a lb.  Beef is out of sight and even chicken wings are  close to $4.00 per lb.  Milk is $4.09 a gallon.  Bread is almost $3.00 a loaf.  What the hell's going on?

How much more are you earning today than you were 5 years, 10 years ago?

These veggies are all things that we grow here in Florida.  Why are we importing everything?  It's just killing the U.S.

Soon to be.......no middle class, no jobs, more homeless people who can't feed their children and more crimes of violance.

I'll bet that MOST of the people with homes in foreclosure didn't over-buy.  They just can't affort to live anymore. When people have to put groceries on credit cards.......shame on our government at all levels.


Added:  Our church's food kitchen is now feeding 4 times the amount of people that we did just a year ago.

I am not sure what it is in Rock County WI, but I know for sure that it is going to get much worse. General Motors is closing the Janesville Plant. They make SUV's. Not only is the area losing 2500 (+ or -) 25.00 dollar an hour jobs, but the trickle effect is also huge. Lear seating is losing around 900 jobs. They produce the seats for GM. These also were good paying jobs. The major effect of the closing has not hit yet due to benefits still being received by layed off workers and some of the work force still making cars. The housing market is already suffered. I have several friends and family members employed at GM. My brother has been there for 34 years, he is much better off than most. He will receive a full pension and medical. I also have two brother in laws and a sister in law working there. One of the biggest problems is that none of these people have been good money managers over the years and they are going to suffer because of it.
There will not be any jobs that pay this kind of money comming to the area any time soon. Most of the manufacturing jobs are in the 10-15.00 dollars a hour range. The United Way, I here, is even tightening there belts for the expected drop off in donations. I did have a chance to be employed at GM in 1996, I am really glad I stayed put making chili.


                                      Lee

Quote:

How much more are you earning today than you were 5 years ago?

18.76% more


Quote:

How much more are you earning today than you were 10 years ago?

41.04% more


Quote:

...shame on our government at all levels.

If, by "government" you mean "we, the people," then I guess we're all to blame.

I'm so sorry that you are working for less than you should be, Brew.

With inflation at 5% per year, you should be making 50% more than 10 years ago.  But, you are more fortunate than the majority and I'm happy for you.

I am disgusted with the government, which is "we the people"  The problem is that we let the average person vote and then we all have to suffer for it.

Note to Bob P........got any of those tomatoes left over?

Quote:

The problem is that we let the average person vote...

Do you have any recommendations as to who should be eliminated from the rolls?

Keeping in mind that in doing so, we would no longer have a representative form of government.

Total employment in the state has declined every month this year since January.


MICHIGAN -- Seasonally Adjusted

July 2008: 8.5%

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Macomb County, June 2008:  9.7%

Note:  Data in this release is not seasonally adjusted.  As a result, employment and unemployment trends may differ from previously released Michigan seasonally adjusted data.

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Quote:

I'm so sorry that you are working for less than you should be, Brew.

Also meant to say earlier, "Don't cry for me, Argentina."

I'm doing okay.

Quote:

Do you have any recommendations as to who should be eliminated from the rolls?

Nazi's, Republicans, and everyone that can't take a joke  ;D

wrote on Aug 19^th, 2008 at 11:09am:

Quote: Do you have any recommendations as to who should be eliminated from the rolls? Nazi's, Republicans, and everyone that can't take a joke  ;D

I'm out then.

It was fun participating in your thread.

I believe in todays world, manufacturing jobs are not something that anyone can hang their hats on. GM, Ford, Harley etc. are some examples that come to mind. The world is just to volitile. When things are good, they are good, but when things are bad, they are really bad, and a handful of oil speculators can disrupt a whole Country with the Govt. handing out excuse after bullshit excuse as to why the price of gas is so high. Winter blends, summer blends, shitty mileage ethanol being shoved down our throats, hurricanes, its raining in Texas, blah blah blah!

From my desk, I'm not seeing anything that would indicate a slow down of any kind. We actually are setting sales records (100M) but we are also in a service related industry and obviously it is different from a manufacturing type of job. I can't seem to find enought help at times and no one is sitting in the union hall looking for work.

Right now I don't know what the Unem. rate is in Milwaukee, but i would guess it to be around 5.5-5.8% which is about normal all of the time. :-/

Jimmers

wrote on Aug 19^th, 2008 at 10:46am:

Quote: The problem is that we let the average person vote... Do you have any recommendations as to who should be eliminated from the rolls? Keeping in mind that in doing so, we would no longer have a representative form of government.

You have two candidates to choose from.  Candidate A is 50 years old, clean cut, handsome & charismatic and proimises to "ystur eaol molun neych".  Candate B is 50 years old, wears clean but shabby clothes, is not a very handsome man, stumbles and stammers and promises to  "dowh rigats ht".

Which candidate would you vote for, Brew?  Bear with me..  I'm trying to make a point.

Sounds like an open ended question.

wrote on Aug 19^th, 2008 at 11:31am:

...manufacturing jobs are not something that anyone can hang their hats on.

Presently so, here.  Manufacturing is a firm leader in payroll loss, construction and transportation equipment together next.

Getting worse.

I prefere to look at it like Ron suggusted in the 80's. Am I better off 8 years ago or now. That answer would have to be 8 years ago....

For Chautauqua County, it's 4.1% in 2007. That's the newest info I have. It's unlikely to be better this year.

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We have become a consumerist society. It's easier for business to make money selling us things rather than making the stuff. With Walmart, there are no benefits to get in the way. No money? No problem, trust us to make things easy. When everything we want is made overseas and cheaper, there's no need to keep the factory buzzing so good jobs get scarce.

We used to save up for stuff or do some serious shopping before buying things for the home. Today, our media and the internet have changed all that. Now, when you get home you can still shop and are encouraged to do it about every 15 minutes on tv alone. You can't get away from it. You can max out your credit card at home today. How big is your savings account? Nationally, we are in the red.

Charlie





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Charlie......

How much do you want for your Smiley collection?  ;)  Do you take Visa?

I can't help it.  My redeeming grace is that I can laugh at myself.  It's the devil in me.

:'(

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How is it that your unemployment rate is so much lower than other counties?  Is yours an industrial area?

It would be interesting to research this.  What counties or states have the highest and lowest rates and why.

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I must be in serious trouble....

Charlie

Keep in mind that the *unemployment* rates may not reflect the true number of people who are out of work.  It does not include people who who have given up trying to find work.  It also does not include people who may have lost a job, but for whatever reason do not apply for unemployment.  

Farming season is in full swing around here, so the rate drops.  Otherwise, some of the parishes have unemployment rates well into double digits.

I hadn't thought about that fact.  Good, but disturbing, point.

Australia Total
•      Working Age Population (15-64) : 14 262 800
•      Employment Rate (15-64) : 73.4%
•      Unemployment Rate : 4.2%
•      Participation Rate : 65.3%
Western Australia
•      Working Age Population (15-64) : 1 463 300
•      Employment Rate (15-64) : 75.6%
•      Unemployment Rate : 3.2%
•      Participation Rate : 68.0%
Pilbara Area Where I live
•      Working Age Population (15-64) : 14 000
•      Employment Rate (15-64) : 99.9%
•      Unemployment Rate : 0.1% & they don’t want to work anyway
•      Participation Rate : 100.0%
Chances of getting reasonable accommodation under $1000/week ZIP
Chances of buying a normal 3 bedroom 1 bathroom house under $700 000 ZIP

Conclusion:
We have more work than you can point a stick at but the chances of getting people to come here is nil due to the lack of housing.
Cheers
Barry

Unemployment rate in the county where I live is 6.9% as of June of 08.  June of 07 unemployment rate was 5.5%.  New construction housing has screached to a halt here and that does have alot to do with it.  A large manufacturing plant also shut down localy.  Two years ago, I had a hard time finding new hires.  The past 6 months, I am getting resumes and phone calls from people weekly asking if we are hiring.  I do not see this getting any better in the near future.

Beth

wrote on Aug 19^th, 2008 at 10:40am:

With inflation at 5% per year, you should be making 50% more than 10 years ago.

Actually, with inflation at 5%, one should be making 62.89% more than they were 10 years ago. It compounds, like interest on a savings account.

And that also assumes the 5% inflation rate you state has been constant for 10 years, which it hasn't. My bet is that the 10-year rate of inflation has been somewhere around 3%.

As of June 08, it's at 4.8% for the county I live in.  That's down from 5% in January.  As for the county hubby works in, unemployment was up to 5.1% in June from being just 3.9% the month before.

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Barry, where you are sounds like where we'd move to just in case anything happens.  Hubby builds homes from the ground up as one of his side jobs.  ;)

I have one guy that is going to be in that percentage if he keeps pissing me off! >:(

wrote on Aug 20^th, 2008 at 3:13pm:

I have one guy that is going to be in that percentage if he keeps pissing me off! >:(

Do us taxpayers a favor and see if you can't turn his attitude around a little. Stress to him how great it is to be able to keep a job in this day and age. How wonderful it feels to know that his hard-earned tax dollars are working to support....

Wait. Scratch that last one.

From today's Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

The four-county Milwaukee area's rate dipped to 5.2% from 5.4% in July 2007.

;D

Good one Bill!

This employee sets low standards and consistently fails to achieve them :D

Jimmers

Melissa wrote on Aug 20^th, 2008 at 10:36am:

Barry, where you are sounds like where we'd move to just in case anything happens.  Hubby builds homes from the ground up as one of his side jobs.  ;)

Mel with the work that’s going on here your hubby would just about be able to name his own price; the lack of skilled labour is causing extra lengthy delays in the housing industry.

The main problem is the lack of accommodation to house a workforce so companies are resorting to fly in fly out on a 4 week on 1 week off basis working 10 hour days 6 days a week.

Anyone interest in work in Oz the link below will take you to what’s called the 457 Visa which allows Aust & international companies to employ overseas skilled labour from 4 months to 4 years.

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Cheers
Barry

It seems to me after reading this thread, that the rate kind of depends on your area. I am located fairly close to Beth, only in a MUCH smaller town. In the last two years , the areas largest (and BEST)
employers have closed their doors,,, the coal mines! These were 15 to 20 dollar an hour jobs. Which is GREAT money when you can own one of the nicest new homes in town for 165 grand! or rent a three bedroom two bath home for 450 a month. Now,,, the area in which i work, about an hours drive south of my small home town is BOOMING!!! Its a larger town and the refinery is fueling (no pun intended) the boom. They are expanding , building, and hiring like crazy!!! they have to bring skilled labor in from ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY because there isnt enough local crafts to do the work. And NO,, these arnt just temp jobs, most will be perm. These are 75 to 150 grand a year jobs. Now,, on the flip side, i recently accompanied my wife on a shopping trip to get the "back to school" supplies. HOLY SH!T !!!!!! The freaking prices blew me away!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank God I can afford it, but i know there are MANY struggling families out there, and I dont know how they make ends meet!!!!!! I still think the morgage mess caused most of this nations probs, but who do you blame,,,?,,, the greedy rip-off lenders,,,,, of the ignorant " I dont need to read it over" borrowers?????       Tuck

Like I said before, I blame the fact that a couple earning combined wages of $30.000.00, which is very common in many states, cannot keep up with the rising prices in our cost of living to afford to pay a mortage payment that they COULD manage not so very long ago.  If I need to do the research and find statistics, I will.  I know what is going on in my county, Michigan and Ohio,  and that is what I am basing my statement on.

The price of consumer goods has risen so high that it is difficult to pay your fixed expenses and eat, buy gas, clothes and medical attention for the family.  That's one reason why people are falling behind on their mortgage payments and losing their homes.

My economics teacher taught me that I must earn in one week what my mortgage or rent payment equals in one month in order to just make our monthly expenses..  Our rentals go for an average of $1,000.00 plus per month here. People don't have a chance at this rate.  

A Home Depot opened about 6 months age here in Englewood.  They had over 3,000 job applicants.  One of our largest employers, Vinyl Tech, laid off 700 people about a year ago and another 1,500 just a few months ago.  Small business are closing all over the place. This is just one example of the many job losses here lately.

That's what I blame a great number of these foreclosures on.  

Sad thing is, even the food kitchens cupboards are bare.  

What are these people to do?