Hi y'all - I found a site which performs the cost of living difference calculation. I don't know how accurate it is but the results seem to make sense. I entered the median Memphis income of 35k and learned that Portland would grant almost 10% extra for the same job, but the living expenses would be 28% higher. That is quite a difference. As I live 50 miles outside of Memphis, my living expenses are minimal.
http://swz.salary.com/costoflivingwizard/layoutscripts/coll_result.asp?presentsalary=35000&presenthomemetrocode=106&presentworkmetrocode=106&newhomemetrocode=137&newworkmetrocode=137¤tlocation=106&newlocation=137&x=36&y=9 Come and join the possums. On Oct 10, 6:00 pm, ornamentalmind <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > *** chuckles re: possume *** > > And, in addition, do a quick check on the cost of living. For years, > Portland was on the top 3 or so nationally when it came to housing > expense, food expense etc. Since we have a law requiring the gas > attendant to pump gas and thus no self serve, the stations justify > prices for gas that normally are at lease 30 cents higher than most of > the rest of the continental US. > > In many ways, to live here is much preferable to living there, Grand > Ol Opry aside. The last year or so has shown great employment > improvements here, until the last couple of weeks that is. > > On Oct 10, 3:35 pm, Clogtowner <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > > Hi y'all - I started comparing the labor market in OR and TN - I think > > it needs more time spending on it, but so far using latest figures > > available and from Govt. sources...... > > > Unemployment TN. 6.6% OR 6.5% Population TN 6m OR 3.75m > > Union Membership TN 5.3% OR 14.3% Mean annual salary TN 35k > > OR 40k > > Job Vacancies: > > ORhttp://www.oregon.gov/EMPLOY/COMM/news/portland_vacancies_report.shtml > > > My first thoughts were that owing to the low union membership and > > lower paying jobs in TN. it is easier to find work here, but the > > unemployment rates don't reflect that and I haven't found a list of > > vacancies covering any significant area in Tennessee to compare with > > OR. > > > The only conclusion I can reach is that possums are not union members. > > > On Oct 10, 3:37 pm, ornamentalmind <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > 'Ah hope 'em poss'ms get dose jobs! > > > > On Oct 10, 12:25 pm, Clogtowner <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > > Hi y'all - I worked in the UK electricity supply industry when the > > > > Govt. owned it. I'll be getting a pension soon! I have firsthand > > > > knowledge of the Gas Dept. and the Coal Mines when they were Govt. > > > > owned. A common thread was "work or play" - this was the phrase > > > > everyone used to take their many paid days off with hardly an excuse. > > > > These "businesses" were the most inefficient and wasteful that I've > > > > ever seen. I'm told that today it is a whole different ballgame. > > > > Privatization. > > > > > I have two local instances of Govt. jobs for life that I can report. > > > > Perhaps you have seen in other posts here that a local University of > > > > Memphis teacher and an Evangelical Christian School teacher (who we > > > > debate weekly) both report that teachers become permanent employees > > > > after 3 years. A personal experience concerns my mailman. I have > > > > written extensively about him on another website, and I'd rather not > > > > detail all the problems again. Suffice it to say that he is the worst > > > > on the planet and I've tried complaining (believe me I'm a complainer) > > > > as far as I can go. The standard answer is that short of criminal > > > > charges, he has the job for life. > > > > It is for these reasons in two different countries that I have little > > > > respect for nationalized industries. > > > > > I have nothing against your practice of "At Will." A business owner > > > > would be foolish to fire a good worker - as I've said, they are worth > > > > their weight in gold and that is becoming a good commodity to own > > > > today. > > > > > I should have been clearer that I live in a rural area, and the first > > > > 40 miles of my drive to Memphis is mostly trees and possums. > > > > > On Oct 10, 12:18 pm, ornamentalmind <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > > > “I worked in a Nationalized industry and the consensus amongst > > > > > employees was that "The Govt. has deep pockets - let's get all we > > > > > can." I had relatives and friends in other Nationalized industries who > > > > > reported the same attitude - days off with pay - theft of materials - > > > > > pensions for life - I really could go on about the difficulty in > > > > > terminating staff, the creation of new positions to fulfill some > > > > > unnecessary need. Perhaps it is different in your neck of the woods > > > > > but even here in Tennessee, I'm told that teachers cannot be > > > > > terminated after 3 years of service. Of course, motivation ceases > > > > > after 3 years.” – clog > > > > > > A few things about your thoughts here clog…first, I’m quite interested > > > > > in which industry (s) you are talking about. I know that the attitudes > > > > > you mention about ‘deep pockets’ etc. hold true for public and/or > > > > > private employees. This from direct personal experience and includes > > > > > even the very smallest of private employers, with one, apparently > > > > > ‘rich’ owner. In fact, he was poor and had legal judgments against him > > > > > prohibiting his ownership of anything without it being confiscated. > > > > > This includes theft, which IF one does an honest study, one will find > > > > > runs across all of society in all economic areas and all venues. The > > > > > same is true for time off with pay, which, if I understand your view > > > > > of a democratic business would always be offered and supported by the > > > > > owner. The same would be true for pensions, which, sadly, have gone > > > > > the way of the dodo bird. They used to exist, say in the US auto > > > > > industry, (NOT a government industry, - yet. After the next phase of > > > > > the bailout it may be.) of course, one can see how this ‘being nice’ > > > > > to employees has affected them. This said, the failure of Flint > > > > > Michigan’s auto industry was not caused by the worker. It was caused > > > > > by the unilateral judgments and rule by fiat of top management. CEOs > > > > > mainly. > > > > > > Continuing about your attitude about difficulty in termination of > > > > > staff…again, IF the employer were not draconian and dictator like, > > > > > this should not be an issue, should it? I’m not saying that many > > > > > positions are not needed, however much of my time in the private > > > > > sector showed that unless these positions were held by family and/or > > > > > lovers, most likely they would be eliminated. While in a State > > > > > position, for over a decade, I watched the continual restructuring of > > > > > systems and departments with the eye for leanness in most cases. While > > > > > in a non-profit organization, I watched people be fired on the spot > > > > > because there was no more funding available. While a CFO, I had to > > > > > ‘let go’ employees for many reasons and seldom hesitated. So, from > > > > > where I sit, your experience/attitude does not match my reality. > > > > > Further, having family members in Mid-West state educational systems, > > > > > I wouldn’t wish their recent (a couple of decades) treatment on > > > > > anyone! > > > > > > “I'm shocked to learn that thousands apply for every position in your > > > > > area - maybe the Govt. figures are right. If I drive the 50 miles to > > > > > Memphis, I will be sure to see two or three "now hiring" signs en > > > > > route. This has been the case in the 21 years that I've been here. Of > > > > > course, these are restaurant jobs and the like, but still, they exist. > > > > > I do not know a single large store such as Home Depot, Kroger, Wal > > > > > Mart etc. that does not have a computer terminal near the door > > > > > inviting applications. Why such a drastic difference across the > > > > > country? I'll have to look into this.” – clog > > > > > > I don’t know which route you take clog, but two signs, an average of > > > > > one per every 25 miles is not exactly a business boom nor a plethora > > > > > of employment opportunities! And, yes, a few of us would rather not > > > > > say ‘Do you want fries with that?’ instead of using our decades worth > > > > > of skills, leaving such jobs for those who can do little else. This > > > > > said, I’ve even delivered sandwiches, painted walls, been a grill cook > > > > > etc. when necessary. > > > > > When you trot out Wal Mart (a TRULY draconian company) and others > > > > > along with computer terminals near doors inviting applications, I > > > > > wonder if you ever take the time to wonder 1. Why are there computer > > > > > terminals? 2. Why are they near the door? 3. Why are they available > > > > > for self entry? 4. Why, IF there are jobs available does not the HR > > > > > department want to talk directly with applicants? Etc. > > > > > > When analyzed, and since you have been involved in businesses, one can > > > > > only conclude that these terminals are there mainly to 1. Save paper > > > > > and storage costs related to applications 2. Save employee costs > > > > > handing out, collecting and answering employment questions and 3. To > > > > > give applicants something to do, a type of ‘hope’ that they can gain > > > > > employment there. 4. Oh, yes, MAYBE a couple a month may be culled > > > > > from the data base for interviews, said ‘culling’ being automated, > > > > > rejecting hundreds, perhaps thousands with nary a care in the world. > > > > > > So, overall, I strongly suggest that such ‘invitations’ to apply are > > > > > false choices and/or opportunities. > > > > > > Do look into the differences across the country when it comes to > > > > > employment, it would be educational if nothing else. One small heads > > > > > up I’ll share with you, here in Oregon, we are an “At will” state when > > > > > it comes to employment. A quick translation of this is that the > > > > > employer can hire and fire all employees ‘at will’. Laws associated > > > > > with employment differ from state to state and in some cases even down > > > > > to the county level. > > > > > > Enjoy! > > > > > > On Oct 10, 8:32 am, Clogtowner <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > > > > Hi y'all - my use of the term "support of the people" was meant to > > > > > > relate just to businesses, in that those who offer a fair policy to > > > > > > their employees, are never short of good workers and thus have the > > ... > > read more »- Hide quoted text - > > - Show quoted text - --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Memphis Freethought Alliance" group. 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