Possum stew does look attractive now and then.
On Oct 10, 7:49 pm, Clogtowner <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> 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.as...
>
> 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- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -...
>
> read more »
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
"Memphis Freethought Alliance" group.
To post to this group, send email to [email protected]
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
For more options, visit this group at
http://groups.google.com/group/memphisfreethoughtalliance?hl=en
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
