Americans unload prized belongings to make ends meet

The for-sale listings on the online hub Craigslist come with plaintive notices, like the one from the teenager in Georgia who said her mother lost her job and pleaded, "Please buy anything you can to help out." ...

[Think 1st]

"Meanwhile, soaring gas and food prices haven't kept pace with meager wage growth."

Yet corporations, their boards and CEO's reap huge profits and bonuses.

[Gigi]

Anecdotal stories like this to further scare the public about the economy are getting tiresome. Never do you see a story focusing on the facts that 95 percent of the people who want to work do indeed have jobs; that 99.5 percent of home mortgages in this country are NOT in foreclosure and the owners are making their payments on time; that the home sales market always has been cyclical because developers tend to overbuild during times of shortages; that the stock market continues to run at the high rate of 12,800, unheard of just 10 years ago; and that the technology industry is running so well and so hard it cannot keep up with product demand. Oh, and did you notice that in spite of all the predictions, there still is NOT a recession?

[Trader]

Those poor people who have to sell their $1000 handbags!!! Gimme a freakin' break. And there are lots of places hiring. Maybe not paying $100k a year, but if you really want a job, you can find work at any number of places that are looking for responsible workers. Check Starbucks, McDonald's, etc, etc.

[NoFreeRides]

It's nice to see a story about people doing what they should be doing in times of financial hardship. Simply put, they are distinguishing between "Wants" and "Needs" and getting rid of the "Wants" in order to fill the "Needs".

For "Think 1st", people that want a higher wage can get it by developing a skill that is in higher demand thatn their current skill.

Why an RN can't find work is mind boggling. There is a nationawide shortage of nurses. It makes you wonder what the rest of her story is.

[ann]

Yup, these goes on much longer we'll all be living in weenie mansions, lounging on antiques and dining on fine china. Carpet baggers. History repeats itself..

[Jeff H]

Think 1st wrote:

"Meanwhile, soaring gas and food prices haven't kept pace with meager wage growth."
Yet corporations, their boards and CEO's reap huge profits and bonuses.

And they earn and deserve it. Such is life. Make yourself better, or become the underclass. Deal with it.

[Think 1st]

Jeff H wrote:

<quoted text>
And they earn and deserve it. Such is life. Make yourself better, or become the underclass. Deal with it.

Really, driving a company to near bankruptcy, removed for gross incompetency or "outsourcing" thousands of jobs so the company can make 250 million instead of 200 million and they all get multi-million dollars severances. No, their not worth it.

[Think 1st]

Oops "they're" not "their"

[Think 1st]

NoFreeRides wrote:

It's nice to see a story about people doing what they should be doing in times of financial hardship. Simply put, they are distinguishing between "Wants" and "Needs" and getting rid of the "Wants" in order to fill the "Needs".
For "Think 1st", people that want a higher wage can get it by developing a skill that is in higher demand thatn their current skill.
Why an RN can't find work is mind boggling. There is a nationawide shortage of nurses. It makes you wonder what the rest of her story is.

Even engineers (pretty high skilled job) find themselves the victims of "outsourcing" as its cheaper to hire an engineer in other countries.

You all are right about the nurse looking for a job. She shouldn't be having any difficulties- job wise.

[Hampton Handyman]

Jeff H wrote:

<quoted text>
Because she's probably trash, being used as an example to fit a socialist agenda. Anyone who wants a job can have one in this economy. It's nowhere near as bad as the media presents it to be.

Yes, anyone who wants a job can get one hell I have two. Both are skilled trades and I make decent money But I am not in as good a shape as I was 5 years ago when fuel cost less and the dollar was worth more. Like it or not the economy may not be as bad as the media presents it, but it is headed that way.

[Daniel Shays]

Think 1st wrote:

<quoted text>
Really, driving a company to near bankruptcy, removed for gross incompetency or "outsourcing" thousands of jobs so the company can make 250 million instead of 200 million and they all get multi-million dollars severances. No, their not worth it.

First, the overwhelming number of CEO's aren't removed for incompetence. Second, most CEO's don't drive their companies into or near bankruptcy. Third, CEO's are supposed to make as much money as they can for their companies-that's what makes them good CEO's.

[NoFreeRides]

Think 1st wrote:

<quoted text>
Really, driving a company to near bankruptcy, removed for gross incompetency or "outsourcing" thousands of jobs so the company can make 250 million instead of 200 million and they all get multi-million dollars severances. No, their not worth it.

And you have a choice as to whether you want to invest in them or patronize their business. So what's the problem? They only cost you money if you allow it.

[NoFreeRides]

Think 1st wrote:

<quoted text>
Even engineers (pretty high skilled job) find themselves the victims of "outsourcing" as its cheaper to hire an engineer in other countries.
You all are right about the nurse looking for a job. She shouldn't be having any difficulties- job wise.

The engineers I know are doing fine. As I said, if the skill is notin great demand the way to increase your wage is to acquire skills that are in demand.

[Commander McBragg]

I had to delay an oil change on the Rolls so Bertram, my chauffeur, had to drive me in the Bentley. Fortunately my oil stocks have gone into the stratosphere so I no longer have to deal woth the hoi polloi and the common riff-raff.

[NoFreeRides]

Commander McBragg wrote:

I had to delay an oil change on the Rolls so Bertram, my chauffeur, had to drive me in the Bentley. Fortunately my oil stocks have gone into the stratosphere so I no longer have to deal woth the hoi polloi and the common riff-raff.

Outstanding!

[same ol song]

NoFreeRides wrote:

<quoted text>
The engineers I know are doing fine. As I said, if the skill is notin great demand the way to increase your wage is to acquire skills that are in demand.

Ahh, judging by your posts, you must mean the skills of unbridled greed and questionable ethics.

"And you have a choice as to whether you want to invest in them or patronize their business. So what's the problem? They only cost you money if you allow it. "

Funny, I didn't buy property with a sub-prime mortgage or stock in any related corporation, but it's costing me (and all of us) a bundle.

[Jeff H]

Think 1st wrote:

<quoted text>
Even engineers (pretty high skilled job) find themselves the victims of "outsourcing" as its cheaper to hire an engineer in other countries.
You all are right about the nurse looking for a job. She shouldn't be having any difficulties- job wise.

I am a civil engineer, and have ZERO worries about my job getting shipped ovverseas.

BTW, outsourcing is the work of greedy labor types, like unions and high minimum wages, not as much from greedy management types. See, liberal politicians and union leaders are poor economists, while business management types specialize in it.

[Jeff H]

same ol song wrote:

<quoted text>
Ahh, judging by your posts, you must mean the skills of unbridled greed and questionable ethics.
"And you have a choice as to whether you want to invest in them or patronize their business. So what's the problem? They only cost you money if you allow it. "
Funny, I didn't buy property with a sub-prime mortgage or stock in any related corporation, but it's costing me (and all of us) a bundle.

How? How much?

[Walther]

Jeff, you should worry about your job being outsourced. There is a very aggressive project in my company to outsource all of our engineering work to India. These are positions that I would have considered safe not too long ago.

[same ol song]

Jeff H wrote:

<quoted text>
How? How much?

You must be very fortunate indeed, if you haven't been affected. I guess you haven't read about the global ramifications either, so it would be pointless to debate economics. The effects will carry well into future generations.