Community Comment

How is the recession hitting you?

Posted by Dave

Dec. 16, 2009 6:44 a.m. • 15 comments

Good morning, Netizens…

Cartoonist David Horsey takes a shot at recession, suggesting that the bankers aren’t feeling the impact of the economic downturn nearly so badly as Americans who have lost their jobs due to downsizing and layoffs. Have you been feeling the pinch this Christmas Season?

I simply have to know, because the recession has been hitting our house particularly hard this year, and I am wondering how many others have felt its icy fingers picking their pockets.

Of course, any discussion of the economy brings to mind the television advertisement that we should “shop local”, which features some of Spokane’s retail groups. Despite their heartfelt pleas, in tight economic times don’t you necessarily ignore “shop local” in exchange for “shop cheaply”? Are you looking for the best prices rather than following local vendors?

Of course, some bankers simply don’t care. When they receive a 20 million dollar bonus, they can shop wherever they want, right?

Dave

15 comments on this post so far. Add yours!

empyrius on December 16 at 7:10 a.m.
Well, I simply quit even looking for work, and me beloved hard-working mother’s health woes shall soon claim her quite humble home, thereby also claiming me basement abode; and for a “bad” guy such as I even though the heart has changed the criminal record and bad credit yet remains …: verily woe!

This brother does not want a handout, just a hand up (i.e.: a job!). Nay, nay, sayeth not ‘daily work daily pay’ . . .

Duty is - being good for nothing rather than being good for something - consummating the Golden Rule.

Peace
ChefGus/ John Olsen on December 16 at 7:46 a.m.
The Stock Market decline and rise did impact a lot of us with IRA and 401-K’s …. so there is that… what we have done is just cut back on our “nights out” ie dinner out two or three nights a week.. and cookin more at home… nice pasta dinner last nite with a home grown “Putanesca” sauce… $ 1.00 bag of Farfale bow tie noodles and an ounce or two of shredded parm from costco.. ( $ .50 ) worth and a hand full of greens from costco ( $ 3.59 for a box that has 15 servings, and a diced apple at $ .35 a glass of ‘boxo” wine so a meal that would be $ 35.00 with a little better ambiance was eaten at a cost of $ 5.00

Problem is if we are not dining out the waitstaff and chef’s and owners do not have a job… J
JeanieSpokane on December 16 at 11:59 a.m.
When I was told that my position was terminated due to budget cuts, the HR person told me, in a shocked tone like I’ve been living on another planet, “You ARE aware, aren’t you, that we are in a recession?”

I see more and more of those guys on corners to the freeway holding too familiar signs for food or work. They make me weep. And they make me fear that I’m not too far behind them. I just need to make my sign.
ChefGus/ John Olsen on December 16 at 12:26 p.m.
Jeannie, you can always come have a meal any of our four morning openings.. or the two dinners monday and wednesday.. we are open to all of the community…. best and love j
empyrius on December 16 at 2:55 p.m.
I hear that JeanieS! I am about ready to write up my own street person sign, “will philosophize for food” …; o wait, I am not that lucky. Well, I can type, and be polite, I can also read and write . . .

I am not much on fighting and I don’t think my back much dirt can throw …: a job, a job, my basement for a job!

Anywho (slang intended), how is this rephrasing of

The Spirit of Christmas:

Being good for nothing rather than being good for something consummates the Golden Rule.

Courtesy of the sentiments of that closet Christian Immanuel Kant who disguised his theology with philosophy.

Peace
Roger_Young on December 16 at 7:52 p.m.
Jeannie,

I wouldn’t want to work there either after some weannie HR person was the one to pull the plug on you.

It just shows the boss people didn’t have the you know whats to face you in person and they deligated it to some penny counting sand crab.

If they were competent they would have sat you down, showed you the numbers i.e. are you making money for them? Given you a months severance (or a week for each year you worked/slaved for them) and a 6 month COBRA on health insurance.

I think your probably better off knowing they no longer will receive the sweat of your labors.
Diana on December 17 at 5:36 a.m.
“Weannie”? Name calling? What children do?

Jeanie, I recall a time when HR was an advocate for employees. Haven’t seen that for quite awhile.
arliacne on December 17 at 9:16 a.m.
I hear that about HR. When I got laid off from Itron in ‘04 the manager called me in to the conference room and simply left me in the “capable” hands of the HR drone. I told her I thought he ought to stick around and face me. Her response was that this was all very hard on him. My heart bled.
Megan_B on December 17 at 10:35 a.m.
Shopping local is something we should all strive to do. Especially for gift items. Local doesn’t always mean more expensive either. This year I got some fabulous (and inexpensive!) gifts form Time Bomb, Area 58, Boo Radley’s, Kizuri, Hippie Chic, Artisan Wares, Pottery Place Plus, Tinman Art Gallery, Atticus, Main Street Antiques, etc. A lot of people in Spokane have never even been into these shops,and just assume that they are way too far out of their price range. This is not always the case!

I am known to my friends and family at Christmas time for getting the BEST, UNIQUE gifts.After opening them they always ask, “Where on earth did you find this?” My answer, “Right here in Spokane.”
JeanieSpokane on December 17 at 10:37 a.m.
Wow, Roger_Young - were you invisible in the conference room with me? And as to COBRA - that has become a sticky wicket. Very expensive - 40% of my unemployment. How can we be in a recession, lose our jobs, and at the same time have our insurance premiums increase. It’s not like I can choose NOT to have insurance with dialysis running $12,000 A WEEK.
Roger_Young on December 17 at 10:46 a.m.
Diana, I Dweam of Weannie was pulled by NBC in May of ‘70. Kinda late to be a fixating on it..

BTW a current picture of Diana Riggs of the Avengers can be found here.

http://i.thisislondon.co.uk/i/pix/2007/06/riggPA_243x266.jpg

Born in 38.. she musta been holding together pretty good during the 1965–68 Hay Day of the Avengers and afterwards.

Her and Pharaoh Faucets (Egyptian Plumber) were hotties in the day.
spokelooneh on December 17 at 11:24 a.m.
Jeanie:

“President Barack Obama endorsed an extension of the current COBRA subsidy program during a speech dealing with job creation and economic growth Tuesday, December 8.

During an address delivered at Washington’s Brookings Institution, the president said the COBRA subsidy for laid-off workers was one of several relief efforts that should be extended.

Such an extension “will help folks weathering these storms while boosting consumer spending and promoting jobs,” the president said.

Under the subsidy, embedded in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, the federal government pays 65 percent of COBRA premiums for COBRA-eligible employees who are involuntarily terminated between September 1, 2008, and December 31, 2009.

The subsidy is available for nine months or until an enrollee is eligible for new group health insurance coverage. Legislation to extend the subsidy has been introduced in both houses of Congress, with the House bill maintaining the subsidy at 65 percent while the Senate measure calls for increasing it to 75 percent.”

http://www.workforce.com/section/00/article/26/86/89.php
spokelooneh on December 17 at 11:28 a.m.
If you can’t buy local, at least Buy American:

http://www.howtobuyamerican.com/index.php
JeanieSpokane on December 17 at 3:30 p.m.
Thank you, spokelooneh. I know of the subsidy - one prohibition - you can’t have Medicare. I signed up for Medicare when I went on diaysis - it became effective December 1 - exactly when COBRA became effective. So I have done some scenarios to chart what happens if I withdraw Medicare, take the subsidy, pay the deductible and out-of-pocket - or keep Medicare, give up the subsidy, pay the full premium of COBRA and Medicare. The subsidy would save me about $700 a year. I don’t know WHAT to do. If I have something else go wrong with me (like, God forbid, cancer), not having Medicare would sink me.
Roger_Young on December 17 at 9:12 p.m.
Jeannie, I wasnt there being invisible, but I could have imagined what those HR paper shufflers did. Someone should point out to that firm that HR is overhead and does nothing to bring a single buck coming in the door. When HR does the raises, they always do theirs first. HR is like ballast on a boat, they do nothing but slows it down at extra cost.

I’m not saying be glad for what you got, but a worse scenario would be that your covered (or NOT), but the VA. Then you would still have to have all the medical care/insurance to fix what the VA would screw up (and charge you double for).

Medicare is wonderful. I paid into Part D for a year. After a month they decided I wasn’t eligible and kept my whole year’s premium anyway.