Jun

18

Obama memorandum passes on benefits to some gay partners

Posted by Dan

June 18, 2009 | Leave a Comment

There’s still a long way to go, but Pres. Obama at least take one small step toward recognizing that gay couples are every bit as legitimate as straight ones yesterday.
Obama signed a memorandum on Wednesday that extends benefits to the same-sex partners of federal employees.
According to a New York Times story, this move comes after [...]

Jun

16

Nursing industry suffering from lack of instructors

Posted by Dan

June 16, 2009 | Leave a Comment

My sister works as a pediatric nurse. It’s a stressful job. She works with kids who have cancer, and that all too often ends sadly.
I know, then, how important nurses are to patients. They provide much of the important caring for patients. Doctors get the glory; nurses do most of the dirty work.
Unfortunately, many states [...]

Jun

11

Letting work slip through the cracks

Posted by Dan

June 11, 2009 | Leave a Comment

I’m sure there are no official statistics on this, but I wonder how many of us are getting a bit sloppy at work these days?
It’s not intentional. And it’s not laziness. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. Employees are taking on more work at their jobs. They have to: A growing number of companies are [...]

Jun

10

Fewer job openings means more unemployment

Posted by Dan

June 10, 2009 | Leave a Comment

The number of job openings hit a new low in April. Not surprisingly, this has caused unemployment to jump again, this time by 0.5 percent in May.
You can read the dismal numbers in this story in the Nashville Business Journal. The basics, though, are this: As of the last day of April, there were 2.5 [...]

Jun

8

Obama promises more than 600,000 new jobs

Posted by Dan

June 8, 2009 | Leave a Comment

The unemployment rate for the nation is now above 9 percent. That’s pretty awful. Pres. Barack Obama isn’t happy about this, either. After all, high unemployment figures are keeping the economy from recovering.
Today, Obama promised that the $787 billion stimulus plan will result in more than 600,000 new jobs this summer.
Federal agencies are expected to [...]

Jun

4

You want to be a mortgage loan officer? Really

Posted by Dan

June 4, 2009 | Leave a Comment

I have a friend who wants to work as a mortgage loan officer. And that’s with me telling him everyday that mortgage lending squeezes the life out of people. It’s a stressful job. Customers get angry with you when you quote them interest rates that they think are too high. The folks who qualify the [...]

Jun

4

Rising healthcare costs, unemployment a double whammy

Posted by Dan

June 4, 2009 | Leave a Comment

It’s hard enough on people that unemployment rates are at record levels across the country. They also have to deal with rising health-care costs.
The Los Angeles Times today ran a story that pointed out what’s painfully obvious to most of us: Medical bills are pushing more families toward financial ruin.
The Times story cites a Harvard University [...]

May

28

Desperate? Try a LaidOffCamp

Posted by Dan

May 28, 2009 | Leave a Comment

If you’ve been out of work for a long time, you undoubtedly need to vent. I understand that. That’s why I think the LaidOffCamp is a neat idea.
The Wall Street Journal ran an interesting story today about these camps, which are held across the country. Basically, they offer the unemployed a chance to network, learn [...]

May

26

What are you resorting to in this down economy?

Posted by Dan

May 26, 2009 | Leave a Comment

I used to scoff at freelance writers who would take crummy assignments for low pay. It seemed demeaning to me. Writers are professionals, and we should be paid like it.
Well, these scoffing days are now officially over. For the last two weeks, I’ve joined the ranks of what are known as online content writers. Think [...]

May

25

Back to the land of garage sales and no jobs

Posted by Dan

May 25, 2009 | Leave a Comment

This Memorial Day weekend, I traveled back to Southwest Michigan to visit my wife’s parents. It’s always an experience traveling to Michigan: In April, the unemployment rate in Michigan hit 12.9 percent. That was the worst in the nation.
So it’s a bit depressing traveling to Southwest Michigan. The state is in terrible shape, and this [...]

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