I would've expected three five oh one two five percent.

Go!

/31G

Sir Cumference the Flatulent: That's nothing...Spain is around 22%. Besides, a number of western European companies are outsourcing backoffice operations to Poland and the Czech Republic (although things have gotten more expensive there).

Mmyeah, they're getting a bit uppity, demanding actual payment for their services. Thus, my esteemed employer went one step further, dodged Poland and shoved the main backoffice and accountancy processes off to Romania and Bulgaria, where wages are apparently still on an indentured servitude level. Nokia seems to like it there, too.

Sir Cumference the Flatulent:
%lt;threadjack%gt;
I'm right up the road from you..I'm in Düsseldorf.
%lt;/threadjack%gt;

Sir Cumference the Flatulent: I should consider outsourcing my HTML tagging.

It looks like you already did. You get what you pay for.

It's good to know that other countries are also treating employees like plug-in dongles and that they are benefiting from the stable economic conditions that bring them soup, heating oil and the occasional bar of soap for their labors.

Sir Cumference the Flatulent:
%lt;threadjack%gt;
I'm right up the road from you..I'm in Düsseldorf.
%lt;/threadjack%gt;

I have consulted with the Ministry of Köln-Düsseldorf Warfare and it appears that, since - according to your profile - you weren't born there, I am allowed to engage in non-hostile conversation with you. So: huzzah! Salutations to the other side of the river!

That's probably the lowest it's been for the last 20 years.

Sir Cumference the Flatulent:
Greetings and salutations..I'm not really a Düsseldorfer..I work here. I moved to Krefeld two years ago. I lived in Dortmund for seven years before that. Anyway, we EuroFarkers have a Google Group if you're interested. We have had a few parties too (Köln, Amsterdam). There's a link in my profile.

} heja BVB

Noted and applied, thanks for the heads-up. Been away from the site for a bit since I used to Fark from work, mostly, and this has only recently become an option again - shame I missed a Cologne Fark party. D'oh. Gonna follow that Google Group to make sure I can catch the next one.

/I'd cheer for 1. farköln but it's just... sad.

EnviroDude: The US does not like to be reminded that our unemployment rate is over 16%. Thanks Obama!

Is this where someone comes in and explains:
1. The difference between the U-3 (media reported) and U-6 (also includes discouraged workers who're too emo to look for work and part-timers that want to be full-time) unemployment rates?
2. That the International Labor Organization (for reasons unknown to me) likes everyone to use the U-3 rate?
3. That the USA isn't the only country in the world with a vested interest in massaging economic numbers?

EnviroDude: The US does not like to be reminded that our unemployment rate is over 16%. Thanks Obama!

So he should create a series of massive public works projects such as infrastructure overhauls, securing the US power grid against solar activity, upgrading power plants, laying nationwide fiber and creating large swaths of light rail transportation?

Brilliant.

//how in god's name do you always get the boo-bies?

EnviroDude: The US does not like to be reminded that our unemployment rate is over 16%. Thanks Obama!

It's called underemployment or U6, and it's measured by the Bureau of Labor Statistics just like unemployment. That number actually includes people who are currently employed, but who are working part time when they prefer to work full time. The full slate of "underutilization" statistics can be found here: Link (new window)

/And no, it doesn't have anything to do with whether people can still collect unemployment benefits.

Apparently there is a lot of illegal employment, where people register as unemployed for benefits and then work on the side for cash and don't pay taxes.

Arkanaut: EnviroDude: The US does not like to be reminded that our unemployment rate is over 16%. Thanks Obama!

It's called underemployment or U6, and it's measured by the Bureau of Labor Statistics just like unemployment. That number actually includes people who are currently employed, but who are working part time when they prefer to work full time. The full slate of "underutilization" statistics can be found here: Link (new window)

/And no, it doesn't have anything to do with whether people can still collect unemployment benefits.

Crap, I forgot about that. Could someone perma-sticky this and the points I made and find a way to surgically attach them to any thread about unemployment?

EnviroDude: The US does not like to be reminded that our unemployment rate is over 16%. Thanks ObamaBoehner!

Sir Cumference the Flatulent: That's nothing...Spain is around 22%.

If I had a choice of any European country to be unemployed in, it would probably be Spain.

Nice weather for it, like.

bronyaur1: International markets for submarine screen doors aren't what they used to be.

I just broke the lightbulb I was screwing in...!

janzee: bronyaur1: International markets for submarine screen doors aren't what they used to be.

I just broke the lightbulb I was screwing in...!

How did you fit a two people in a lightbulb?

Only 12%? I expected it to be much higher.

janzee: bronyaur1: International markets for submarine screen doors aren't what they used to be.

I just broke the lightbulb I was screwing in...!

Enjoy your mercury poisoning!

If measured like the U.S. measures unemployment, Poland's is only 9.4%

The press is stupid to not use standardized measures.

where is sad polandball?

tomcatadam: EnviroDude: The US does not like to be reminded that our unemployment rate is over 16%. Thanks Obama!

So he should create a series of massive public works projects such as infrastructure overhauls, securing the US power grid against solar activity, upgrading power plants, laying nationwide fiber and creating large swaths of light rail transportation?

Brilliant.

What's wrong with that? That's what the New Deal did, if you just replace the tech-level with the tech of the day--rural electrification instead of robustness upgrades, building of dams and hydroelectric plants, telegraph wiring, and industrial rail...

Oh wait, soshalizm. Nevmind.