Scary unemployment numbers in article "Generation Recession" from The Nation

[Timactionfigures]

Might be awhile. Since they've just extended UE benefits. Looks like these folks will only be getting fatter, dumber, lazier, and more drug addled. There will be no riots as long as "free" money is rolling into their new stay-at-home lifestyle. 
You seriously think people get fat off unemployment benefits? Don't count out Americans, though they need to throw off their  political shackles, including those of the "left/progressive" politicos.

PM...UE benefits result in reduced income...results in lowering food bills...results in higher consumption of cheap, processed, fat & sodium filled foods that are terrible for bodies. 

Folks be getting fatter alright.

[dermot]

Fatter? INdeedLey DoOdly!



"AH WASH MAHSELF WITH A RAG ON A STICK".

[GreenNeck]

The truly scary part in this is that, even those still employed aren't doing that great.

I have 2 daughters in their mid-20s. I know several of their friends. Although several of them have post-secondary degrees, they almost all work at lousy jobs with low pay, no security and no benefits. Many still juggle that with five-digit student loans to pay back.

Not a single one of them has founded a family and has children yet. 50 years ago they would all have. Some older folks will say the kids today are spoilt brats. Well, some of those brats work at 2 and 3 jobs just to make ends meet. I'll be the last to judge them.

I know the above is anecdotal, but the sum of anecdotes is called life, and the sum of lives is called reality.

[Bruce]

 As the unemployment numbers climb we have a habit of focusing on the media supplied numbers rather than the true or actual numbers. If your working part time then you are maybe even worse off than those collecting unemployment insurance. They have much more free time to look for work or work under the table in addition to having some Gov income. I suspect the largest growing segment of our nation will soon be those who are renting or boarding to strangers. All these young people can not afford to rent an apartment on their own. They have to more than double up. I'm actually considering renting my spare bedroom, furnished with cable, wireless internet, access to washing machine and dryer and it has it's own full private bath. Up until now it's been an unused bathroom and the bedroom is used for storage or the "junk room". I could rent this out and include a home cooked meal every evening for say 150 per week. 600 per month would pay all of my household bills and they would get a good deal as well. What ya think?.................Bruce

[Tropicalgirl]

That sounds like a reasonable plan Bruce, just be certain to check the boarder out before renting, it would be hell to get someone in your home that wasn't a good match to you and your family. 

My husband's grandmother ran a boarding house in LA in the 40s and it sustained her and the 4 kids after she and her husband divorced.  Their family all had great stories and good memories of those years.  It seems like the idea is coming back into vogue and it is practical.

[skiah]

You seriously think people get fat off unemployment benefits?

Actually, they do since they generally eat cheaper, less healthy and fattier food. When combined with less exercise, the result is obesity.

[vision-master]

You seriously think people get fat off unemployment benefits?

Actually, they do since they generally eat cheaper, less healthy and fattier food. When combined with less exercise, the result is obesity.

Dude, bread and pasta will make you fat. Fatty steaks will not. You got it all bassackwards.

[TheLastV8]

Not a single one of them has founded a family and has children yet. 50 years ago they would all have. Some older folks will say the kids today are spoilt brats. Well, some of those brats work at 2 and 3 jobs just to make ends meet. I'll be the last to judge them.

I know the above is anecdotal, but the sum of anecdotes is called life, and the sum of lives is called reality.

Good post. I concur.

[vision-master]

[feelingweird]

I have been unemployed since Feb 2009 and have been looking actively for the past 3 months or so(I was trying to start a business, but it just wasn't working out). I can tell you that if you aren't careful that unemployement can be one of the most unhealthy things that can happen to you.

I can't tell you how many people I see about in my daily life(going shopping and trying to be a good house husband ) that just don't look good. My buddy and I went out for lunch yesterday and there was a bar where we ate. 15 people or more around the bar drinking beer or whatever. It was a Thursday At 12:45 pm

I have seen this over and over again. I try and keep myself busy at all times so as not to let the depression over take me. And to the person who commented on "having a part time job makes it worse", you can say that again. It makes no sense from my point of view to take on a part time job, even if it pays as much as 14 to 15 bucks an hour. Because if you extrapolate that out to a 40 hour a week job, that is the same as making about 8.50 to 9 bucks an hour WITH NO BENEFITS... I make about 9 bucks an hour on Unemployement, but its actually more than that if you figure that I'm making dinner from my pantry almost every day. I am out looking for bargains, I am getting my garden ready for next spring and should be able to give us our vegetables for about free from June til November next year.

Without Unemployemnt benefits I would be forced to go and take whatever I could find and that would be a 10 buck an hour job, working swinging shifts and probably in reality would net me less than I'm making now.

I understand that it can happen at any moment(losing benefits) but until I either find a good fit, or they take it away from me, I'm not changing my direction. I'm volunteering on monday at the food bank. I'm looking into community gardening classes(master gardener) and a complete change out of my current career.

I've been in computers for over 14 years and its scary to contemplate a new direction at 42 years old, but I am looking at horticulture and working at some greenhouses to learn something I really enjoy. I could probably make about 9 bucks an hour at a greenhouse I'd think.. Plus it would be a day job not a 2nd shift Marriage and family killing job.

Robert

[vision-master]

So, work is yer life?

I haven't worked in 6 years and don't miss it a bit.

[Timactionfigures]

You seriously think people get fat off unemployment benefits?

Actually, they do since they generally eat cheaper, less healthy and fattier food. When combined with less exercise, the result is obesity.

Dude, bread and pasta will make you fat. Fatty steaks will not. You got it all bassackwards.

No one said anything about steaks...and if you be eating steak on UE insurance then you got your priorities wrong.

No...we're talking about CHEAP, fatty, unhealthy food. Places like McDonalds, Burger King, etc......will result in obesity.

And what do you think all these unemployed people likely eat? The same places they are applying for jobs!!!

[pamela]

And, according to an article posted esterday, the military says that a large portion of this same age group is too fat/dumb/drug addled to serve in the armed forces.

This is a catastrophic long term problem that very few in the MSM are talking about.  As I recall, massive long term unemployment among young adults was a big factor in the major riots that happened in Athens.  Wonder how long before the pot boils over here?

that could be something to be thankful for.

[Mr. Bones]

Fatter? INdeedLey DoOdly!



"AH WASH MAHSELF WITH A RAG ON A STICK".

"Wesley.  Get mama her pryin' bar!"

[vision-master]

You seriously think people get fat off unemployment benefits?

Actually, they do since they generally eat cheaper, less healthy and fattier food. When combined with less exercise, the result is obesity.

Dude, bread and pasta will make you fat. Fatty steaks will not. You got it all bassackwards.

No one said anything about steaks...and if you be eating steak on UE insurance then you got your priorities wrong.

No...we're talking about CHEAP, fatty, unhealthy food. Places like McDonalds, Burger King, etc......will result in obesity.

And what do you think all these unemployed people likely eat? The same places they are applying for jobs!!!

That's why I see alll the yuppies pulling into Mac & Dons all the time.