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Productivity and Attrition: The Last Straw? [Joe Mannix]

Productivity has been a mixed bag recently. According to the BLS, productivity is down sharply in Q3 of this year, and costs are up. Over the past couple of quarters, productivity has been falling across many service industries, mining and manufacturing. Wholesale and retail trade productivity has been rising, but this is likely a COVID artifact since so much commerce is now centralized in the mega-players like Amazon and Wal-Mart who are, after all, very efficient. The base figure of productivity - "labor production per hour" for all non-farm employment - spiked significantly early on in COVID and then corrected, rose again, and has fallen again in Q3, this time pretty dramatically.

Attrition is harder to get a handle on, because it isn't a centralized figure. Each company and divisions within those companies track their own attrition. Labor turnover is tracked by the BLS and it has been rising for the past few quarters, but the broad spectrum measurements are hard to contextualize. In my personal experience at my current company and those where I have contacts, attrition is skyrocketing. It's running close to 25% in my company and between 20% and 30% elsewhere based on my conversations. That's bad based on historical norms.

Attrition is up and productivity is down. Why?

It could be a fairly simple answer. Productivity could be responding to the dislocations that happened in the beginning and middle of the COVID response, and mean reversion is back - this is just noise due to all of the economic oddities with the response. My company attributes work-from-home as a driving factor in attrition, as more people have realized there are more opportunities when you're not bound to an office. And people like working from home, so ending it will cause even more attrition (essentially, management is trapped). Businesses need to figure out the new rules of workforce dynamics and then things will stabilize.

That's a happy scenario. What's the unhappy one?

I think there is a darker undercurrent in all this, and the COVID vaccine mandate may have been the last straw. Why do people work in the first place? A big answer to this, of course, is "for the money." This is certainly true, but it is only true to a point. It's different for everyone, but at some point - and I suspect it is a lower point than most would expect - money becomes less important than intangibles for a lot of people. The big intangible is respect. The vax mandate is a respect black hole. The aggressively pro-vaccine crowd is pissed because it took so long and the companies lacked the courage to act independently. The anti-mandate crowd is pissed because no one at the company stood up for them. The neutral crowd who couldn't care less one way or the other resents all of the jawboning and time wasting and paperwork hoops they have to go through. Absolutely nobody feels respected in this matter, and it is a major matter.

Moreover, this may well be piling on to the casual disrespect that is increasingly common. Racist CRT-derived training material. Hiring quotas. Promotions and jobs granted on the basis of identity group rather than skill or achievement. Constant activity around "compliance" and ever-increasing communication and material about whatever new rule is in place this week. None of this breeds directional or mutual respect. And if you don't feel respected by the company, you won't feel respect for the company. You'll either coast through and do the minimum to keep your job or you'll become a mercenary and jump to whoever cuts you a bigger check to get while the getting's good because in the absence of respect or honor, you might as well get paid. But what you won't do if you're disrespected is go the extra mile or work the extra hour. You won't give your all to an organization that you think hates you.

The corporate culture generally, not just in one company or one industry, is increasingly hateful and toxic. They're disrespectful and contemptuous and they're destroying the desire and incentive to produce more and go beyond the paycheck - and they paycheck isn't enough to offset the constant low-grade humiliation factor. So what to do? Slow down and take it easy, or jump ship. Reduced productivity, increased attrition.

If you're an employee, ask yourself, "do I feel respected at work? Is there any honor in my employment?" If the answer is "no" then ask yourself, "is this because of my boss, or because of my company, or both?" If it's not your own boss, ask yourself, "can my boss be good enough to offset what the company is doing?" If you're an employer or a boss, ask yourself those same questions and then consider them from the standpoint of your employees. I have done this scatter-shot within my small professional network. No one feels respected, and most consider the companies themselves to be the cause, rather than their direct bosses.

If this is the case and the level of disrespect has grown to the point of mutual contempt, then this will not be a transient mean-reversion and equilibration period after which things return essentially to normal. If this is the case, then the declining productivity and increased turnover are just getting started and we're going to be in for a very rough couple of years in terms of the economy (all the other economy-damaging nonsense notwithstanding). Many people will point to the vax mandate as the cause, but don't be too quick to jump on that bandwagon. It will only be true in a proximal sense.

When I was in college, I had an excellent professor of statistics who also tried to impart life lessons to the class. He told a story of a job he had in the past where the team was catastrophically dysfunctional. They all hated each other, the boss was incompetent, the company was indifferent, the personalities all clashed, etc. On meeting days, they rotated through the staff and one of them would bring doughnuts. One meeting day, the person brought jelly doughnuts. It was the tipping point. The pro-jelly and anti-jelly factions started sniping at each other. The boss couldn't keep order. The meeting devolved into an aggressive shouting match that eventually came to blows. The entire department failed that day and there was massive attrition and a layoff that followed. What seemed to start as a fight over doughnuts killed the department. When the professor got to the moral of the story, he said, "it's never about the damn doughnut."

The vax mandate may be the last straw that kicked off a disaster. It is a big, heavy, monstrous straw, but it is not the only one. It is the last in a long line of abuses, disrespect and dishonor that have been growing in corporate America for more than a decade. If the unsettling trends continue and accelerate, then the vax mandate will turn out to be a jelly doughnut - the thing that brought it all into the foreground.

Posted by: Open Blogger at 07:35 PM




Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 Whoa

Posted by: Clyde Shelton at November 22, 2021 07:38 PM (Do5/p)

2 This is cool, I don't have to search for your comments, I can read your post!

Posted by: Clyde Shelton at November 22, 2021 07:38 PM (Do5/p)

3 Started reading and thought when was this posted?

Posted by: Skip at November 22, 2021 07:40 PM (2JoB8)

4 >>Productivity has been a mixed bag recently.

The joke store called...

Posted by: Dr. Varno at November 22, 2021 07:40 PM (vuisn)

5 My company attributes work-from-home as a driving factor in attrition, as more people have realized there are more opportunities when you're not bound to an office. And people like working from home, so ending it will cause even more attrition (essentially, management is trapped). Businesses need to figure out the new rules of workforce dynamics and then things will stabilize.

Been working from home since 03/13/20. Company supposedly has a pilot program they are going to start up beginning of next year called "hotel-ing". Where they will be allowing people to come back into the office if they want, but not full time. I think they said 20% in office, 80% work from home. For the in office time, we will have to reserve our office time like we would reserve a hotel room.

I have no problem working from home indefinitely. I'm used to it now and I have setup a good lifestyle for myself (work on my own schedule, can workout in my home gym twice per day, run errands, etc). But they just hit us with "vaccine" mandate this past FRI. That goes into effect 01/05/22. Going to be interesting to see how many people leave over it.

Posted by: Clyde Shelton at November 22, 2021 07:44 PM (Do5/p)

6 Self employed , so I answer to me.

Posted by: Ben Had at November 22, 2021 07:44 PM (JTyUy)

7 Long long time ago I quit my big Corp job and went out on my own. I do the same work more or less for 50% more money and nobody to answer to. Fucking Nirvana.

Posted by: JoeXiDen - Lessko Brandon at November 22, 2021 07:45 PM (EwyZo)

8 I have an interview coming up after Thanksgiving for a BA position with a software developer that would be a 40% increase in my salary. Big money. I honestly don't think I'll get it, but the big shots over there must think I'm at least qualified to interview, as they came to me. I certainly wouldn't have applied for it. Long story, but basically the owner of the company I work for now used to own the software company as well, and is still tight with them. He's eying retirement and told me, he would hate to lose me, but after 22 years of my loyal service, if he can set me up for some big bucks he wants to do that.

And as a safety net, if I did get it and it doesn't work out, he will hire me back immediately. I don't think I will, but it is fun to think about a sudden, unexpected enormous salary jump.

Just the fact that I'm up for it tells me how bad it is trying to find employees these days. Pre-Covid, I doubt I would even be considered.

Posted by: Guy Smiley at November 22, 2021 07:45 PM (Bmy3R)

9 I'm just waiting at home for my next stimulus check.

Posted by: Lemmiwinks at November 22, 2021 07:46 PM (h1jJh)

10 Now I read the content.
Not sure how construction fits into this

Posted by: Skip at November 22, 2021 07:46 PM (2JoB8)

11 Reads every word of the post and finds zero comments.

Must mean the not a cop guy did ok.

Posted by: weirdflunky at November 22, 2021 07:46 PM (cknjq)

12 I think another factor is that some employees who have family responsibilities looked at the commute time, the cost of child care, and the increased hassle of going back to work, and just said it wasn't worth it. (They have left the workforce, likely not to return for a long, long time.) Other employees are picking up the slack, which may be hurting productivity.

Posted by: Caesar North of the Rubicon at November 22, 2021 07:46 PM (BMmaB)

13 Well stated.

Posted by: 7man at November 22, 2021 07:46 PM (qwO6y)

14 Joe, Deninger of "The Market Ticker" has been tracking births and deaths for twenty years or so. According to him, the numbers show 1 million excess deaths in the last year that cannot really be explained.

For what it's worth.

Posted by: Blake - semi lurker at large at November 22, 2021 07:46 PM (FrSwm)

15 hiya

Posted by: JT at November 22, 2021 07:47 PM (arJlL)

16 Hiya Mannix !

Posted by: JT at November 22, 2021 07:47 PM (arJlL)

17 I think John Galt could explain this better than I could.

Posted by: sock_rat_eez (ahosz) at November 22, 2021 07:47 PM (ahosz)

18 I do know working often in open for business offices doubt 10% are actually in building, sometimes as was last week just not every day

Posted by: Skip at November 22, 2021 07:48 PM (2JoB8)

19 Disrespect towards the employee has been pretty much the common thread everywhere I've worked.

Posted by: Blanco Basura - On my phone, identifiers may vary at November 22, 2021 07:48 PM (k/xkr)

20 Since my company announced I have to get the clot shot or file an exemption I haven't felt particularly motivated.

And I know they if they lay me off they will have significant problems replacing me.

And it really isn't something I'm consciously thinking of - but before when I'd do some work early or late now I do what I have to do, no more no less.

Posted by: 18-1 at November 22, 2021 07:48 PM (ESjRY)

21 The Jackstraw > The Last Straw

Posted by: SFGoth at November 22, 2021 07:48 PM (KAi1n)

22 A job interview, at my age, after over two decades with the same company (through a sale, a merger and 2 name changes.) My goodness. Just the thought of it makes me queasy.

Glad as hell it will be a Zoom interview, as they are in NY and I am in CO. On Zoom, no one can see you sweat. (just duck out of the cam range for a sec and mop your brow!) It's a remote job. I would never move to NY.

Posted by: Guy Smiley at November 22, 2021 07:49 PM (Bmy3R)

23 Joe Mannix, agreed that the employer/employee dynamic has become dangerously toxic.

At this stage I don't know if I ever want to return to it. UberEats can be exhausting but at least *I* decide exactly how much to work and when.

Posted by: qdpsteve at November 22, 2021 07:50 PM (L2ZTs)

24 According to him, the numbers show 1 million excess deaths in the last year that cannot really be explained.

That seems like a lot. I took a quick look over at CDC and most of them are being attributed to COVID.

Posted by: Caesar North of the Rubicon at November 22, 2021 07:50 PM (BMmaB)

25 Guy Smiley, a little Revlon foundation works wonders ;-)

Posted by: qdpsteve at November 22, 2021 07:50 PM (L2ZTs)

26 Worst. Cafe. Ever. Not a single critter video.

Good content though, JM -- thanks!

Posted by: Doof at November 22, 2021 07:50 PM (mZUr4)

27 Our society has devolved into a freebie based one. The day of the Layabout is at hand.

Everyone has their hand out for a check from Uncle Sugar and fuck everyone else. From Pawpaw collecting his social security ponzi check to Sally Glasspipe wanting a check for being a methhead baby momma. Gimme gimme, gimme, gimme some more. Covid checks for all the masked imbeciles. Oh happy days!

Work is to be avoided at all costs. Let the other suckers do it.

Posted by: Hairyback Guy at November 22, 2021 07:50 PM (R/m4+)

28 A job interview, at my age, after over two decades with the same company (through a sale, a merger and 2 name changes.) My goodness. Just the thought of it makes me queasy.

The big trick in interviewing? Ask yourself what your new boss would want to hear and tell them that.

I don't mean lie. But if your boss asks what you bring to the company don't tell them how much you want to work for the company, or some vague answer - give them specifics. I (not my team) did X, which saved/earned the money Y dollars.

Posted by: 18-1 at November 22, 2021 07:51 PM (ESjRY)

29 It's simple to understand. Corporations run by psychopaths don't build loyalty. Constant threat of lay-offs certainly doesn't build loyalty. Executive leadership who say they want employees to be "engaged" yet squash actual good ideas from experienced employees make the problems worse. And cap it all of with WOKE HR idiots that executive leadership unleashes on the employee base... you will have employees jump ship at the first opportunity and only give minimal effort to keep their jobs. 100% of the productivity and retentionissues lie with psychopathic executives and woke HR policies.

Posted by: True-Man at November 22, 2021 07:51 PM (8eSmR)

30 Disrespect towards the employee has been pretty much the common thread everywhere I've worked.
Posted by: Blanco Basura

The more the suits claim 'You are our most important asset!' the bigger fib it seems to be.

If the owners really have the employees as a top priority - everyone knows it without all the emails, posters, and off-sites.

Posted by: Tonypete at November 22, 2021 07:51 PM (jZSOU)

31 I am thinking Covid least effected construction, some jobs last year closed for 1 week, many of my co-workers were off 1 -4 weeks as I was. Masks are only if working in a open for business office, and sometimes not then.

Posted by: Skip at November 22, 2021 07:52 PM (2JoB8)

32 See, should have got cannolis.

Posted by: Eromero at November 22, 2021 07:52 PM (0OP+5)

33 What your company probably needs is more HR and Administration.

Posted by: t-bird at November 22, 2021 07:52 PM (DMQdU)

34 It's a remote job. I would never move to NY.

Get them to define "remote". One job told me I'd be remote. What they meant was that I'd be in their remote office, which was an hour away from my home.

Posted by: Blanco Basura - On my phone, identifiers may vary at November 22, 2021 07:52 PM (k/xkr)

35 According to him, the numbers show 1 million excess deaths in the last year that cannot really be explained.

In Britain which is much more "vaxxed" then the US these "unknown" excess deaths are exceeding the deaths from COVID.

The more "positive" take on this is that it is depression, lack of medical care, and isolation.

The other answer is that it is the clot shot is causing it - where the strokes and heart attacks are being counted as that, not the clot shot.

Posted by: 18-1 at November 22, 2021 07:53 PM (ESjRY)

36 I have never been more thankful to work in the non- regulated profession I do. Meritocracy, yeah baby.

Posted by: Ben Had at November 22, 2021 07:54 PM (JTyUy)

37 Very good post, Joe Mannix, not a cop.

Lots of good analysis. Which I appreciate more that those wonderful pictures of women that are not my wife.

Posted by: NaCly Dog (u82oZ) at November 22, 2021 07:55 PM (u82oZ)

38 But what you won't do if you're disrespected is go the extra mile or work the extra hour. You won't give your all to an organization that you think hates you.

Maybe I am an oddball, but I actually go the other way when I feel disrespected at work. I work even harder to prove those wrong who are disrespecting me.

Happened a few years ago when we were still in the office. I went into a meeting prepared to only give a very high level, casual review of something I was asked to assess. Because (1) I was told nothing about what they wanted to see & (2) I thought the audience for the meeting was going to be just mid-level management in our own department. Turned out, all levels of management from the program were in attendance including the top program manager. And he proceeded to rip me to shreds when I fumbled through my presentation.

I left that meeting fuming, having been utterly humiliated in front of my entire dept as well as program management. The rest of that day & week, I put together a 50+ page PowerPoint assessment of every single aspect of the system. It ended up being passed around to every high level manager. Turned a negative into a positive.

Posted by: Clyde Shelton at November 22, 2021 07:55 PM (Do5/p)

39 I can attest to alot of this. In my case, its further complicated by a senior management change.

Attrition is very high. My particular department is small enough and internally cohesive. But the corporate culture writ large is getting worse. HR is encroaching more and more. The insufferable "DEI" agenda is everywhere. Mandatory trainings based on CRT. Many people dont comply with these "mandatory" things, but its in all the corporate communications.

Senior management likes to talk about how the corporate culture is what will end up retaining people, but I dont think they're that stupid. They're going to need to increase comp, or the flood of people leaving is going to turn into a tidal wave.

Posted by: Revenant at November 22, 2021 07:55 PM (IN1nj)

40 Needs more bats.

Posted by: Chairman LMAO at November 22, 2021 07:55 PM (/TTi/)

41 IMO the disrespect issue is big. It was "taught" during Trump's term as a way to "get back at the man." Now, it's toxic. I've been on the receiving end and I simply will not put up with it. At any cost.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at November 22, 2021 07:55 PM (BFigT)

42 100% of the productivity and retentionissues lie with psychopathic executives and woke HR policies.
Posted by: True-Man

Psychopathic or psychotic? One not = the other.

Posted by: SFGoth at November 22, 2021 07:55 PM (KAi1n)

43 If the owners really have the employees as a top priority - everyone knows it without all the emails, posters, and off-sites.

Posted by: Tonypete

=====

I'm a reasonable person. The heads of 4 or 5 HR hacks on pikes, situated at the entrance to the parking lot, would help me feel like a corner had been turned.

Posted by: 2009Refugee at November 22, 2021 07:56 PM (8AONa)

44 I used to try to do a good job, because I thought it was easier to coast if you had good habits. But the company was bought out and merged. They left us alone the first year, but now we are starting to see changes. I haven't had a raise in 2 years and I make crappy money for the time I've been here and the work I do. I'm going to retire from it as soon as I wrap up some of the legal stuff here. And I really don't even try any more. They've kept us way understaffed for too long.

Posted by: Notsothoreau - look forward at November 22, 2021 07:56 PM (5HBd1)

45 So today I was drinking with 3 guys each worth about $100 M. EACH

You know who they hated?


HR

Posted by: rhennigantx at November 22, 2021 07:56 PM (yrol0)

46 I'm a reasonable person. The heads of 4 or 5 HR hacks on pikes, situated at the entrance to the parking lot, would help me feel like a corner had been turned.
Posted by: 2009Refugee at November 22, 2021 07:56 PM (8AONa)

HR
Posted by: rhennigantx at November 22, 2021 07:56 PM (yrol0)

ha

Posted by: rhennigantx at November 22, 2021 07:57 PM (yrol0)

47 34 It's a remote job. I would never move to NY.

Get them to define "remote". One job told me I'd be remote. What they meant was that I'd be in their remote office, which was an hour away from my home.

They know where I live, it was my very first question. They have other remote workers. Lots of eastern time zone companies like MT and PT because we cover a couple a three later hours but to us it's still day shift. That was a big plus in my current company letting me move, as they are also NY based. Hell, they were thrilled. I babysit the "kids" on the afternoon shift till 7 every day, and I'm still gettin' out at 5.

Posted by: Guy Smiley at November 22, 2021 07:57 PM (Bmy3R)

48 At this stage I don't know if I ever want to return to it. UberEats can be exhausting but at least *I* decide exactly how much to work and when.
Posted by: qdpsteve at November 22, 2021 07:50 PM (L2ZTs)

Have you ever considered finding some sort of trade? Uber, and Uber Eats are pretty much the bottom of the service industry barrel. Learn to do something like auto upholstery. Get good enough to do your own custom work, and you could make bank. Get just good enough to do simple repairs like split seams or replace worn panels, and you could make a living off car lots.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at November 22, 2021 07:58 PM (P3gRi)

49 Lots of causes of deaths. Accidents, COVID "vaccine" reaction, drugs.

One needs to be strong mentally, connected, or have a solid faith to make it.

The weak are going under.

BTW, this was all predicted in 2007.

Posted by: NaCly Dog (u82oZ) at November 22, 2021 07:58 PM (u82oZ)

50 >>I have never been more thankful to work in the non- regulated profession I do. Meritocracy, yeah baby.

I've been in sales since I was 20. And for the last 20 some years it's been startups.

We don't spend a lot of time pondering anything other than staying on the wire.

Posted by: JackStraw at November 22, 2021 07:59 PM (ZLI7S)

51 Get rid of HR

Send them home

I met the first in 1988

I asked her what she would do when she fired me

she laughed

she fired me next year

Posted by: rhennigantx at November 22, 2021 07:59 PM (yrol0)

52 Great write-up Joe. Thank you.

Excellent anecdote regarding the donuts.

Posted by: Tonypete at November 22, 2021 07:59 PM (jZSOU)

53 AOP, nice thought for QDP but that is not a skill set.

Posted by: Ben Had at November 22, 2021 08:00 PM (JTyUy)

54 Rule number one in a meeting...ya don't complain about the donuts

Posted by: Bruce at November 22, 2021 08:00 PM (vd8XM)

55 Tucker is on

Posted by: redridinghood at November 22, 2021 08:01 PM (NpAcC)

56 On top of all this, if you're in California (WHHHYYY?), you now have little to no incentive to pay for goods. This then trashes the local economy, to include attrition in retail jobs. Do you think those Nordstrom's cashiers are going back to their jobs after getting pepper-sprayed and watching their paycheck walk right out the door? Probably not.

Posted by: pookysgirl, worried that Hex just typed 666 at November 22, 2021 08:01 PM (XKZwp)

57 22 A job interview, at my age, after over two decades with the same company (through a sale, a merger and 2 name changes.) My goodness. Just the thought of it makes me queasy.

Glad as hell it will be a Zoom interview, as they are in NY and I am in CO. On Zoom, no one can see you sweat. (just duck out of the cam range for a sec and mop your brow!) It's a remote job. I would never move to NY.
Posted by: Guy Smiley at November 22, 2021 07:49 PM (Bmy3R)

-----------------------

Pro Tip: Turn off the cat filter.

Posted by: No One of Consequence at November 22, 2021 08:01 PM (CAJOC)

58 I am lucky enough not to have worked for a large organization for decades, but my acquaintances who did universally hated the mandatory annual "diversity" training. And this was a few years ago - it's far, far worse now.

Couple that with policies that explicitly discriminate against white people in hiring and promotion, and I can't imagine why morale is low.

Posted by: The ARC of History! at November 22, 2021 08:02 PM (I2/tG)

59 AOP: yes I have. Glad you asked. :-)

I'm interested in taking both a Real Estate Agent course and a casino/poker dealer course.

Posted by: qdpsteve at November 22, 2021 08:02 PM (L2ZTs)

60
To be clear, what Denninger is tracking there, and he's posted several pieces about it, is the addition to a workforce number. He calculates that number from the BLS job stats.

This number started running very low starting this year, meaning for some reason people aren't being added as normally. I forget the details, but what it means is there are a lot of "missing" people who should have been added, but didn't.

Only way you can get off this number is to leave the country, be put in an institution (nursing home, prison, etc) or die.

Posted by: publius, Rascally Rapscallion (Mzdiz) at November 22, 2021 08:02 PM (Mzdiz)

61 We've all been in toxic work environments.... Lack of respect is always the root of the problem. How many times has the word family been used to try and hold people in an underpaid disorganized disrespectful hateful work environment?

Posted by: USNtakim deplorable still. at November 22, 2021 08:02 PM (0OmEj)

62 I'm so black pilled about everything that I don't really care about my job anymore. I know everyone there would hold me in contempt if I shared any thoughts and so I now hold them all in contempt. I just want to win the lottery and never work again. I no longer get any sense of accomplishment and it's just a pain in the butt.

But yeah, I'm sure a booster mandate is coming, and I'll probably leave because of that. I have no desire to get another job, so I don't know what I'll do.

Posted by: InCali at November 22, 2021 08:02 PM (ov5G+)

63 Ben Had, UberEats isn't a skill set? I agree.

I obviously need to do something different if I want things to change in my life.

Posted by: qdpsteve at November 22, 2021 08:02 PM (L2ZTs)

64 I retired early 10 years ago. Worked for this large food company for 30 years

Who gives me my final interview?

Skippy, the idiot summer intern.

Posted by: Bruce at November 22, 2021 08:03 PM (vd8XM)

65 The vax mandate may be the last straw that kicked off a disaster. It is a big, heavy, monstrous straw, but it is not the only one. It is the last in a long line of abuses, disrespect and dishonor that have been growing in corporate America for more than a decade.

Problem with the vax mandate for me is that (1) I have been through unemployment already once in my career and it almost broke me. But (2) I finally landed this job after 2 years of unemployment and just had my 10-year anniversary as a direct employee of the company after previous time in my career was year-to-year rolling contract. So I am extremely grateful and proud to have worked myself back to where I am in my career. And (3) I really enjoy both my job and those with whom I work and (4) I make good money that allows me to live a comfortable lifestyle.

So I am not interested in throwing that all away, even though I am extremely angry that that is what Biden is forcing on me. But if my religious exemption is not approved, I am stuck. I am extremely stressed facing the reality that I am going to lose everything I've worked for. But I don't blame my employer, I blame Biden & the Deep State.

Posted by: Clyde Shelton at November 22, 2021 08:03 PM (Do5/p)

66 According to him, the numbers show 1 million excess deaths in the last year that cannot really be explained.
=====

Does he offer any possible answers?

The official explanation is that it's mostly (~70%) COVID. The remainder would then have to be indirect results of the pandemic and lockdowns

The official explanation doesn't tend to go over well here, but whatever you think about the risk of vaccine deaths, presumably they weren't a significant factor in 2020. And last year we had about 500k deaths more than in 2019. (Officially 375k were "caused by" COVID.)

Posted by: Geronimo Stilton at November 22, 2021 08:04 PM (sGnvY)

67 And the amount of stuff you are expected to know these days is insane. I had someone expect me to help her connect her vacuum to her wifi. I told her there was no way I could be expected to deal with every device out there and that she would have to research how to connect it. Troubleshooting your internet connection is not the same as dealing with every gadget you want to get online. But customers want to deal with just one person, so they expect you to know everything.

Posted by: Notsothoreau - look forward at November 22, 2021 08:04 PM (5HBd1)

68 The more the suits claim 'You are our most important asset!' the bigger fib it seems to be.

Dilbert:

https://dilbert.com/strip/1993-03-03

Posted by: The ARC of History! at November 22, 2021 08:04 PM (I2/tG)

69 InCali, that's how I came to feel about my last job.

It just seems like the harder I worked and the more responsibility I took on, the more people took advantage of and abused me.

Posted by: qdpsteve at November 22, 2021 08:04 PM (L2ZTs)

70 54 Rule number one in a meeting...ya don't complain about the donuts
Posted by: Bruce at November 22, 2021 08:00 PM (vd8XM)

ha

So I worked for cocksucker boss that saw me and budds leave to go get coffee. We were pulling back up to building and his sec ask us to get him a donut. Not the place we went by down the road a mile or so.

cocksucker!

Posted by: rhennigantx at November 22, 2021 08:04 PM (yrol0)

71 I see how some co-workers are buried in their phones, I am not sure I would trust people working at home. Luckily it's not my call, just my observation.

Posted by: Skip at November 22, 2021 08:04 PM (2JoB8)

72
On, and retire to get off the list as well. He explains it more in detail.

Posted by: publius, Rascally Rapscallion (Mzdiz) at November 22, 2021 08:04 PM (Mzdiz)

73 I drove truck for 24 years. The ever increasing mandates regarding equipment and hours got me to quit 3 years ago. I have no respect for the compliant pussiness of the trucking industry now.

Posted by: yep at November 22, 2021 08:04 PM (JxRAa)

74 It just seems like the harder I worked and the more responsibility I took on, the more people took advantage of and abused me.
Posted by: qdpsteve at November 22, 2021 08:04 PM (L2ZTs)

Not peters principle

Posted by: rhennigantx at November 22, 2021 08:05 PM (yrol0)

75 >>> What seemed to start as a fight over doughnuts killed the department. When the professor got to the moral of the story, he said, "it's never about the damn doughnut."

I was anticipating a pun that would cause Muldoon to groan.

Posted by: fluffy at November 22, 2021 08:05 PM (UnQlg)

76 I have a pretty common tale. My 401k is through the roof, I sold my house up North for more than asking and bought a little retirement bungalow for cash.

I now have FU money.

Taxes are less per than I was paying per month in CT, I have a Jap shit box that will outlive me, and a new 20 year roof over my head.

Every night there is Happy Hour and live music @ every restaurant/pub in town.

And I tip 30%. So every server knows my name and I get all the respect I need.


Posted by: Regular joe at November 22, 2021 08:05 PM (L9P9s)

77 ARC, that's a classic Dilbert!

Posted by: qdpsteve at November 22, 2021 08:05 PM (L2ZTs)

78 73 I drove truck for 24 years. The ever increasing mandates regarding equipment and hours got me to quit 3 years ago. I have no respect for the compliant pussiness of the trucking industry now.
Posted by: yep at November 22, 2021 08:04 PM (JxRAa)

The Cal laws are impossible!

Posted by: rhennigantx at November 22, 2021 08:05 PM (yrol0)

79 AOP, nice thought for QDP but that is not a skill set.
Posted by: Ben Had at November 22, 2021 08:00 PM (JTyUy)

Oh, it definitely is. At least as much as tailoring or shoemaking.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at November 22, 2021 08:06 PM (P3gRi)

80 LOL - that would be funny as hell to intervew with a tech company and not know how to turn off the cat filter!

Posted by: Guy Smiley at November 22, 2021 08:06 PM (Bmy3R)

81 Sorry for the early OT, but until Tucker started his lead-in to the interview, I did not know he was in Kenosha at the riot because he'd been asked to protect someone else's property. Had no idea.

God damn the media to the pit of hell.

Posted by: Dr. T at November 22, 2021 08:06 PM (tp+tP)

82 I work for YUGE financial services co. It is so woke, they care more about the transgender than the unvaxxed. They won't tell us if we will lose our jobs, retirements, etc., but they sure as hell are celebrating transgender week! Everyone I know who isn't vaxxed is a top performer. I think they will let us work from home until after tax season when they will let us go.

Posted by: Heidi at November 22, 2021 08:06 PM (wFQsY)

83 One of the best things in Dilbert is the portrayal of Catbert, the company HR director.

"You can work any hours you like as long as you're here from 8am to 5pm every single day."

Posted by: qdpsteve at November 22, 2021 08:06 PM (L2ZTs)

84 I retired 25 years ago, I still work full-time, and I don't do it for respect, I do it for money.

Posted by: Eromero at November 22, 2021 08:06 PM (0OP+5)

85 imo we are in a very coordinated war against Liberty, and it is best viewed as a mafia protection racket, where all must be subservient to the Boss. ... The Boss .. a book by Royko describing 1980 Chicago, but now it is expanded into BigGov and even the China Connection.

It does seem that "WE" are going to have to start killing "THEM", go to the mattresses .. because that is how crimes syndicates work. But there is now a digital component to their control ... China is buying our Government ... they are maybe the top Mafia Dons. FBI is running their own syndicate ... as our others.

Self gassing Jews? Well, there is also the "self gassing commie Pope" self gassing Fake Protestant (gay ministers) ... or the self gassing Commie GOPe ... I prefer to evaluate them as corruption inside our own Tribes, and recognize that we the free people must fight them all on a United Front. It is the same Enemy.

Posted by: illiniwek at November 22, 2021 08:06 PM (Cus5s)

86 qdpsteve,
I went to community college in my mid-40s after doing a lot of physical labor jobs. I can't say I got into the IT jobs that pay the big bucks, but it did give me a skill I've been working for a long time now. Might be worth your while to see what's out there. I got an internship while in school, which lead to being hired.

Posted by: Notsothoreau - look forward at November 22, 2021 08:06 PM (5HBd1)

87 qdpsteve

Email me. I have an idea for you.

Use ROT-13 to decode this:
AnPyl_qbt@xfoebnqonaq.arg

Posted by: NaCly Dog (u82oZ) at November 22, 2021 08:07 PM (u82oZ)

88 qdpsteve, look at your abilities in a most pragmatic and honest evaluation then go for the position that you get hired for and then PROVE yourself to better positions.

Posted by: Ben Had at November 22, 2021 08:07 PM (JTyUy)

89 ARC, that's a classic Dilbert!

There a reason why I could immediately recall it twenty-eight years later.

Posted by: The ARC of History! at November 22, 2021 08:07 PM (I2/tG)

90 I know everyone there would hold me in contempt if I shared any thoughts and so I now hold them all in contempt

Yeah, that's a big problem for me too. I know most of my cow-workers are lefty idiots.

Amusingly at one point a Chinese guy (as in a Chinese national) was asking if the company was going to make everyone get the boosters because the base clot shot almost killed him. There was a lot of hmmming and hawwing because everyone knows that's the Branch COVIDIAN plan...

Posted by: 18-1 at November 22, 2021 08:07 PM (ESjRY)

91 We're all living through a box in some history book 50yrs from now.

The bullet points are: Trump, Covid, China, and ...?

There is no going back.

Posted by: Two Weeks at November 22, 2021 08:07 PM (4m0G4)

92 75 >>> What seemed to start as a fight over doughnuts killed the department. When the professor got to the moral of the story, he said, "it's never about the damn doughnut."

I was anticipating a pun that would cause Muldoon to groan.
Posted by: fluffy at November 22, 2021 08:05 PM (UnQlg)

I shot a elephant eating my donut!

Why was he on your floor?

He was packing his trunk for sales meeting!

Posted by: rhennigantx at November 22, 2021 08:08 PM (yrol0)

93 Racist CRT-derived training material. Hiring quotas.
Promotions and jobs granted on the basis of identity group rather than skill or achievement. ...

The corporate culture generally, not just in one company or one industry, is increasingly hateful and toxic.

--

My buddy, unlike me, is jovial and gregarious.
His company has offices in all 48.
Joe Mannix took the words out of his mouth.

Posted by: Braenyard at November 22, 2021 08:08 PM (ET3Lq)

94 Once upon a time at the Psychopaths, I had to explain to an officer manager who had only been there four months and who still thought the bosses were ever so awesome, that there was a reason why we had to pay 25% over going market rate to hire anyone.

Posted by: alexthechick - Boobs and hysteria at November 22, 2021 08:08 PM (GbPPJ)

95 You nailed it. I've been fairly unhappy the entire 5 years with my current company, but they pay really well. So, it's been tough to jump ship without taking a pay hit, but last year I talked to my wife about the potential of taking a small hit, and with the mandate, I'm not willing to take a significant hit.

My direct supervisor is actually highly competent, and he's the reason I was willing to ride it out as long as I have. Then, about 5 months ago, DIE came along. Last month I was told Dia De La Raza was the same thing as Columbus Day, because my HR department loathes our company. The top brass is like, totally conservative and into individual liberty. Totally.

Now, they want to shove the mandate on us even though there's a stay on it. Totally #conservative. I can't get out of here fast enough.

Posted by: insurgens ad opus at November 22, 2021 08:08 PM (+sbSO)

96 The last company I worked for, the HR lady admitted to me that she loved firing people. This is what is going on.

Posted by: pawn at November 22, 2021 08:08 PM (Cfk8j)

97 Posted by: InCali at November 22, 2021 08:02 PM (ov5G+)

I could've written that myself. I feel exactly the same way.

Posted by: Jordan61 at November 22, 2021 08:08 PM (qxz9B)

98 Joe, you just received the highest compliment from one of my cats: He decided to bookmark the page, which he's never done, not even for Ace!

Posted by: pookysgirl, fending off Keyboard Cat at November 22, 2021 08:08 PM (XKZwp)

99 Notsothoreau, NaCly and Ben Had, thanks!!!

ARC, I was able to predict which one it was too. :-)

Posted by: qdpsteve at November 22, 2021 08:08 PM (L2ZTs)

100 Now. NOW willing to take a significant hit. Dang it.

Posted by: insurgens ad opus at November 22, 2021 08:08 PM (+sbSO)

101
In Australia, the military is now being used to round up citizens who test positive for the Coof, *and their immediate contacts*, and carry them to Happy Fun Quarantine Camp.

The West is going full totalitarian right before our eyes.

Posted by: publius, Rascally Rapscallion (Mzdiz) at November 22, 2021 08:08 PM (Mzdiz)

102 The total lack of interest in keeping jobs, or more likely keeping the corrupt state afloat is going to be "the great undoing." It's happening now. The elites won't feel it for years after it hits the rest of us, but they'll reel from it when it does.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at November 22, 2021 08:09 PM (BFigT)

103 25 bux same as downtown

oh cuse me last thread

Posted by: rhennigantx at November 22, 2021 08:09 PM (yrol0)

104 Eromero, Any employer is lucky to have you.

Posted by: Ben Had at November 22, 2021 08:09 PM (JTyUy)

105 Sadly it's past bed time
Have a great evening everyone

Posted by: Skip at November 22, 2021 08:09 PM (2JoB8)

106 They expect you to troubleshoot every printer out there, their security cams and their thermostats. I've thought about writing up a list of all the stuff we are expected to deal with. Most companies have support boundaries, so that you can turn them down. I've never gotten this place to agree with that.

Posted by: Notsothoreau - look forward at November 22, 2021 08:10 PM (5HBd1)

107 Posted by: Skip at November 22, 2021 08:04 PM (2JoB

It does take a certain self-reliant, self-starting type. Definitely works best in small companies where everyone has their responsibilities and there's nowhere to hide if you don't fulfill them. We're small enough with 23 employees that it works, but I could see it being a nightmare in larger companies. We have had to let some go because they simply could not be trusted to work remotely.

Some people have this insane idea that "work from home" means "hardly working." It's not. It's work.

Posted by: Guy Smiley at November 22, 2021 08:10 PM (Bmy3R)

108 In Australia, the military is now being used to round up citizens who test positive for the Coof, *and their immediate contacts*, and carry them to Happy Fun Quarantine Camp.

How do you say Arbeit Macht Frei in Australian?

Posted by: 18-1 at November 22, 2021 08:10 PM (ESjRY)

109 Also, I am pretty sure that every company in my industry is going to enact a vax mandate. Ford already has. My company now has. And the others are likely following suit if they haven't already notified their employees. So it's not like I can just easily jump ship. At least within the industry in which I am trained.

And honestly, I suffer from insecurity and lack of confidence in myself. I am not confident, even though I have proved myself as an excellent engineer in my current position, that I will perform equally as good in another position. It took me two years back in '09-'10 to land a job after 10+ failed interviews over those 2 years. Who knows if I'll have to go through that hell again.

I have been a complete wreck since FRI morning and that feeling is not going to go away until I know my religious exemption has been approved.

Posted by: Clyde Shelton at November 22, 2021 08:10 PM (Do5/p)

110 pawn, lots of "superiors" love firing people. It's the worst kept secret in all of America.

I've worked for attorneys who enjoyed firing people. If they had a bad day, or got yelled at by a judge? No problem, a few people would get fired and they felt better.

Posted by: qdpsteve at November 22, 2021 08:10 PM (L2ZTs)

111 So I still don't know if the vax issues are the result of rushed vax without proper testing or an actual plot to lower the population. Either way, the public is becoming more and more aware something is very wrong. I have no idea what happens when the mass public internalizes this. Or how the "elite" attempt to protect themselves.

Posted by: Azjaeger at November 22, 2021 08:10 PM (3/XaG)

112 I'm interested in taking both a Real Estate Agent course and a casino/poker dealer course.
Posted by: qdpsteve at November 22, 2021 08:02 PM (L2ZTs)

Neither of those are trades. Realtor is basically a selling job, and it is also a very, very crowded field. Casino dealer? Basically a jumped-up waiter. And the last place a gambler should work is in a gambling environment. Can you say "moral hazard"?

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at November 22, 2021 08:10 PM (P3gRi)

113 96 The last company I worked for, the HR lady admitted to me that she loved firing people. This is what is going on.
Posted by: pawn at November 22, 2021 08:08 PM (Cfk8j)

Duh! China Viet Nam etc

Posted by: rhennigantx at November 22, 2021 08:11 PM (yrol0)

114 Oh and I see supposedly the *Austrian* army is refusing to enforce the Austrian clot shot mandate.

What a world we are in if the Austrians are less NAZI then the Australians?

Posted by: 18-1 at November 22, 2021 08:11 PM (ESjRY)

115 {{{ Notsothoreau - look forward }}}

You have a sound plan going forward. Your future is bright.

Posted by: NaCly Dog (u82oZ) at November 22, 2021 08:11 PM (u82oZ)

116 I have been a complete wreck since FRI morning and that feeling is not going to go away until I know my religious exemption has been approved.
Posted by: Clyde Shelton at November 22, 2021 08:10 PM (Do5/p)


We've got the same thing going on with hubs. My job hasn't brought it up yet, luckily.

Posted by: Jordan61 at November 22, 2021 08:11 PM (qxz9B)

117 How do you say Arbeit Macht Frei in Australian?
Posted by: 18-1 at November 22, 2021 08:10 PM (ESjRY)

Good Day!

Posted by: rhennigantx at November 22, 2021 08:11 PM (yrol0)

118 I was the first person at the company to get approval to work from home. I'd never have stuck it out this long if I had to drive in. I tried to do a good job, so that they would let other people work from home. It all paid off when the Wuflu hit.

Posted by: Notsothoreau - look forward at November 22, 2021 08:12 PM (5HBd1)

119 18-1, the Austrians say "eh, we've been there and done that! Got it out of our system."

Posted by: qdpsteve at November 22, 2021 08:12 PM (L2ZTs)

120 Great work Mr Mannix. All the motives come to life. There certainly is an upheaval and maybe with grace we can even show the Australian goose stepers a hillbilly jig.

Posted by: Humphreyrobot at November 22, 2021 08:12 PM (tPUfk)

121 I hear the nation needs truck drivers and they are making over $100K per year.

Posted by: Czech Chick at November 22, 2021 08:12 PM (haWye)

122 Either way, the public is becoming more and more aware something is very wrong

Everyone I know has a story about how someone close to them was harmed by the clot shot.

And yet, supposedly roughly half the population wants to needle rape the other half.

Posted by: 18-1 at November 22, 2021 08:13 PM (ESjRY)

123 When corporations smugly say they are "family-oriented" or prefer "family men" they mean a guy with a wife, kid and mortgage is more likely to put up with corporate bullshit and less likely to make waves.

Posted by: Dr. Varno at November 22, 2021 08:13 PM (vuisn)

124 Only way you can get off this number is to leave the country, be put in an institution (nursing home, prison, etc) or die.
Posted by: publius, Rascally Rapscallion (Mzdiz) at November 22, 2021 08:02 PM (Mzdiz)

I know quite a few young folks under the age of 40, around a dozen, in my AO who don't work, have no form of I.D., have been in and out of jail and/or prison, and make their "living" off of selling drugs, ass or what ever they steal. The black market is alive and well.

Posted by: Hairyback Guy at November 22, 2021 08:13 PM (R/m4+)

125 AOP, then I don't know what to tell you.

Posted by: qdpsteve at November 22, 2021 08:13 PM (L2ZTs)

126 Kyle on Tucker right now. What a self possessed young man. A clear demonstration of this kid's self possession and how many times he thought he was going to die.

Posted by: vivi at November 22, 2021 08:13 PM (USW1s)

127 I'll believe it, Salty, when they drop off the dumpster here. Supposed to happen next week I think. And they took over paying the garbage. I'm going to offload another bill to them soon.

Posted by: Notsothoreau - look forward at November 22, 2021 08:13 PM (5HBd1)

128 Everyone I know has a story about how someone close to them was harmed by the clot shot.

And yet, supposedly roughly half the population wants to needle rape the other half.
Posted by: 18-1 at November 22, 2021 08:13 PM (ESjRY)

Tyranny. Minority or Majority makes no difference.

Posted by: Aetius451AD Work Laptop at November 22, 2021 08:13 PM (kBuGL)

129 I worked from home after Katrina. Do not have the discipline needed. Plus, in the office we have people around to collaborate with. Really helps sometimes.

Posted by: Javems at November 22, 2021 08:13 PM (BE3Xd)

130 We have had to let some go because they simply could not be trusted to work remotely.
====

We've been mostly remote for about ten years, but until COVID, we still required entry-level hires to work from the office for a year. Basically so we could rule that out.

Posted by: Geronimo Stilton at November 22, 2021 08:14 PM (sGnvY)

131 Last I heard, which was bout 30 years ago, Casino dealer was a pretty good job, tip-wise. Old friend of mine in LA could afford to own racehorses on his Casino dealer wage.

Posted by: Coquettish Haberdasher at November 22, 2021 08:14 PM (buTO7)

132 104 Eromero, Any employer is lucky to have you.

Posted by: Ben Had at November 22, 2021 08:09 PM
Yeah, I always mark that box when the 'anonymous survey makes the rounds.

Posted by: Eromero at November 22, 2021 08:15 PM (0OP+5)

133 I'm very fortunate with my job. Only 8 people now. Can work from home some days, as long as clients aren't coming in. HR/admin. is a useless boob, but otherwise pay is good, benies good and only 2 mi. from the house. Everyone gets along and no bullshit.

Posted by: Infidel at November 22, 2021 08:15 PM (pA4Ca)

134 that there was a reason why we had to pay 25% over going market rate to hire anyone

I've had the opposite experience - I've worked for a couple of places that had a such a good reputation as a place to work that they could get away with paying significantly less than market, and still get good people.

One of the organizations was small and went from having the World's Greatest Boss (who then retired) to the Boss From Hell. Everyone quit, except for me (I tried to resign three times, and ended up briefly running the organization after the Boss From Hell was forced out).

The organization decided that it needed to pay market rates to rebuild the staff, and I got a 25% pay bump.

Posted by: The ARC of History! at November 22, 2021 08:15 PM (I2/tG)

135 In the coming weeks, my career will be over as I will not allow that shit to be injected into my body. So, I'll just plod along until the end. As my fate is already sealed, there's really no point in putting forth anything other than the bare minimum effort.

Posted by: antisocial justice beatnik at November 22, 2021 08:15 PM (DTX3h)

136 I certainly couldn't work a 'normal' (whatever the hell that is) job again since I've retired.

Sure, little odd jobs here and there to stay busy or silent partner type things but no way I'd do anything corporate.

My mouth has gotten worse in the presence of what I consider to be bullshit and idjits of all types push my buttons. I feel for any that must hold a job and play the game. My hat's off to you.

Posted by: Tonypete at November 22, 2021 08:15 PM (jZSOU)

137 Our Exalted Leader was big on remote work long before covid. We started transitioning (not that kind) 7-8 years ago with a few people a day each day working from home, and slowly ramped it up till we were fully remote two years before covid. While other companies were struggling to do it all at once, we were already there and long settled into it.

The Boss took a few victory laps. Well deserved, I'd say.

We just switched to softphones, after using Magic Jacks, which were after cell phones. Always improving the remote experience.

Posted by: Guy Smiley at November 22, 2021 08:16 PM (Bmy3R)

138 6 Self employed , so I answer to me.
Posted by: Ben Had
-----------------------

As long as you have clients it's a perfect world.

Posted by: Braenyard at November 22, 2021 08:17 PM (ET3Lq)

139 MBAs killed the business world.

Posted by: Duke Lowell at November 22, 2021 08:17 PM (kTF2Z)

140 Thanks for the thoughtful analysis, Joe!

Posted by: PaddyBeaner at November 22, 2021 08:17 PM (nl80Z)

141 Infidel, that's good news!

Posted by: qdpsteve at November 22, 2021 08:18 PM (L2ZTs)

142 When corporations smugly say they are "family-oriented" or prefer "family men" they mean a guy with a wife, kid and mortgage is more likely to put up with corporate bullshit and less likely to make waves.

I knew a sizable Oregon government agency that explicitly hired married people, because the single people quit once they discovered how bad the agency was to work for.

Posted by: The ARC of History! at November 22, 2021 08:18 PM (I2/tG)

143 Chef's kiss on the Stephen Hayes and Jonah Goldberg faux flounce . . .

Mitt Romney
@MittRomney
Admirable-and difficult-decision by two people of character and conscience.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks Now With Pumpkin Spice! at November 22, 2021 08:18 PM (FVME7)

144 I've found that if you can find good work close to home, that's an extra bonus. Saving money on gas can make a huge difference.

Posted by: qdpsteve at November 22, 2021 08:18 PM (L2ZTs)

145 83 According to Dilbert's Scott Adams, Catbert is a cat because cats are just like HR:

Warm and fuzzy on the outside, but deep down, they don't care whether you live or die.

Posted by: Regular joe at November 22, 2021 08:18 PM (L9P9s)

146 Those familiar with Atlas Shrugged know that the premise was that the people who created jobs and products for society basically decided to go on strike after the moochers and looters took over the political levers and tried to guilt and force them to keep producing. Interestingly enough, it seems that the real life Atlas Shrugged playing out right now is being driven by the working class, and to some extend certain elements of the corporate class. It's not from the top down like in the novel, with people like Elon Musk dissapearing to the mountains of Colorado to create a new society. So I think this explains some of the reasons why people who might otherwise remain productive, and have some means, some savings, are looking at what they are seeing and saying "nah bra".

Posted by: CoolHandLuke at November 22, 2021 08:18 PM (U2+zT)

147 That boy is a G-d Damned hero.

It's a travesty what was done to him.

Posted by: Thomas Bender at November 22, 2021 08:19 PM (ZpS2I)

148 Good stuff, Joe. Even though no skimpily clad young females were involved.

Posted by: rhomboid at November 22, 2021 08:19 PM (OTzUX)

149
Speaking of Germany, one of the Substack guys I follow closely is German and he presents a lot of stuff from the perspective of inside Germany. He posted a very chilling piece about what's going here:

https://tinyurl.com/482wvtau

A German TV newsreader, female, went on a rant against the unjabbed. It's clear what they're doing. The govt is going to blame all the lockdowns and tyrannical measures on the unvaccinated.

The unjabbed are the new undermenschen or whatever it is. This is to try to get the public to take out their anger on the unjabbed, and not the govt.

Posted by: publius, Rascally Rapscallion (Mzdiz) at November 22, 2021 08:19 PM (Mzdiz)

150 139 MBAs killed the business world.

Posted by: Duke Lowell at November 22, 2021 08:17 PM (kTF2Z)


"Bean Counters" in the oil patch.

Posted by: Javems at November 22, 2021 08:19 PM (BE3Xd)

151 Hey Joe. I'm always glad when you have a post on the main page. Good job condensing such a big workforce issue into a tight essay. I'd love to see more essays from you on how broken the management / workforce situation is. You have a great feel for the situation. I don't feel comfortable posting about my workplace messes, but I think they're somewhat universal in corpotate America.

Posted by: Buck Throckmorton at November 22, 2021 08:19 PM (d9Cw3)

152 DrVarno: yup!

Near me is a neighborhood with homes built in the late 1950s/early 1960s, that are right out of a picture postcard. I've passed them by and often wondered, how much utter bullshit at work did so many men have to put up with forever, way back in the day, to buy and keep those homes?

Posted by: qdpsteve at November 22, 2021 08:20 PM (L2ZTs)

153 Tonypete, you ingenuity has stood you in good stead.

Posted by: Ben Had at November 22, 2021 08:20 PM (JTyUy)

154 Regular joe, yup.

Posted by: qdpsteve at November 22, 2021 08:20 PM (L2ZTs)

155 139 MBAs killed the business world.
Posted by: Duke Lowell at November 22, 2021 08:17 PM (kTF2Z)
----------

Personally watched an MBA gut several companies.

Posted by: Braenyard at November 22, 2021 08:20 PM (ET3Lq)

156 It's a travesty what was done to him.
Posted by: Thomas Bender at November 22, 2021 08:19 PM (ZpS2I)

Every time I see the video of him breaking down as the not-guilties were read, I think "G-d damn the bastards that did this."

Posted by: Guy Smiley at November 22, 2021 08:21 PM (Bmy3R)

157 The unjabbed are the new undermenschen or whatever it is. This is to try to get the public to take out their anger on the unjabbed, and not the govt.
Posted by: publius, Rascally Rapscallion (Mzdiz) at November 22, 2021 08:19 PM (Mzdiz)

Wreckers and Kulaks, to quote another usage.

Always the same.

Posted by: Aetius451AD Work Laptop at November 22, 2021 08:21 PM (kBuGL)

158 We've had massive attrition in key positions lately. Everyone is just fed up with corporate dumbassery like endless 'training' and the covid mandate. And the expectation that you'll put in 60 hours a week for months on end without OT because your salaried.

Posted by: CrotchetyOldJarhead at November 22, 2021 08:22 PM (iDQIH)

159 Been retired \disabled for a decade now. How I would love to work.... But the thought of going back to any corporate culture fills me with dread. Being used and abused taken over the barrel. Underpaid. Disrespected. No i will not be going back. Funny i felt more respected in the military than i ever did in any large company.

Posted by: USNtakim deplorable still. at November 22, 2021 08:22 PM (0OmEj)

160 Rudolph is on. Have not seen it in many moons. Is that supposed to be his mother or a romantic interest?

Posted by: Aetius451AD Work Laptop at November 22, 2021 08:22 PM (kBuGL)

161 >>MBAs killed the business world.

I think there is a lot of truth to this. Not many degrees are more worthless and yet for a while more sought after.

Posted by: JackStraw at November 22, 2021 08:22 PM (ZLI7S)

162 that the real life Atlas Shrugged playing out right now is being driven by the working class

Yeah, the laptop class has decided that it can do without the people who maintain the water systems, keep the electricity flowing, and all the other dirty jobs that maintain their opulent lifestyles.

To the extent they think about it, they've decided that they can just force "those people" into submission.

Posted by: The ARC of History! at November 22, 2021 08:23 PM (I2/tG)

163 "The corporate culture generally, not just in one company or one industry, is increasingly hateful and toxic. They're disrespectful and contemptuous and they're destroying the desire and incentive to produce more and go beyond the paycheck - and they paycheck isn't enough to offset the constant low-grade humiliation factor."

True. Too true.

Posted by: Erik In Texas at November 22, 2021 08:23 PM (zO9D/)

164 Braenyard, in a business that has a turn over clientele of 60 to 90 days I have customers that have been with me for 35 years+

Posted by: Ben Had at November 22, 2021 08:23 PM (JTyUy)

165 145 83 According to Dilbert's Scott Adams, Catbert is a cat because cats are just like HR:

Warm and fuzzy on the outside, but deep down, they don't care whether you live or die.

Posted by: Regular joe at November 22, 2021 08:18 PM (L9P9s)


Gref's Law:

HR is a tool owned and operated by all management above you.

Posted by: Gref at November 22, 2021 08:23 PM (AMIL/)

166 I wish, just once, they would explain how people that aren't sick are a threat to vaccinated people.

Posted by: Notsothoreau - look forward at November 22, 2021 08:24 PM (5HBd1)

167 Rudolph's father was a psychopath.

Posted by: Guy Smiley at November 22, 2021 08:25 PM (Bmy3R)

168 Lin Wood. LOL! I called him a grifter back during the Georgia election.

Posted by: redridinghood at November 22, 2021 08:25 PM (NpAcC)

169 Rudolph is on. Have not seen it in many moons. Is that supposed to be his mother or a romantic interest?
Posted by: Aetius451AD Work Laptop

Rainondo says - "Yes!"

Posted by: Tonypete at November 22, 2021 08:26 PM (jZSOU)

170 When I first went to work for Pepsi in 2000, the hallway had 20 offices. 18 sales guys, 2 analysts. When I left it was reversed. You had 18 analysts who could tell you what was wrong, but only 2 guys capable of doing anything about it.

Posted by: Duke Lowell at November 22, 2021 08:26 PM (kTF2Z)

171 167 Rudolph's father was a psychopath.
Posted by: Guy Smiley at November 22, 2021 08:25 PM (Bmy3R)

I mistakenly showed my 9 year old grandson "Raging Rudulph" from the old MadTV show, and now whenever Rudolph is mentioned it's all he wants to see.

Posted by: Tom Servo at November 22, 2021 08:26 PM (evAgx)

172 In "Atlas Shrugged" it was the titans of industry that said "fuck it."

In real life it's everyone else that keeps the titans of industry afloat saying "fuck it."

Posted by: Martini Farmer at November 22, 2021 08:27 PM (BFigT)

173 Only thing that can save the One Party is nukes.

Posted by: Humphreyrobot at November 22, 2021 08:27 PM (tPUfk)

174 A younger neighbor in banking serves as an indicator and bellwether for me, to some extent, on various issues I have no direct contact with.

A few months ago, don't recall what we were talking about, but he volunteered that his most recent regular conference call/zoom thing, at which new people in the division were introduced, was "different".

Not one white male in the new faces. And, and this was more significant to him, unlike all previous such sessions, there wasn't a word about their backgrounds or experience. Nothing. He said it was so bizarre, as such info always was useful when knowing how and where to involve new faces in ongoing business. All the veteran employees he works with were "WTF??".

Well, we know WTF. He predicted trouble down the road, as he doubted the new people were properly hired or suitable.

Posted by: rhomboid at November 22, 2021 08:27 PM (OTzUX)

175 It is every bit as true at universities.

Excellent analysis.

Posted by: Nom de Blog at November 22, 2021 08:27 PM (UNQS9)

176 Notsothoreau - look forward

The powers that be rely on the (Mis)Education industry to kill reason, logic, and history.

So only the clueless that can be lied to remain. Alas for them.

Posted by: NaCly Dog (u82oZ) at November 22, 2021 08:27 PM (u82oZ)

177 IMHO, on King Of The Hill, Hank's dad is seriously psychopathic.

I could relate to that part of the show, a lot.

Posted by: qdpsteve at November 22, 2021 08:28 PM (L2ZTs)

178 Democrats side with Ivo Shandor, thinking they will get a cut.

Posted by: Anna Puma at November 22, 2021 08:28 PM (24If6)

179 qdp, Grandma had one of those little houses in Lakewood. On a single salary since grandpa deserted her during the war. The cost of those homes then as opposed to now is astounding.

Posted by: Infidel at November 22, 2021 08:28 PM (pA4Ca)

180 Pennsylvania Republican Sean Parnell is suspending his campaign for Senate after losing a fight for custody of his children Monday to his estranged wife, who had accused him of abuse in court testimony.


Thusly is the reason I would never get into politics. They will destroy your family.

Posted by: Cat Ass Trophy at November 22, 2021 08:28 PM (UkBFs)

181 Jelly donuts? I am out of there at the speed of heat.

Posted by: butch at November 22, 2021 08:28 PM (cHvOo)

182 The worst part of it is I used to love my job. I was often heard saying I can't believe they pay me for this - tinkering in the lab and building stuff. Anyway, I think I got burned out when I was on 4 simultaneous projects all shouting at me for more progress and all 4 went on to be very successful. So deputation is really good, but motivation is now lacking. I don't think I ever recovered.

Posted by: InCali at November 22, 2021 08:28 PM (ov5G+)

183 172 In "Atlas Shrugged" it was the titans of industry that said "fuck it."

In real life it's everyone else that keeps the titans of industry afloat saying "fuck it."
Posted by: Martini Farmer at November 22, 2021 08:27 PM (BFigT)

Because most of the titans of industry are Chinese and all the USA has are titans of services and internet bullshit.

Posted by: sniffybigtoe at November 22, 2021 08:28 PM (7cRTM)

184 @162: "To the extent they think about it, they've decided that they can just force 'those people' into submission."

I think they believe that people who "keep the lights on" wouldn't and couldn't possibly walk away from their jobs.

it's a cognitive dissonance thing because, if they could conceive otherwise, then lots of other uncomfortable truths begin bubbling up into their conscious mind.

Posted by: Walter Freeman at November 22, 2021 08:28 PM (+WWsf)

185 I wish, just once, they would explain how people that aren't sick are a threat to vaccinated people.

The FNM has convinced people that you get COVID by not wearing a mask or not getting the clot shot - not by bearing near a person shedding COVID virions.

It is also why you see people alone in their car driving with one on.

Posted by: 18-1 at November 22, 2021 08:28 PM (ESjRY)

186 164 Braenyard, in a business that has a turn over clientele of 60 to 90 days I have customers that have been with me for 35 years+

Posted by: Ben Had at November 22, 2021 08:23 PM (JTyUy)


I had some great customers, several that I trained. Had two come to my retirement party. Made me proud.

Posted by: Javems at November 22, 2021 08:29 PM (BE3Xd)

187 I called him a grifter back during the Georgia election.
=====

A grifter, did you say?

Feeling pretty confident that this blog is anonymous, are you? Think I can't subpoena Ace and Pixy?

I'll sue all three of you!

Posted by: Lin Wood at November 22, 2021 08:29 PM (sGnvY)

188 Reputation, not deputation

Posted by: InCali at November 22, 2021 08:29 PM (ov5G+)

189 Infidel, exactly. :-)

Our house here in Lakewood is a fixer-upper and people tell me it's still worth around $500k.

Posted by: qdpsteve at November 22, 2021 08:30 PM (L2ZTs)

190 Nice article on Market- Ticker about the Google data center in The Dalles (nice picture of the river too.) I didn't know that Amazon had a campus between Boardman and Umatilla.

https://tinyurl.com/4nnwam5d

Posted by: Notsothoreau - look forward at November 22, 2021 08:30 PM (5HBd1)

191 188 Reputation, not deputation
Posted by: InCali at November 22, 2021 08:29 PM (ov5G+)

I'll deputize you, chief.

Posted by: sniffybigtoe at November 22, 2021 08:30 PM (7cRTM)

192 I got laid off after 21 years. It was a little strange. I took 6 months and took some classes.

I kind of didn't give a shit when it happened. The last couple years I was on a sinking ship. Some others hung on for another year and said it was miserable.

I have a much better job now.

Posted by: Hatari somewhere on Ventura Highway at November 22, 2021 08:30 PM (M+Lyo)

193 Cat Ass Trophy

Dickens said a happy person with a good home life is not for political office. He is mostly right.

Posted by: NaCly Dog (u82oZ) at November 22, 2021 08:30 PM (u82oZ)

194 And, and this was more significant to him, unlike all previous such sessions, there wasn't a word about their backgrounds or experience.

Irrelevant. You are to put them in charge of your most important project, and shower them with praise and awards regardless of outcome

Posted by: Cat Ass Trophy at November 22, 2021 08:31 PM (UkBFs)

195 NaCly, Dickens was right.

Political power is attractive almost exclusively to people with messed-up priorities/minds.

Posted by: qdpsteve at November 22, 2021 08:31 PM (L2ZTs)

196 Speaking of the PA election - what the hell is wrong with John Fetterman? The guy looks like an ogre.

Posted by: 18-1 at November 22, 2021 08:32 PM (ESjRY)

197 MBAs killed the business world.
Posted by: Duke Lowell at November 22, 2021 08:17 PM


What MBAs did was remove slack. Every system needs slack for resilience.

Posted by: Duncanthrax at November 22, 2021 08:32 PM (a3Q+t)

198 Some people have this insane idea that "work from home" means "hardly working." It's not. It's work.

Posted by: Guy Smiley at November 22, 2021 08:10 PM

I have actually worked more efficiently and more hours at home than I did at work. Because I can sleep in later and do not have to worry about travel time, I end up filling in my travel time hours with working time now. Previously I had to wake up at 4:45am to get to my desk at work by 6:00am. Then worked to 3:30pm. Now, I sleep until 6:00am, walk downstairs and turn on the computer to start working by 6:15am. I then typically work to 5:00pm. But instead of working through my lunch like I did in the office, I take an hour break to workout at noon and also take a lunch break. I also get a ton more work done, because instead of having to physically go to hour-long meetings and pay attention the entire time, I can now just listen in on my headphones while getting work done.

From talking with a lot of my coworkers, this has been what the have been doing during work-from-home as well. We've been praised multiple times by our management for how well our dept has performed over the past 20 months.

Posted by: Clyde Shelton at November 22, 2021 08:32 PM (Do5/p)

199 Great essay, Joe. Thanks.

I definitely have lost all trust in management. I don't believe for one second that my religious exemption form will be kept confidential. So I'm hesitant about what to say bc if I come across as too crazy, I might get my exemption approved, but it could harm my career in the future.

I still believe in the mission, but I'm just not sure whether I'll get to keep my job, or whether I still want to keep it. I'm losing faith in the org's ability to execute said mission.

Posted by: Mrs. Peel at November 22, 2021 08:32 PM (8548M)

200 Turns out Gozer really split things with Ivo

Posted by: Anna Puma at November 22, 2021 08:33 PM (24If6)

201 >>When I first went to work for Pepsi in 2000, the hallway had 20 offices. 18 sales guys, 2 analysts. When I left it was reversed. You had 18 analysts who could tell you what was wrong, but only 2 guys capable of doing anything about it.

This is what I mean about MBAs being bad for business. Many analysts don't even really know what's wrong because they don't understand sales, they don't understand customers and demand. They get their answers from Harvard Business Case studies, they've never actually had to generate revenue.

Companies fail because they don't listen to their customers and nobody knows what customers want like the people who spend their lives taking to customers.

Posted by: JackStraw at November 22, 2021 08:33 PM (ZLI7S)

202 Anyone here ever read the history of Vernon, California?

It's incredible. For decades, *every* time an outsider would run for city council, that individual would find themselves arrested on some bullshit charge. Over and over and over again.

You'd think these psychopaths in power would realize their angle is easy to spot, but they don't GAF.

Posted by: qdpsteve at November 22, 2021 08:33 PM (L2ZTs)

203 I will say it here and now. I owe my exsistence to people that love horses and have a lot of disposable income.

Posted by: Ben Had at November 22, 2021 08:33 PM (JTyUy)

204 I'm interested in taking both a Real Estate Agent course and a casino/poker dealer course.
Posted by: qdpsteve at November 22, 2021 08:02 PM (L2ZTs)

Neither of those are trades. Realtor is basically a selling job, and it is also a very, very crowded field. Casino dealer? Basically a jumped-up waiter. And the last place a gambler should work is in a gambling environment. Can you say "moral hazard"?
Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at November 22, 2021 08:10 PM (P3gRi)


If you've got 2 brain cells to rub together, you're already ahead of more than half of the RE people. I believe the attrition rate is around 75% in the first couple of years. Yes, it's a sales job, and yes, it's 24/7. But if you're a people person, you can help people with their single largest investment. You can negotiate and beat up the other agent. And you can make an absolute killing - or just a little extra. Highly recommend finding a good mentor, which will put you in the top 15-20%. As far as dealer - that goes against my moral compass, but I can certainly see the lure. I think I'd find it too depressing after a spell, just judging from my limited time watching.

Posted by: clutch cargo - processed in a facility that may contain lead at November 22, 2021 08:33 PM (wAnMi)

205 At small businesses, not franchises, I see older people. With no younger help.

One single person garage gas station near me is closed every other Saturday due to lack of help. He is about my age.

Posted by: NaCly Dog (u82oZ) at November 22, 2021 08:33 PM (u82oZ)

206 Old Papa said he would never hire an MBA

"They know less than they think, and want more than they're worth"

Posted by: Miklosian Management Principle #1s at November 22, 2021 08:34 PM (QzkSJ)

207 Because most of the titans of industry are Chinese and all the USA has are titans of services and internet bullshit.
Posted by: sniffybigtoe at November 22, 2021 08:28 PM (7cRTM)

Ayn Rand was way too worshipful of Rich, Powerful Men. Even though she pretended she wasn't.

Posted by: Tom Servo at November 22, 2021 08:34 PM (evAgx)

208 HR is a pack of communist partisans trained to dissemble America from the inside out.

Posted by: Braenyard at November 22, 2021 08:34 PM (ET3Lq)

209 clutch, thanks. Now that's reasonable advice.

Here's the thing: there's no perfect path. Any choice will have rewards and pitfalls. And every choice that's worth pursuing will likely be crowded with others, unless I want to go into a field that'll take at least 10 years to enter, and I don't have that amount of time to commit.

Posted by: qdpsteve at November 22, 2021 08:36 PM (L2ZTs)

210 called him a grifter back during the Georgia election.
=====

A grifter, did you say?

Feeling pretty confident that this blog is anonymous, are you? Think I can't subpoena Ace and Pixy?

I'll sue all three of you!
Posted by: Lin Wood at November 22, 2021 08:29 PM (sGnvY)
********
Bwhaha.... I just spit out my drink reading this.

Posted by: redridinghood at November 22, 2021 08:37 PM (NpAcC)

211 nood !

Posted by: sock_rat_eez (ahosz) at November 22, 2021 08:37 PM (ahosz)

212 I read on FB that Lin Wood completely sold out and badly served Kyle while he was on trial.

Posted by: qdpsteve at November 22, 2021 08:37 PM (L2ZTs)

213 I've been doing what i do now for over 40 years. I have a professional reputation that goes beyond my own company, and into our major competitors. I have been the coach or mentor to a pretty large number of engineers in those competitor companys througj working joint contracts. This year, i was nominated for technical fellow in my own company, with supporting letters of recommendation from vice preside ts of engineering from three of oir major competitors.

Professional industrial respect has a ton of why i stay where i am. All three VPs made it clear to me that i was welcome i their company if I ever left my place.

HR, and the left tards that run it everywhere are in my opinion the 100% probkem in the workforce. They, and they alone, have the position of authority to shut down all this woke shit causing turnover and stress. There is only so much that informal leaders, like me, can do to keep the wheels on the damned bus turning.

Posted by: BifBewalski @ (IJES/) - at November 22, 2021 08:38 PM (IJES/)

214 disassemble

Posted by: Braenyard at November 22, 2021 08:38 PM (ET3Lq)

215 This is what I mean about MBAs being bad for business. Many analysts don't even really know what's wrong because they don't understand sales, they don't understand customers and demand. They get their answers from Harvard Business Case studies, they've never actually had to generate revenue.

Companies fail because they don't listen to their customers and nobody knows what customers want like the people who spend their lives taking to customers.
Posted by: JackStraw at November 22, 2021 08:33 PM (ZLI7S)


I'd be a multi-multi millionaire right now, if my company hadn't sought venture funding which put 2 wet behind the ears stanford MBA's in charge. Instead of being industry leaders we were following other (losing) dot coms, because these idiots weren't looking at OUR client base or collected talent, they were looking at other companies with inferior products. They wanted the quick easy route. Burned through several million dollars in 2 months. Lost our patents, and I got fired for finally telling them what I thought. Yeah, ComicCon, Dark Horse, Marvel, DC, all that shit? Nobody is going to want that stuff. 1998, when they all needed to get online, but didn't know how.

Posted by: clutch cargo - processed in a facility that may contain lead at November 22, 2021 08:38 PM (wAnMi)

216 As for the Market Ticker post on non-institutional pop run rate, it's unfortunately now locked for non-subscribers, but I remember it. This is the figure that is everyone who is at least 16. To leave this count, you have to expatriate, go to jail (you rejoin when you get out), go to a nursing home, or die. The author said he's been calculating the annualized run rate every month for 20 years. It's been pretty steady at 2.1M growth for a while. Fell a bit last year, of course, but recovered to 2.1M by the end of the year. This year, starting in March, it fell again. In Sept, the last month he had data for at the time, it was 900k. So that's 1.2M people missing in the last year. What happened to them?

Posted by: Mrs. Peel at November 22, 2021 08:38 PM (8548M)

217 JackStraw, my whole business is predicated on hopes and reality. I never tell my customer that the dream they bought will ever becomes a reality, even if it means I don't get paid.

Posted by: Ben Had at November 22, 2021 08:39 PM (JTyUy)

218 I'll sue all three of you!
Posted by: Lin Wood at November 22, 2021 08:29 PM (sGnvY)
********
Bwhaha.... I just spit out my drink reading this.
Posted by: redridinghood at November 22, 2021 08:37 PM (NpAcC)

ROFL - just read that Lin Wood is threatening to sue Kyle's Defense Attorney Richards, because Richards said that Wood was "an idiot".

I think he just proved Richards point.

Posted by: Tom Servo at November 22, 2021 08:40 PM (evAgx)

219 Posted by: clutch cargo - processed in a facility that may contain lead at November 22, 2021 08:38 PM (wAnMi)

We should have a beer sometime. We have things in common.

Posted by: JackStraw at November 22, 2021 08:40 PM (ZLI7S)

220 "Ayn Rand was way too worshipful of Rich, Powerful Men. Even though she pretended she wasn't."

I don't agree. She was worshipful of productive effort. It wasn't about the worship of power with her philosophy, or raw wealth. It was about human creativity and productive achievement being a driver of happiness for an individual, that just so happens to also benefit society in general through the jobs, music, art, and wealth that are created as a by product.

Posted by: CoolHandLuke at November 22, 2021 08:41 PM (U2+zT)

221
Mrs. Peel -- IIRC, he mentioned that in several posts. Do you have the title of the main post on that? I was going to search for it, but it will take a while.

Posted by: publius, Rascally Rapscallion (Mzdiz) at November 22, 2021 08:41 PM (Mzdiz)

222 Hmm, Louie Gomert is going to run for AG of TX.

Posted by: Infidel at November 22, 2021 08:42 PM (pA4Ca)

223 >>JackStraw, my whole business is predicated on hopes and reality. I never tell my customer that the dream they bought will ever becomes a reality, even if it means I don't get paid.

I'd hire you to sell for me anytime, Ben. You are a natural.

Posted by: JackStraw at November 22, 2021 08:42 PM (ZLI7S)

224 What Kyle didn't mention is that Lin Wood and Pierce are both in litigation w the family to take possession of the $2million bail. It was channeled thru Pierce's law firm, Wood says he raised it, but others raised money, too, like Wendy's $500,000.

Posted by: EveR at November 22, 2021 08:44 PM (MUpk6)

225 222 Hmm, Louie Gomert is going to run for AG of TX.
Posted by: Infidel at November 22, 2021 08:42 PM (pA4Ca)
======

That's stupid.

Posted by: Braenyard at November 22, 2021 08:47 PM (ET3Lq)

226 Dilemma. Talked to the bank about a refi. Seems not worth it. Interest from 3.8 to 3.1. Save $70 per month but cost is almost 4k. 30 yr.

I was looking into it since got a pay cut of 20%. Job options locally slim in my field.

Posted by: Infidel at November 22, 2021 08:49 PM (pA4Ca)

227 This goes against the deflationary cycle that some pointy head fools like to tout as being imminent. The combination of demographic change (declining population everywhere except Sub-Saharan Africa) and the fantastic cost savings/productivity gains from solar and other green miracles will cause sustained deflation which stems from increasing productivity. Increasing productivity is the only way we increase our living standards. Declining productivity however (also known as reality) shatters this narrative. Good article.

Posted by: BigBoreCore at November 22, 2021 08:49 PM (Nyumu)

228 Posted by: clutch cargo - processed in a facility that may contain lead at November 22, 2021 08:38 PM (wAnMi)

We should have a beer sometime. We have things in common.
Posted by: JackStraw at November 22, 2021 08:40 PM (ZLI7S)


Besides utter contempt of our fellow man? I'm in!

Posted by: clutch cargo - processed in a facility that may contain lead at November 22, 2021 08:50 PM (wAnMi)

229 It would put the mortg. under $600 per month.

Posted by: Infidel at November 22, 2021 08:50 PM (pA4Ca)

230 To be clear, what Denninger is tracking there, and he's posted several pieces about it, is the addition to a workforce number. He calculates that number from the BLS job stats.

This number started running very low starting this year, meaning for some reason people aren't being added as normally. I forget the details, but what it means is there are a lot of "missing" people who should have been added, but didn't.

Only way you can get off this number is to leave the country, be put in an institution (nursing home, prison, etc) or die.
Posted by: publius, Rascally Rapscallion (Mzdiz) at November 22, 2021 08:02 PM (Mzdiz)

==

It's simple. They left the workforce. About 5 million of them. The two biggest groups being retirement aged women and women with school age children. Home schooling has doubled, and the wives are realizing that their paycheck paid for childcare, restaurants, and taxes. They aren't coming back.

Posted by: Black JEM at November 22, 2021 08:50 PM (V6xwG)

231 Home schooling has doubled, and the wives are realizing that their paycheck paid for childcare, restaurants, and taxes. They aren't coming back.
====

Bad for the economy, good for society.

Posted by: Geronimo Stilton at November 22, 2021 08:54 PM (sGnvY)

232 Vax mandates are now very dangerous. Once the 6th circuit slaps Garland around one more time, every employer with a vax mandate is going to get sued for every adverse reaction their employees have due to the jab. Pharma is protected, and the government is the government. Hospitals may survive it, if they have enough employees to staff their facilities, but for a still experimental vaccine they may not wiggle through with the health care exemption.

The trial lawyers smell blood. They see a huge payday coming. If you are an employer you can encourage, but if you mandate it and an employee has an adverse reaction your screwed.

Posted by: Black JEM at November 22, 2021 08:54 PM (V6xwG)

233 Geronimo - I think you are probably right. An interesting side bar is that this will hit GDP negatively. That means none of the Biden infrastructure bills are paid for, because revenue is headed down. It also means long term the welfare state is closer to bankruptcy that previously thought.

Posted by: Black JEM at November 22, 2021 08:58 PM (V6xwG)

234 Is productivity down because diversity is happening or are they just wasting time talking about racism in the workplace?

Posted by: Tmitsss at November 22, 2021 09:15 PM (zAbLx)

235 I got to this thread late because work meetings, etc. I'm a leader at my company , and it took me until 2100 to sort my shit out for the day.

At the end of the day, every single point raised in the post boils down to a failure of leadership.

When the C-suite lets the HR department run the company, this is what you get.

Regulations and policies should be guidelines for company leadership. What they have become is barriers that provide cover for managers that do not have the ability to lead.

Change my mind.

Posted by: Foamy at November 22, 2021 09:39 PM (qc4S0)

236 Posted by: Foamy at November 22, 2021 09:39 PM

Foamy the Squirrel?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AmD_8cBqhW0

Posted by: Clyde Shelton at November 22, 2021 09:46 PM (Do5/p)

237 Meh. Covid just empowered the slackers and management is spineless and scared shitless.The productive are still working but they only constitute 30-40%. Work at home is a silly fucking boondoggle. There is no way WFH will ever match office productivity. Welcome to France.

Posted by: MikeN at November 22, 2021 09:54 PM (D/qyW)

238 Joe, it really IS the mandate for those of us who hate it and refuse to bow down, refuse to be test animals in a huge medical experiment. Especially such a dangerous one.

The racism crap is also infuriating, but the gene therapy injection goes light years beyond it. It's medical rape.

Posted by: Beverly at November 22, 2021 11:07 PM (yxNSg)

239 I retired early - 31 March, the year of "two weeks to flatten the curve." I made the decision before COVID - my boss screwed me over three times in one day, so I put in my retirement forms (electronically). She was pinged by HR and she called and said, "But you told me you would wait until the end of the year!" I told her you just started to pile the crap on me, so goodby. In the last year I was there, I had two ER actions filed against me, was told my 90 day Acting Deputy Position would be extended indefinitely with no pay increase, and a Washington Office reorg and realignment with no input from the field. I lost 10% of my retirement pension and gained immediate health and peace of mind. The market has done well and I have yet to tap my 401 or start SS. My one regret, and free advice - not enough ROTH; max out your ROTH. I was in a Gvt Agency - Gvt leadership and supervisors, by and large, are untrained, unmotivated and too timid to make effective, hard decisions. COVID hit that last month I was there - I thanked God I had made the decision I did. Everyone I worked with who is still there is miserable. One killed himself. Save lots to have options. Thanks for listening.

Posted by: Johnny Lanctot at November 22, 2021 11:26 PM (FYjHU)

240 The healthcare sector has become this in spades. Megalomaniac CEOs and their underlings making all kinds of noise about how their nursing staff and MDs are "healthcare heroes," then cutting staffing to the bone and expecting the remnants to do more work for same or less pay. RNs jumping ship to become travelers, where they can make more money in a few months than their hospital was willing to pay them for a year's work. MBAs treating RNs and MDs with poorly-concealed contempt.

I'm fortunate to have FU money, but I don't relish where this train is going, or what health care will be like in a few years. My dad, who was also an MD and loved his profession, would weep.

Posted by: Dr. Mabuse at November 23, 2021 01:11 AM (0612U)

241 The other aspect is trust. High performance requires sticking your neck out to get things done. But, when the company has made it clear they would rather kill you, than risk not closing on the contract, that trust becomes much harder.

Posted by: Voyager at November 23, 2021 01:46 AM (u5PZm)

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Milestone: Oliver Willis Posts 400th "Fake News Article" Referencing Britney Spears
Liberal Economists Rue a "New Decade of Greed"
Artificial Insouciance: Maureen Dowd's Word Processor Revolts Against Her Numbing Imbecility
Intelligence Officials Eye Blogs for Tips
They Done Found Us Out, Cletus: Intrepid Internet Detective Figures Out Our Master Plan
Shock: Josh Marshall Almost Mentions Sarin Discovery in Iraq
Leather-Clad Biker Freaks Terrorize Australian Town
When Clinton Was President, Torture Was Cool
What Wonkette Means When She Explains What Tina Brown Means
Wonkette's Stand-Up Act
Wankette HQ Gay-Rumors Du Jour
Here's What's Bugging Me: Goose and Slider
My Own Micah Wright Style Confession of Dishonesty
Outraged "Conservatives" React to the FMA
An On-Line Impression of Dennis Miller Having Sex with a Kodiak Bear
The Story the Rightwing Media Refuses to Report!
Our Lunch with David "Glengarry Glen Ross" Mamet
The House of Love: Paul Krugman
A Michael Moore Mystery (TM)
The Dowd-O-Matic!
Liberal Consistency and Other Myths
Kepler's Laws of Liberal Media Bias
John Kerry-- The Splunge! Candidate
"Divisive" Politics & "Attacks on Patriotism" (very long)
The Donkey ("The Raven" parody)
News/Chat