Just wanted to see what others from across the nation are thinking on this. I work for a large LTL carrier in the southeast region and things seem to be picking up quite a bit the last three or four weeks. We had to make a good many cut backs because things had gotten so slow but now the work has really made a pickup. I was going home early around 2 or 3 days a week (by choice to help others who needed the hours more than I) but the last few weeks have been working 50 to 60 hours. What do you guys and gals think?

Where my daughter works she tell me they get 100 app a week ?

Nope. Still on a decline work wise for trade shows here in NYC. The only thing that I see doing well are the bailed out banks who haven't paid back their 'govt loans' yet and non-unionized, illegal immigrant construction work. (Lots of picket duty options ...)

But the city is trying to generate revenue thru a 'sweet tax' on soda ... probably to try to bail out the soon to be bankrupt MTA.

nope!!! Been out of work 8 months, about to lose my unemployment benefits as well. been on 4 interviews in 8 months. and what jobs there are is about 40% less then what I made 4yrs ago. been trying to sell anything that is not tied down, furniture, misc stuff, beenie babies. lol I can't even get 15 cents on the dollar for furniture. Good thing I have a big car, now have to decide what color curtains to get for it. considered going back to school, but all I can get are loans, and still need to kick in 25% of costs as well, but without work, not going to happen. Looked into MMI, but have to enroll first in order to apply for what they offer as far as grants and scholarships. Plus I still would need to work, I just can't make a move there, and if nothing goes thru, or can't find a job, I'll be worse off. if there are any cracks, I seem to fall into everyone of them. Mortgage co. is suggesting I sign the house over so not to face foreclosure.

I'm out here in the NW and I'd say things have not significantly improved. If you base "recovery" on the number of people you see out shopping, it is a mixed bag. When the bottom first fell out of the market, Best Buy in our area was a ghost town. I was at Best Buy a couple weeks ago and the number of customers was up, but still not at the previous level. My wife spent last weekend with a friend in an area that is normally busy with tourists; she indicated the area was very quiet. We see an awful lot of empty shops and buildings that used to have businesses and employees. Bottom line, we still have a ways to go in this area.

I'm in the same boat as erbman. Out of work 8 months also, Wells Fargo won't talk to me about a loan modification (!%#$@!*), and they just sent me a pamphlet on what I could do to save my home. No, the economy still sucks and will for some time I'm afraid.

I hate to hear some of the things you guys are going through. I was hoping to hear yall say "yep it's picking up here"! Here in my neck of the woods it's not where it was 3 years ago but it has definately rebounded a little. Hopefully this is a sign of things to come and each and everyone of yall will see improvement.

Hate to say we are still out about 7 years from what history would dictate. If you look at the models of what government calls improvement. It is like watching an ant climb a mountain. I'll bet the politicians have good portfolios building! I can't begin to see how the misspending has helped common folk. Bailout on housing is a joke. It is like Katrina money that just sits cause no one can get it!

No, and as long as there's a politician controlling anything we need it'll be the same answer. I wonder what would happen if we all boycotted voting for these crooks? Would they re-elect/appoint themselves? Would the process turn in on itself? Or would it be business as usual? Oops, forgot our economy is dictated by China, Pakistan, Mexico, Thailand, and Wall Street. Guess we are merely for support. Bitter a little? Yup.

GP

PapaTom wrote:
I'm in the same boat as erbman. Out of work 8 months also, Wells Fargo won't talk to me about a loan modification (!%#$@!*), and they just sent me a pamphlet on what I could do to save my home. No, the economy still sucks and will for some time I'm afraid.

So you too with Wells Fargo, they are a joke. Get different answers from different people in the same dep't. Then, what they call their "Home preservation dep't" the data base is not tied to their collections dep't. Try to work things out with preservation dep't, still get multiple calls a day from collections. Doesn't the left hand know what the right hand is doing? I think not!!! When I lost a job in "06" missed 3 payments, told me that they would put the 3 months on the back end, and renegotiate the interest rate, when it came time to do it, they saved me 36 bucks a month for 6 months, and refused to change the interest. And a few other things they screwed up as well, but not gonna get into that now. One guy even told me to give up my cell phone, so I would have that money to go to them, told them no home phone, so how was I to find work without a phone, or how they would get in touch for an interview. Morons!!