At the time, he was doing both. Walking the streets in business areas putting in applications, going to the temp agencies, etc. He thought that he could get into a place by doing day labor, and it would give him a better indication of where more jobs were available. It was a rational thought. One that David Horrowitz has said that Blacks should do but don’t because they don’t want to work.

You have no arguement from me on illegals hurting legals.

Which was the thrust of my comment before you took it wrong.

Sometimes to get that foot in the door, one has to lowball his starting price in order to prove his value as a good worker. Think of it as a test drive.

He tried and failed.

Maybe DarkStar’s friend is on the wrong corner?

He has a job now. A government job.

when people have a provincial view, sometimes it’s best to just not bother to answer them–because of their narrow view, they don’t understand subtlety or implications without having them filter through their so-called “intellectualism.”

Now that’s really funny!!!!!

LB, Baldi, and “Uncle Sam” call me a contrarian. And a lot of my thoughts are based on facts, observations, and subtleties.

Thanks for the laugh!

Sorry if I wasn’t clear enough that I have seen such attire.

“In the case of my friend who was seeking day labor work, he was never approached to start the bidding process for a rate.

So one person’s experience speaks for many/most? Has your friend tried temp agencies? Might have better luck by filling out applications & taking a drug screening test, instead of just standing around outside some 7/11.

“I have no problem with that. But what is seriously being ignored is companies willfully hiring people who are not here legally. And they do so because they know that even if they get caught, the penalty is not great.”

You have no arguement from me on illegals hurting legals.

“From what people who do that type of work are telling me, it’s pure economics driving it, not “work ethic”.”

Sometimes to get that foot in the door, one has to lowball his starting price in order to prove his value as a good worker. Think of it as a test drive.

You assumed without any information that would be the attire.

So why didn’t you mention talking to employers in the first place.

I saw no need. But when you asked, I gave the information. I’m terse by nature.

If reality doesn’t meet expectations, then it is expectations that need to change, not reality!

In the case of my friend who was seeking day labor work, he was never approached to start the bidding process for a rate.

I owe my company the best value for its dollars.

I have no problem with that. But what is seriously being ignored is companies willfully hiring people who are not here legally. And they do so because they know that even if they get caught, the penalty is not great.

I say down with unions for the leeches to productivity that they are.

I’m not a union backer, I’m just stating facts as they exist. Illegals are under cutting union wages and non-union wages. From what people who do that type of work are telling me, it’s pure economics driving it, not “work ethic”.

And again, I don’t know what it is about your area, maybe irrational expectations? If reality doesn’t meet expectations, then it is expectations that need to change, not reality!

What’s wrong with a company not wanting to pay higher wages? Supply & demand. The real problem is when people over-value themselves and live accordingly. Reality bites.

I can tell you right now, I have an internal calculation for the pros/cons of hiring a coder either here or over in Romania, China or wherever. If the local rate is more than I’m willing to bear, I will not hesitate to go elsewhere. Again, it’s my perogative. I don’t owe anyone a “living” wage. I owe my company the best value for its dollars.

“Less than minimum wage is better than no wage. And less than the going non-union rate is better than the non-union rate. ”

Huh??? All that tells me is that some are willing and able to survive on less than “minimal” wage. For one, I don’t believe that anyone is working, let alone living on less than $5.15/hr — exception being the self-employed and the gratuity industry. I say down with socialist minimum wages. Just flat out get rid of it and let the market determine its true price point.

And what good is a union wage, when in the long run you’re going to lose the job by the non-union competition? I say down with unions for the leeches to productivity that they are.

honestly, i don’t know what to do. our politicians just don’t &^%@@$ care. even if we promise to vote them out.

Obviously you are very frustrated! I share your frustration. Only one cog in the wheel? Absolutely right. I can call or write my Senators, Congressman, state Senator and rep, mayor and city council representatives and complain (and I have). But it’s tough to be here on an island. If only 1 person acts, not much gets done. And there’s no one else up in arms around here. Here in NC, we always vote for the Republican presidential candidate, but other than that, it’s all liberal, all the time (that includes both our Republican Senators and Charlotte’s mayor, who are 3 of the most liberal “Republicans” I have ever encountered).

The few of us who really care about this can only do what we can, and fervently pray for God to deliver our fading Republic from the impending doom.

Andy, look up the definition of predjuiced. Note that I DIDN’T say racist. In fact, I have yet to use that word on this blog.

From the Marrian Webster dictionary:
http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?book=Dictionary&va=prejudice&x=19&y=12

(1) : preconceived judgment or opinion

Good that you talked to those looking for work. Have you talked to those looking for workers?

Yes, in fact I have. I’ve had a few tell me they can’t find good workers, OF ANY RACE. Then, when I have drilled down, it normally comes down to price. So, it equates to good workers for the price I want to pay them.

The same thing is happening in the tech industry. That’s why H1-B visas are around. There are plenty of people who are capable of doing the work. The companies don’t want to pay the price.

Plus I can’t believe the illegals would hang around up there for minimum wage when they could be living in better weather and making more down South.

Less than minimum wage is better than no wage. And less than the going non-union rate is better than the non-union rate. Day laborers get less than the non-union wage. Plus they negotiate their wage separately.

Your problem is that you walk around with a ‘racism’ hammer

I never wrote racism. Look at what I did write.

Nope. No victim. Just pointing out the problem.

And ditto for girls with jelly rolls hanging over the waist of their hoochie shorts. As a customer, I won’t tolerate being waited on by slobs, such as you describe, and would think twice about patronizing any employer that thinks so lowly of their business that they would ’shock and awe’ my sensibilities.

But I think you’re generalizing about Best Buy, but then again, what do I know? I haven’t been to one in years. Except for the bare necessities, I do all my shopping on eBay and I could care less if the seller works in his A-shirt and boxers with hair crawling out all over the place, as long as the rating is high. So, go ahead and blame me for the decline of stores, as I outsource my business to C_n0_5l0b.

Good that you talked to those looking for work. Have you talked to those looking for workers?

And don’t give me that crock about anyone working for below minimum wages, aside from gratuity or piece-rate jobs.

In 94/95 I worked the day job scene and after awhile, you get to know who can get a job any day of the week and those who can’t even get a job if they paid for it.

The typical job paid $8/hr (construction/warehouse) with the band running between $6 (erecting/dismantling those big tents for special occasions) and $10/hr (clerical/data entry). Granted, this was in Austin, TX — right-to-work State and all.

It didn’t take long to snag a full-time gig hanging sheetrock at $12/hr at a Motorola Fab project from the same company that originally had me working as a general help. And in due time, get bumped up to $15/hr as a “Master Carpenter”.

Secret of my success? Common sense & wits. To get the gig as a Jr. Carpenter is, you have to bring your own tools. Those of us w/o tools saved up and got them then moved on up while the crack-heads stayed behind moaning and groaning about how unfair it was. The jump to Master came by hooking up with Big Willy as my mentor, so that when we moved on to a new project, Will’s word was good enough to make it so. And oh, Big Willy was Black, Christian and respected in spite of being an ex-con.

In fact, I would put the workforce ratio at around 70-20-10 (hispanic-white-black) which probably mirrors the Austin community. When the casino boom hit, many took off for Vegas and $20/hr. Others took of for Atlanta and $18/hr.

Altho it was 10 years ago, I’m pretty confident that wages didn’t decline, because just a couple of years ago I hired some temps to do warehouse work @ $12/hr here in Detroit.

Maybe the problem up in your area is due to other factors, but I seriously doubt it is outright racsim. I’ve seen the 7-11 across the street from the bus station in Silver Spring, MD and I wouldn’t hire but one or two if the need arose. Plus I can’t believe the illegals would hang around up there for minimum wage when they could be living in better weather and making more down South.

Your problem is that you walk around with a ‘racism’ hammer — see something broke, fix it with the hammer.

Also, I think we need a national language: English. I only say English because it would make the most sense. Most people in America speak the language and it would be economically very difficult to change. This recent business of press 1 for English and 2 for Spanish, gets rid of the incentive that past immigrants had to learn the language and interact outside of self-segregated communities.

It is obvious that those young men in London felt more allegiance to their culture than their country. Perhaps it has something to do with the emphasis the west has been putting on ethic pride over national pride. I’m tired of hearing about how the west is so evil and oppressive. That is just pantently untrue. We’re not perfect societies but we are certainly more accepting of each other’s differences than most non-western cultures. For some reason western culture has been on a self-effacing, apologist kick for the last several decades. I think we need to get over it and start teaching our kids about that which makes us great. To take for granted what we have accomplished it to risk losing it. I don’t want that to happen.

Sorry to go on and on … had to get that off my chest.

waste == waist.