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A place with more jobs than people!

This morning, I discovered a magical place where they say there are more jobs than people to fill them.

It's a little town called Pinedale, Wyoming, where the county unemployment rate is a mere 2.1 percent. Let me say that again: 2.1 percent. That's almost the opposite of Michigan's 12 percent!

This mountain town of 1,412 has more jobs than people, according to ABC News, thanks to a natural gas field just south of town.

But I'm not packing up and moving from my present town of Ferndale to Pinedale just yet.

For one thing, Pinedale sounds very outdoorsy. The county Chamber of Commerce says the area's recreational opportunities are hiking, hunting, horseback riding, and other "adventure opportunities." I like hiking and horses all right (even though I rarely ride horses). But I've never hunted (for anything much except bargains at Target), and I haven't been fishing in about 20 years. My last "adventure opportunity" was driving on I-696 at night.

For another, the local paper's web sites warn potential newcomers right off that apartment and house rentals are 1. expensive and 2. hard to come by.

Lastly, my experience with natural gas is limited to paying my utility bill each month.

However, if you're an outdoorsy type who needs a job and who's always dreamed of living out west -- and who wouldn't mind working on a ranch or on the gas fields -- go for it!

Quote of the Day

May Day! May Day! No, no need to take cover: It's Friday, the first of May and time once again for our weekly Quote of the Day.

Today's quote is from Orson Scott Card:

"Unemployment is capitalism's way of getting you to plant a garden."

That didn't take long

According to WDIV-TV and WXYZ-TV's newscasts here in Detroit, the now-bankrupt Chrysler L.L.C. has already shut down three to four assembly plants in Warren and Sterling Heights, Michigan.

Supposedly, Chrysler was going to shut its plants on Monday. But suppliers already won't ship parts to the company.

To quote one worker walking out of one of the plants, "Where's Lee Iacocca when you need him?"

An anniversary

I realized I celebrated a major anniversary yesterday: My college graduation.

I won't say how long it was since I graduated from college, but I listened to this album that summer. You can do the math. (Gosh, I'm old.)

I graduated with no job into the midst of a recession. If you asked me that day what I'd be doing now, I would not have said I'd be unemployed in the midst of another, even worse, recession.

Or "blogging" about it all on something called "the Internet."

I read the news today, oh boy

General Motors announced this morning it is slashing 23,000 jobs, closing 40 percent of its dealerships, and dropping its Pontiac brand, all by next year. Which is only going to add to unemployment.

In unrelated news, the dreaded swine flu may have moved into Michigan.

I think I'm going to quit watching the news.

Quote of the Day

TGIF, WSFAU readers! Time once again for our Quote of the Day.

This week's quote comes to us from Edward Heath:

"Unemployment is of vital importance, particularly to the unemployed."