This doesn't have much to do with unemployment, except that I heard about this on the radio this morning while driving to my latest job interview:
A tall and wealthy man in Birmingham, one of Detroit's wealthiest suburbs, is advertising for a wife. Actually, according to the Detroit Free Press, after about a billion bad blind dates, he's paying a New York matchmaker to search for a wife for him.
Candidates must be beautiful, brainy, have a good body, a balanced life, and be at least 5'6" tall. And they have to pay $50 in fees to and interview with the matchmaker.
Well, I am tall, smart (two college degrees), and single. And I need a job ....
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Good news, bad news
Bad news: I didn't get the job I wanted to get.
Good news: I have an interview tomorrow morning for another job.
Good news: I have an interview tomorrow morning for another job.
Friday, April 17, 2009
Quote of the Day
Happy Friday, everyone! Time once again for the WSFAU Quote of the Day.
Today's quote is from President Harry S. Truman:
"It's a recession when your neighbor loses his job; it's a depression when you lose your own."
Today's quote is from President Harry S. Truman:
"It's a recession when your neighbor loses his job; it's a depression when you lose your own."
Thursday, April 16, 2009
We're still number one! Dammit.
Yesterday, the Michigan Department of Energy, Labor, and Economic Growth reported our state's unemployment rate had reached 12.6 percent in March.
According to Crain's Detroit Business: "The new 12.6 percent level was a full 5 percentage points higher than a year ago, when the Michigan rate was 7.6 percent. During the same period, the national jobless rate rose by 3.4 percentage points."
I don't know how to make this funny. I only wish I did.
According to Crain's Detroit Business: "The new 12.6 percent level was a full 5 percentage points higher than a year ago, when the Michigan rate was 7.6 percent. During the same period, the national jobless rate rose by 3.4 percentage points."
I don't know how to make this funny. I only wish I did.
Local Unemployed Olympics
Today, the WSFAU staff and I tip our hats to "The Chad Show" at 106.7 The Fox FM here in Detroit. This morning, they're having an Unemployed Olympics for their unemployed listeners to blow off steam (and win concert tickets). Have fun smashing those computers and printers, guys!
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Happy Tax Day! Or not.
Once again, it's April 15. I've already seen the yearly news coverage of drivers crawling up to the massive Royal Oak, Michigan post office, last-minute returns in hand. I have to go to downtown Royal Oak in a few hours; I may just go down to the post office and watch the fun in person.
Unlike some unemployed people, I TurboTaxed and e-filed my returns the moment I took my former employer's W2 form out of my mailbox. Why? Well, the last several years, I've received a decent refund from the federal government. This year was no different. I even received a modest refund from the state. And of course, being unemployed, I needed the money.
Since I used to work in the city of Detroit, I also had to file nonresident city income tax returns. I owed Detroit the grand total of $2. Which probably paid for a few of the ex-mayor's infamous text messages.
But here's another reason why I'm thinking about taxes today: Unfortunately, unemployment benefits are taxable income (after a certain amount; consult your tax advisor). Here in Michigan, they do give you the choice of having taxes withheld from your biweekly unemployment payments. I am having taxes withheld from mine so I won't be spending April 15, 2010, wondering how I'm going to pay back taxes to the IRS.
Unlike some unemployed people, I TurboTaxed and e-filed my returns the moment I took my former employer's W2 form out of my mailbox. Why? Well, the last several years, I've received a decent refund from the federal government. This year was no different. I even received a modest refund from the state. And of course, being unemployed, I needed the money.
Since I used to work in the city of Detroit, I also had to file nonresident city income tax returns. I owed Detroit the grand total of $2. Which probably paid for a few of the ex-mayor's infamous text messages.
But here's another reason why I'm thinking about taxes today: Unfortunately, unemployment benefits are taxable income (after a certain amount; consult your tax advisor). Here in Michigan, they do give you the choice of having taxes withheld from your biweekly unemployment payments. I am having taxes withheld from mine so I won't be spending April 15, 2010, wondering how I'm going to pay back taxes to the IRS.
Gotta love The Onion
One of my old college friends posted a 2007 The Onion story to my Facebook news feed tonight. I thought I'd share it here: Thousands Lose Jobs as Michigan Unemployment Offices Close.
As I've said here before, Michigan's unemployed don't report to unemployment offices. We file our initial claims over the Internet. Then we call into the unemployment agency's telephone system -- the dreaded MARVIN -- every two weeks.
When I first found this out, it did make me wonder: Whatever happened to all of those unemployment agency counselors and clerks who waited on me the last time I filed for unemployment years ago in the pre-MARVIN era? Did they have to hit the unemployment line? Were they retrained for other jobs? Did they retire? Or do they hand out license plates, drivers licenses, and car titles in the one state department most Michiganders still regularly visit in person: the Secretary of State's Office?
As I've said here before, Michigan's unemployed don't report to unemployment offices. We file our initial claims over the Internet. Then we call into the unemployment agency's telephone system -- the dreaded MARVIN -- every two weeks.
When I first found this out, it did make me wonder: Whatever happened to all of those unemployment agency counselors and clerks who waited on me the last time I filed for unemployment years ago in the pre-MARVIN era? Did they have to hit the unemployment line? Were they retrained for other jobs? Did they retire? Or do they hand out license plates, drivers licenses, and car titles in the one state department most Michiganders still regularly visit in person: the Secretary of State's Office?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
