Unemployment among Americans goes up, again!

But TGS, without the purchasing power of the average American, "corporations" as you disparagingly look upon them would not have any customers, other than the rich!

By the way, during the great depression (ca. 1932-42), which took longer to get to rural Mississippi than other places, my father was placed in a position to hire workers for a lumber business.

He hired the workers @ $.50 a day, for work that began at sun-up and ended at sundown, and was six days a week! So, let's see, that amounts to $3.00 per week or about 12-13 dollars per month! And Carol posted a figure in 1915 of; "In 1915 a family of 6 could live well on $768 to $900 a year" But it seems that these men were some how able to live in the 1930's with a yearly income of only $145-48 per year, and take care of their family! (12 X 13)

Just how was that possible? My father had no shortage of possible workers, some were willing to work for $.25 per day!

You see, people were so desperate to just work, that they would work for very little! Actually they would manage to eat, etc., because at home the wife and children also worked and raised crops, and pigs, etc.!

Workin used to be something a man did out of pride, if nothing else!

It was a virtue unto itself!

When my father was a young man, there were almost no, I repeat "NO" game animals left to hunt! They had almost all been hunted into extinction! This goes for rabbits, squirrels, racoons, as well as birds, and deer, etc.!

Thus was the depresson era in N. Mississippi! But, no one starved, because it seems there were always others that helped, and they helped one another! Some of them would have been considered as "rich" by the way!

Some of them, of course, moved with their feet to places promising good jobs at good pay! But most of that was false!

Deer, and all other game animals are now considered as pests in most of Mississippi! That is becuase now they are plentiful! Possibly there exist more deer and raccons, and birds, today than in any period of time in this area of the world?

Some times I feel tired trying to explain things to some of you?

Edited by opuslola - 09-Sep-2010 at 16:56

Originally posted by opuslola But TGS, without the purchasing power of the average American, "corporations" as you disparagingly look upon them would not have any customers, other than the rich! By the way, during the great depression (ca. 1932-42), which took longer to get to rural Mississippi than other places, my father was placed in a position to hire workers for a lumber business. He hired the workers @ $.50 a day, for work that began at sun-up and ended at sundown, and was six days a week! So, let's see, that amounts to $3.00 per week or about 12-13 dollars per month! And Carol posted a figure in 1915 of; "In 1915 a family of 6 could live well on $768 to $900 a year" But it seems that these men were some how able to live in the 1930's with a yearly income of only $145-48 per year, and take care of their family! (12 X 13) Just how was that possible? My father had no shortage of possible workers, some were willing to work for $.25 per day! You see, people were so desperate to just work, that they would work for very little! Actually they would manage to eat, etc., because at home the wife and children also worked and raised crops, and pigs, etc.! Workin used to be something a man did out of pride, if nothing else! It was a virtue unto itself! When my father was a young man, there were almost no, I repeat "NO" game animals left to hunt! They had almost all been hunted into extinction! This goes for rabbits, squirrels, racoons, as well as birds, and deer, etc.! Thus was the depression era in N. Mississippi! But, no one starved, because it seems there were always others that helped, and they helped one another! Some of them would have been considered as "rich" by the way! Some of them, of course, moved with their feet to places promising good jobs at good pay! But most of that was false! Deer, and all other game animals are now considered as pests in most of Mississippi! That is becuase now they are plentiful! Possibly there exist more deer and raccons, and birds, today than in any period of time in this area of the world? Some times I feel tired trying to explain things to some of you?

Originally posted by opuslola But TGS, without the purchasing power of the average American, "corporations" as you disparagingly look upon them would not have any customers, other than the rich! By the way, during the great depression (ca. 1932-42), which took longer to get to rural Mississippi than other places, my father was placed in a position to hire workers for a lumber business. He hired the workers @ $.50 a day, for work that began at sun-up and ended at sundown, and was six days a week! So, let's see, that amounts to $3.00 per week or about 12-13 dollars per month! And Carol posted a figure in 1915 of; "In 1915 a family of 6 could live well on $768 to $900 a year" But it seems that these men were some how able to live in the 1930's with a yearly income of only $145-48 per year, and take care of their family! (12 X 13) Just how was that possible? My father had no shortage of possible workers, some were willing to work for $.25 per day! You see, people were so desperate to just work, that they would work for very little! Actually they would manage to eat, etc., because at home the wife and children also worked and raised crops, and pigs, etc.! Workin used to be something a man did out of pride, if nothing else! It was a virtue unto itself! When my father was a young man, there were almost no, I repeat "NO" game animals left to hunt! They had almost all been hunted into extinction! This goes for rabbits, squirrels, racoons, as well as birds, and deer, etc.! Thus was the depresson era in N. Mississippi! But, no one starved, because it seems there were always others that helped, and they helped one another! Some of them would have been considered as "rich" by the way! Some of them, of course, moved with their feet to places promising good jobs at good pay! But most of that was false! Deer, and all other game animals are now considered as pests in most of Mississippi! That is becuase now they are plentiful! Possibly there exist more deer and raccons, and birds, today than in any period of time in this area of the world? Some times I feel tired trying to explain things to some of you?

Well, I am doing a little better than TGS in seeing something to converse about, because I am no spring chicken, you old goat. 

What do you think you explained? 

The figure for income that I gave, was about living well.  I got the information from a 1916 book titled "Poverty and Riches- A Study of the Industrial Regime", by Scott Nearing, Ph.D..   The pictures in this book are really great.   One is about the coal famine and is a picture devils escorting the old and young to hell.  A little girl says "Please, good Mr. Devil, fetch my mamma, too.  It's so nice and warm in your house."   Poverty kills.  And the death rate for timber workers was so high, men would stand waiting in a line for someone to be killed, so he could have the job.  It is hard for us to wrap our heads around people waiting in line for jobs with a high death rate, but then we are not living with the deaths resulting from poverty.  High risk jobs were a better chance of surviving than no job.   I helped clean what was the paupers area of a cemetery, several years ago, and felt closer to those who died during the Great Depression, than a book would lead me to feel.   I worked in mass graves of children, who died when disease spread and their malnourished bodies just couldn't  fight off disease.  You can bet your stars, under these conditions a father would risk his life for 50 cents a day.  It is one thing to go cold and hungry ourselves, and something else to feel helpless when our children are cold and hungry.

What was the point you wanted to make?  

Seven tenths of population in the study had wages less than $750 a year and that was in good times.   It was before unions got strong enough to change things.  Yes, people managed, and in Oregon the wilderness was the supermarket for most people. I know when rifles were handed down through the family, and given to the son's as a rite of passage.  Our population was relatively low, so we didn't face a shortage of game food, but I do understand the changed mentality of depending on supermarkets instead of hunting and fishing.  I had clients whose families homesteaded this area.  There were no supermarkets nor much industry.  Today we have homeless people living off the city like rats, instead of people living off the land.  This ability to move west and exploit the wilderness, made our nation better than the old civilizations where people don't have this option.     

Have you tried living off the land lately?  I don't like geese or possums because they are too greasy.   If I have to eat game meat I want onions and possibly apples to cut the gamy taste.
The fishing ain't want it used to be, but in all in all, Oregon is pretty much a garden of Eden.  Now I am feeling guilty.  I should have been harvesting my garden hours ago, but it has been so much fun sharing with you all.   bye


Edited by Carol - 09-Sep-2010 at 22:42

How looks unemployment picture in USA now?

Those figures have been toasted.  They don't reflect those who have been unemployed for a year.

Friends, Romans and country men, haven't we seen these problems before?  

Here is some good news! Less that 250,000 new applications for un-employment happend last month! Whew! Am I relieved!

Regards,

Nice post above by TGS!

Yes the farm subsides that exist are a product of both party's!

Funny isn't it that cotton is grown in what were at one time deserts in the West? And just how did that happen? Well they were given almost free fresh water from Federal Water sources, to irrigate the cotton crops!

Where as, at the same time, cotton farmers in Mississippi, Arkansas, etc. were paid off to "not grow cotton!"

Sadly farmers have been the most Socialist controlled part of American for many years!

But most farmers also vote Conservative!

Weird eh?