OT: officially lost my job today :(

[Sad Darwin]

Sorry to hear that Mediterranean. America may be the richest country in the world, but what people don't tell anyone is it's all concentrated in a few hands. We have an artificial standard of living propped up by oil and once that depletes, if we haven't used this brief opportunity to develop renewables in earnest, we working stiffs are all simply going to be SOL.

I am very sorry for what discrimination you may have experienced in the US, I assure you that is not representative of the entire US population. The squeaky wheel gets the grease, and the ignorant bastards always seem to get the podiums

The US is most likely fading into the background as far as economic opportunities go. At the moment we're in the eye of the mortgage default hurricane, further bailouts will occur after the next wave as displayed here:



The average pay rate hasn't risen in a decade, energy will continue to become more expensive, factor in coming inflation and devaluation of the US dollar and you have a recipe for disaster. All it would take is the other rich nations in the world to stop trading in (and artificially inflating) the petro dollar. What happens when a country who's population is largely ignorant of history, has a lifestyle expectation/addiction, already has legislation enabling a police state, and endures a massive economic collapse? I think the world has seen this before

I was born in Canada myself, and I'm moving back sometime in the next few years. The US is most certainly on the decline, and you seem to be feeling it first hand. I wish you all the best, and the best of luck. Do what you have to do, even if that means starting again somewhere else.

[Sad Darwin]

I'm guessing your degree isn't in English.

[Gaul]

Benyoucef, wish you all the luck. Keep the chin up, something better is coming around the corner.

[epyon77x]

You'd have to be absolutely insane to enlist in the military. I wouldn't be afraid of getting killed by "terrorist insurgents". I'd be more afraid of dying by the hands of my superior officers.

 

 

I seriously doubt it he would be among the frontline troops especially considering language skills and age...some analytical post seems more likely. Joining the military is always risky but the thing is after his tour of duty he would gain the citizenship and probably have a shot at getting a military sponsored Masters degree. It is a last ditch option but an option nevertheless, especially the way things are with getting employment today.

 

http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/

 

Try chiming in here for some additional info, there is a lot former and current enlisted personnel posting there who could probably provide some info on the options.

[girevik]

My condolences, Benyoucef. Best of luck in whatever you decide and sorry to hear about the racial prejudice.

[Gribs]

Frankly, I don't think your nationality is a key factor at all, so long as you don't go mumbling about Jihad under your breath. Most people will treat you like anyone else if you're polite, nice, and personable to them. I find foreign immigrants of all nationalities to make the workplace more interesting, since I like learning about other cultures, particularly the musical traditions.

 

 

Yep, I work for an international company (3M) that values diversity. The fact that I get to work with people from all over the world is one of my favorite non-technical aspects of the job. I have been out to lunch with coworkers at times when we have realized that every one of us was from a different country (and I the only from the USA). I am working on a project in solar lighting right now that will include an installation in Masdar City, Abu Dhabi. My work group (a subset of our lab) has people in Singapore as well as the USA - all reporting to the same manager.

[Mediterranean]

Thank you all very much for your thoughfulness and eagerness to help. I truly appreciate that:)

PurityControl: I wish you the best of luck finding a new [and better] job.

To answer a few questions:

1. My BA is in French. I also have an Associate degree in science.
2. I am a legal resident ["green card"] of the United States, not a US citizen. The first things I bought when I arrived in the US was a heavy coat and a synthesizer.
3. To be able to teach French, I must be certified; basically a process that takes 2 years after which you obtain a Master's degree. After graduating from college with my BA in 2007, I applied for and was accepted to graduate school but then decided not to pursue that route mostly because of my already significant school loan debt.
4. I am actively seeking new work. I just applied for a job at a company that specializes in developing diagnostic tests and technology for the detection of infectious diseases. They require an AS, which I have.
5. Though I have no professional experience in it, translation remains my dream job. I will keep looking.
6. Shortly after Iraq was invaded in 2003, I received a letter from the government offering me a job to serve there as a "language specialist" for over 100,000 bucks a year. Money isn't everything. Principles are.

Thank you again very much for your support and help.

[Tomkeen]

Hmm, I seemed to miss this thread earlier..

 

Really sorry to hear about your job Medi... I hope you find something better soon. You seem like such a great guy.

[Mediterranean]

Thank you, Tom. So are you.

Get your education while you're still young. You will not regret it:)

[sleepykeith]

getting laid off from a minimum wage job doesn't have to be a bad thing. this is the universe giving you an opportunity to shoot for what will make you happy.
it's scary, but all the worthwhile things in life are.

best of luck.

[CfNorENa]

2. The first things I bought when I arrived in the US was a heavy coat and a synthesizer. 6. Shortly after Iraq was invaded in 2003, I received a letter from the government offering me a job to serve there as a "language specialist" for over 100,000 bucks a year. Money isn't everything. Principles are.

Not one but TWO testimonials to your character! And I'm not sure which one is more impressive!

I'll echo the others and wish you the best.

[Suilebhain]

My wife lost her job yesterday, representing a 40% decrease in our household income and a total loss of benefits for her (they told her when they called that her benefits ended at 12AM that day - last night). So, here she is with a medical condition she is trying to overcome, out on short-term disability, and now no job (or medical insurance).

 

All this, and my job has dangled by a thread for the last two years (I am in public education).

 

I feel your pain, only its my pain.

[ChristianRock]

Suilebhain: is COBRA not an option?

[augerinn]

I have no advice to give. Only sympathy. I was in and out of work for 3 years, and finally ended up where I began 20 years ago...

1 door closes, another opens, and all that happy horse{censored}.

[plaid_emu]

Suilebhain: is COBRA not an option?

[Suilebhain]

She just signed up for COBRA, and it is costing us over $500 a month.

Oh, well. No more toys for awhile, unless I start selling stuff (after I buy my birthday present, that is).

[Numina]

I lost my job 3 weeks ago. Not good, with two mortgages, two cars, and an addiction to synthesizers.

 

As for social services, well, the right-wing would just have you suffer, but right now I'm using two social services which are vital to my existence, literally. I'm on unemployment and Colorado has a great "socialized" medical insurance plan that, without it, I'd literally have to go on disability and welfare and get indigent assistance. COBRA helped me for all its 18 months even when my new employer didn't offer insurance, but I know for many it's very expensive.

 

I'm sorry for all of you in this position, believe me I know how you feel. Just hang in there.

 

Jesse

[plaid_emu]

What is this "medical insurance" you speak of?

[Numina]

It's called "Cover Colorado". It will take almost anyone who has exhausted all other options or has been denied by the corporate insurance world - which I have satisfied both requirements. I have a chronic and expensive medical condition (on the order of $120K per year in medication costs). Without this medication I might as well be dead. I was turned down by 3 insurance companies and one option for me was to literally get a divorce, hide all my money, get a new address, go on welfare and get government assistance in the end anyway, but I prefer to stay where I live and stay married. I know 4 people personally who are on indigent care because the big insurance companies won't cover them and the Cover Colorado still has a premium and deductible out of their reach but it works for me. This is, by the way, a program signed by our Democrat governor and largely ridiculed by the right-wing. Without it I'd be so {censored}ed I can't even imagine it. I'd lose everything.

 

As you can imagine, I am very much pro insurance reform (and not to hijack the thread but this is a critical social service need that I can NOT believe the right-wing continues to want to wipe out for their own American citizens, and it's shameful).

 

J.

[Numina]

Oh, I was going to say, my understanding is Colorado is one of just a handful of states with this option for their citizens. I believe Massachusetts has a socialized system... other states may have something similar, I do not know, but Obama actually came out to Colorado to tout our system as a model for the rest of the country. I didn't even know about it until I needed it and thank Aliens it's here for me. - J.

[Suilebhain]

I think what Plaid_Emu is saying is, "What is this thing called health insurance?", a condition I lived under for roughly 20 years.

The reason why the right wing does these things is because their businesses and the businesses of their buddies depend on an underpaid, under-educated workforce who lives in fear of losing their livelihood and will accept any conditions by which they may remain employed. This is why Reagan worked so hard to destroy the unions during the eight years we had to endure that moron and HIS empire of evil (or was it HERS? I was never sure of that one. Nancy always seemed in control to me) and this is why so many of the jobs people have traditionally taken right out of school are being shipped overseas.

[plaid_emu]

 

As you can imagine, I am very much pro insurance reform (and not to hijack the thread but this is a critical social service need that I can NOT believe the right-wing continues to want to wipe out for their own American citizens, and it's shameful).

 

 

I'm with you man. Except I don't think we need insurance reform. I think we need to cut the insurance companies out of the picture completely. If we cut out the corruption and corporate lobbying BS, even major operations could be affordable. Not to mention all the preventative health care and medical knowledge/technology they're keeping from the masses....

 

Actually, my "What is this insurance.." question was just my lame attempt at facetious humor.

 

I say that because medical insurance in my world is basically a fantasy. I don't make enough to buy any insurance that's actually worth a damn but I make too much to receive "assistance" (and I'm too stubborn to take it if I could).

[plaid_emu]

I think what Plaid_Emu is saying is, "What is this thing called health insurance?", a condition I lived under for roughly 20 years.

 

 

Exactly.

[Numina]

Gotcha, heh, I thought maybe you wanted to know about the plan in case you lived in Colorado or you wanted to investigate in your state.

 

I'm a little worried because, although I don't think he's running with this in his campaign, but I'm pretty sure we're going to lose our Democrat Gov to a republican and it would devastate a lot of people if he pulled this out from the people that need it.

 

Why should a U.S. citizen, regardless of our status, be denied health care? I personally loved what Alan Grayson said about the right wing's plan for people in need of health care is for them to die. I feel like that really is true. People like Limbaugh have all the money in the world to pay for expensive health care. I don't. Anyway, I'm getting soap boxy, good to know I have some support here.

 

J.

[keybdwizrd]

It's called "Cover Colorado". It will take almost anyone who has exhausted all other options or has been denied by the corporate insurance world - which I have satisfied both requirements. I have a chronic and expensive medical condition (on the order of $120K per year in medication costs). Without this medication I might as well be dead. I was turned down by 3 insurance companies and one option for me was to literally get a divorce, hide all my money, get a new address, go on welfare and get government assistance in the end anyway, but I prefer to stay where I live and stay married. I know 4 people personally who are on indigent care because the big insurance companies won't cover them and the Cover Colorado still has a premium and deductible out of their reach but it works for me. This is, by the way, a program signed by our Democrat governor and largely ridiculed by the right-wing. Without it I'd be so {censored}ed I can't even imagine it. I'd lose everything. As you can imagine, I am very much pro insurance reform (and not to hijack the thread but this is a critical social service need that I can NOT believe the right-wing continues to want to wipe out for their own American citizens, and it's shameful). J.

 

 

I am (or was) in a nearly identical situation.

 

I lost my job about two years ago and was on COBRA for 18 months ($1,200/month to cover me and my family). As COBRA was getting ready to run out, I applied for private health insurance. I was totally surprised and shocked when I was REJECTED due to an annoying (yet non-life threatening) chronic condition that I'd been diagnosed with six months earlier. I tried other companies and was also rejected, even after I had two doctors write letters on my behalf. So I bought a policy for my wife and two kids.

 

Ultimately I learned that Illinois has a program called ICHIP - it allows people to purchase health insurance through a Blue Cross / Blue Shield program via the state. It is ONLY open to people who 1) have exhausted their COBRA benefits and 2) been turned down by insurance companies due to a medical condition.

 

So ultimately I was able to buy a policy and keep my ass covered ($600/month just for me), in addition to the policy I got for my wife and kids ($500).

 

In November, I FINALLY landed a job (after 21 months), but there was a 90-day waiting period for insurance. My insurance will finally kick in later this month, and I'll get family coverage for $178/month. Whew.

 

I, too, am a major proponent of insurance reform. These people who scream about the terrors of "socialized medicine" would certainly stop doing so if they found their asses in the same situation as people like you and me. The only thing that saved me was the state's program. Otherwise I would have had to exist on short-term insurance, which doesn't qualify for that whole business of having to have uninterrupted coverage, meaning that if you go more than 63 days without "real" coverage your next insurance company won't cover pre-existing conditions for a year. What a {censored}ing nightmare.

 

Regardless of the above rant, I need to consider myself lucky to have been in a situation where I could actually PAY the frickin' $1200/month insurance for my family while I was unemployed. I know that the truth is most people can't afford that kind of money even if they're eligible. That's why we have what - 46 million uninsured people in this country, which is supposed to be the "best country in the world?" {censored} me.

 

Sorry about the rant and thread hijack, but I just went through this ridiculous nightmare. Health care and insurance should NOT be run by capitalistic, profit-driven companies... imagine if your local police force was run by a public company whose main goal was to drive the stock price up, not necessarily to keep people safe.

 

What a MESS. These politicians who've been dead against any kind of public option for health insurance should all have their {censored}ing hands and feet cut off. {censored} them.

 

Can you tell I'm pissed?