Amidst all this chaos and uncertainty, things seem to be doing fine up here in Canada. 🤣 I mean, it's kind of a boring place to live, but most of the people I know here seem to have alright lives. I have no idea what the job market up here is really like though, because quite frankly, I haven't bothered to get off my ass and get a job (long story short, I'm still in high school and I think I have a bit of an immaturity complex 😜).

Judging by how things are going in the rest of the world though, I say that unless something really drastic happens to fix everything, society as we know it is fucked. 😜

It depends a lot what industry you work in. I made the switch last year, going back to Uni and moved into another Industry that's a lot more secure. Especially in IT, here in Australia there is a lot of outsourcing going on. Also many companies are fed up with training people form the ground up because they just job-hop after a while. So instead they rather pay a lot more, but get someone with the right qualification and experience form the get go.

And that's why you have a lot of unemployed graduated, yet the companies are talking about a skill shortage. Thing is it's not hard to solve both these problems if there was some sort of agreement that suited both parties. Like, we will train up graduates with no experience, but some of the income is kept in a fund and if they leave those funds stay with the company (training costs).

I can understand companies. I've seen it happen again and again. People begging for a first job and BAM after 6 months they are gone. Employers have really shot themselves in the foot by doing this.

Skilled and experienced people have no issue finding work, but the inexperienced graduates are finding it very tough.

I have to disagree that things are well in Canada. Canada has copied pretty much all of the same mistakes that the US made. Mainly deregulation of the banks (in denial), a huge housing bubble (in denial), outsourcing and importing everything from China (crappy tire). Canada is usually about 5 years behind the US, and the housing bubble has yet to pop. I moved back to Canada for a few years because all of my friends told me how "great" the economy was. I guess from a Canadian perspective that is true, considering the economy is usually in a recession. The attitude about real estate investment is just as stupid as it was in 2006 in the US. I found life in Toronto was pretty miserable. I know people with masters in EE and P.eng, and they barely scraped by. That said, the healthcare system isn't as horrible as what Americans deal with, and people are a little less insane.

Anonymous Coward wrote:

I have to disagree that things are well in Canada. Canada has copied pretty much all of the same mistakes that the US made. Mainly deregulation of the banks (in denial), a huge housing bubble (in denial), outsourcing and importing everything from China (crappy tire). Canada is usually about 5 years behind the US, and the housing bubble has yet to pop. I moved back to Canada for a few years because all of my friends told me how "great" the economy was. I guess from a Canadian perspective that is true, considering the economy is usually in a recession. The attitude about real estate investment is just as stupid as it was in 2006 in the US. I found life in Toronto was pretty miserable. I know people with masters in EE and P.eng, and they barely scraped by. That said, the healthcare system isn't as horrible as what Americans deal with, and people are a little less insane.

So what you're basically saying is, things are going to turn to shit up here in less than a year. Greeeeeeeeeeeeeeeat. 😜

Dammit Harper, why are you so insistent on making us the 51st state? 🤣

Nobody knows exactly when it will happen, but it will happen. The same fate awaits Australia, South Korea, and any other developed country that had large increases in house prices without corresponding increase in income that hasn't yet had their housing bubble burst.
China also has a massive housing bubble, but as a developing country they can recover with wage increases. Also most people pay 100% of the cash up front for residential real estate. For the people who do get mortgages, it's 35% down payment and 6% interest. Quite frankly China has problems much more serious than a housing bubble. I worry more about dying from pollution, dangerous food, and getting hit by crazy taxi drivers.

Harper is a real turd for sure, but the Liberals are equally corrupt, and NDP is a little bonkers. I was pretty disappointed with the last election.

With wages and the job market stagnant as cost of living and inflation go up, things aren't good. Whenever money becomes harder to make AND at the same time, the value of each individual dollar drops, many people lose motivation and decide to settle for whatever they can have. I don't believe we're heading to hell so much as to a nation of mediocrity. Happiness is down, cynicism is up. It's time to get creative.

Anonymous Coward wrote:

Harper is a real turd for sure, but the Liberals are equally corrupt, and NDP is a little bonkers. I was pretty disappointed with the last election.

That's pretty much how I view it too, though granted I have just a tiny bit more confidence in the NDP and Green Party than I do in the Conservatives or Liberals, but only a tiny bit. 🤣

Jack Layton was a pretty cool guy. I think he was the only real hope for the NDP. Too bad he's dead.

Anonymous Coward wrote:

Jack Layton was a pretty cool guy. I think he was the only real hope for the NDP. Too bad he's dead.

I know, right? He was one of the most awesome politicians ever, and probably the only one I'll ever truly look up to.

Anonymous Coward wrote:

Nobody knows exactly when it will happen, but it will happen. The same fate awaits Australia, South Korea, and any other developed country that had large increases in house prices without corresponding increase in income that hasn't yet had their housing bubble burst.
China also has a massive housing bubble, but as a developing country they can recover with wage increases. Also most people pay 100% of the cash up front for residential real estate. For the people who do get mortgages, it's 35% down payment and 6% interest. Quite frankly China has problems much more serious than a housing bubble. I worry more about dying from pollution, dangerous food, and getting hit by crazy taxi drivers.

Harper is a real turd for sure, but the Liberals are equally corrupt, and NDP is a little bonkers. I was pretty disappointed with the last election.

I understand that at this point there is no way out and there hasn't been one in decades except for the system to finally implode. There are people who's job is to predict and fallow the trends even they are clueless as to when it will finally collapse. To many factors both internal and external to consider so it is anyone's guess as to the timing but with certainty the party won't go on for much longer. When the system fails international trade will be the first thing to go along with any standard of living that most enjoy. The majority will lose their jobs and everything they own. The money will be worthless so the government will assume control, food shortages will be common place so the government will take control over the food supply as well. The utilities will also breakdown but not total so only the upper classes and the elite will maintain their comforts. Communications like the internet will be cut off as well all mobile services. Overall the average Joe is screwed and things will only get worse. Political and religious intolerance will bring huge problems to America (pretty soon) and Europe will be no different.

So here is a few small scraps to get a few started.
http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-112hr6566i … 112hr6566ih.pdf

http://www.scribd.com/doc/76792648/929str-Mason

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/muslim-brothe … em-from-israel/

http://vimeo.com/45229049

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_e … d&v=sk2Lfgh1c4Q

http://www.filmsforaction.org/News/Gulf_seafo … arm_scientists/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_e … d&v=3IWobUWh_Hk

🤣

Mississippi town sued over 'school-to-prison pipeline'

http://www.cnn.com/2012/10/24/justice/mississ … rss_igoogle_cnn

Wow, lot of disasterbating going on in this thread.

nforce4max wrote:

The education system is a complete joke now days and getting semi decent jobs require masters degrees in addition to several years experience for entry level positions.

THIS. And the worst thing about it, of course, is that even the meanest of technical college certifications, never mind a full university degree, now costs a fortune. And jobs people can make a living at that don't require a great deal of education don't really exist anymore, there are very few industrial jobs left here in Toronto, the west end is full of abandoned factories. I was considering becoming a mechanic out of high school because I didn't want to sit in an office, but even that requires a lot of work and $$$ investment- highly disproportionate to the meagre amount one makes and how hard one has to work- before anyone will even take you on as an apprentice.

I have some optimism that at least the Conservative Party may be booted out of power now that Justin Trudeau is probably going to be the leader of the Liberal Party, but I still have very little hope that things are going to get anything but tougher for young people. Not that my generation seems to mind, with very few exceptions we're essentially marching down the exact same road our parents took. 🤣

Anonymous Coward wrote:

I'm not one to "shut up and take my medicine", and if anything people need to make more noise not less. Right now a lot of the noise you hear comes from special interest groups, not from the average working Joe. There will be no change unless people organise and demand protection from abusive practices of financial institutions and large corporations. Why should I do what's good for the country (hard work) when my employer is effectively committing treason by outsourcing, insourcing, offshoring and offering sweat shop like working conditions? They force Americans to compete against 3rd world labour. This is effectively turning the US into a 3rd world country. It's been a slow transition over the last 30 or 40 years, but it's getting there. I say if the bastards don't want to build factories in the US, and don't want to hire Americans, they shouldn't be allowed to do business in the US either. Hang them from the street lamps.

Fucking AWESOME my friend ^^

sliderider wrote:

GXL750 wrote:

Screencap of an old commercial from the 1990s. Such bright futures imagined! […]
Show full quote

Screencap of an old commercial from the 1990s. Such bright futures imagined!

What you're not taking into account is that many of the people in upper management at McDonalds started out at the store level, did well, and got the attention of higher ups in the company so being on the McDonalds crew isn't as bad as it seems.

Sometimes. I worked at one for 3 years and regularly did a good job and managers regular told me a i did a good job. I never got a raise. However it was job and I made enough money to buy computers when i wanted too but, never would have been enough to live my own. Some of the higher ups did start at store level and were cool to work with others were ass holes and regularly impeded progress and or improvement.

Even though I am battling with the ups and deep lows that come with depression I would just settle for getting it over with rather than seeing a lifetime of suffering. I hate how things can slowly drag on for years with no hope and no end in sight. The people in this country get worse by the day and one needs a gun wherever one goes. The TV is nothing but retards on game shows and talking heads on the news channels with campaign adds for "commercials". It makes me sick how stupid people are that by voting for this prick or that idiot would make this country a better place.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLRQvK2-iqQ

And that's another things working at McDonalds definitely makes you depressed. Also George Carlin tells it like it is.

I really didn't care much for George Carlin's earlier work, but his later material was pretty spot on. He also wasn't a big fan of baby boomers.

.fantasista. wrote:

nforce4max wrote:

The education system is a complete joke now days and getting semi decent jobs require masters degrees in addition to several years experience for entry level positions.

THIS. And the worst thing about it, of course, is that even the meanest of technical college certifications, never mind a full university degree, now costs a fortune. And jobs people can make a living at that don't require a great deal of education don't really exist anymore, there are very few industrial jobs left here in Toronto, the west end is full of abandoned factories. I was considering becoming a mechanic out of high school because I didn't want to sit in an office, but even that requires a lot of work and $$$ investment- highly disproportionate to the meagre amount one makes and how hard one has to work- before anyone will even take you on as an apprentice.

I have some optimism that at least the Conservative Party may be booted out of power now that Justin Trudeau is probably going to be the leader of the Liberal Party, but I still have very little hope that things are going to get anything but tougher for young people. Not that my generation seems to mind, with very few exceptions we're essentially marching down the exact same road our parents took. 🤣

I remember watching the Michael Moore documentary when he talks about Airline Pilots. Up until seeing that film I always believe a commercial pilot would be very highly paid. It requires massive bollocks, perfect physical condition and mental stability, clean bill of health, lots of training and carries a massive responsibility. Then I learned that they are so underpaid that they will rarely finish paying the debt they create in their training. So they take a second job. And who wants a man/woman who just finished a late shift at McDonalds to suppliment their income flying their plane for 11 hours?