I now work in the non profit world after 20 plus years working in the private sector, most of it in telecom in the finance and accounting arena. I'm dabbling in COO stuff now including IT and HR. I only know enough about HR to be dangerous but one thing I'm finding out quickly is how neutered companies are by employment law issues when it comes to firing and layoff situations. It's almost impossible for companies to pick and choose who goes based on the best and/or brightest workers. Opens them up to huge liabilities. Companies do plenty of stupid stuff but much of it is driven by our overly litiguous legal environment.

Good luck to you and everyone, this economy is going to get worse before it gets better.

+1 to what Jerry says. I have had to make, and seen decisions that from a business stand point are wrong, but from a legal stand point the only solution.

Good to luck to you, and I hope you hear one way or anything. Nothing is worse than being strung along.

2 down, one took an early retirement package (happily) and the other was shown the door. This leaves a big gap and a lot of work for the rest of us, and may make for some interesting opportunities.

So, looks like I'm not going anywhere for a while. One thing's for sure: sure was great to not be in a panic about it.

Thanks for all the kind words folks!

Whew.... Sigh of relief, eh Jake? Good to see you rode this one out. You're right about the opportunities for those who are left. As long as you don't get worked to death!

The company I left in August was in a bind. They knew, for several months, that they would have to reduce staff if a particular contract did not come thru. They didn't tell anyone. In fact, they blatantly lied about the situation even when everyone was sitting home with no work. They didn't get the coveted contract.

Fired 50% of their staff on a Friday. Paid them for the following Monday to ship their computers back to the home office. Good, productive people who had relocated at their own expense for the sake of the company. Families with kids, mortgages, etc. I found their handling of this situation to be morally disgusting.

It was especially nice when I quit later, effectively dumping them. However, I gave two weeks notice. Far more respect than they showed their own staff.

The economy will get worse. Guaranteed. We'll all live thru it. It will be tight and unhappy, but we're going to get thru, just got to be ready to hang on...

angela

Glad to hear you're still there. I got laid off 3 weeks ago.

I've done very little the last 3 weeks and it was everything I thought it would be. I've never been more relaxed- I feel great!

Good for you! Give em hell.

Jake,

Glad to hear you've not been "out-placed" (God I hate that expression!)

I must admit when I got 8 months notice (plus a nice package), I had a feeling of panic, but the work I've done in the past few years has been far more rewarding (both personally and monetarily) than my last few years with the dairy.

I think your feelers into other fields will pay big dividends for you, (if not immediately, then down the road), as you come to realize you can get paid to do things you love to do.

BTW: Is the 4 Runner on the road?

All the best.
Les

The 4Runner can not be on the road. Jake has not sourced a suitably powerful diesel engine for it. He thinks he has, but he hasn't. ;)

So now, it's not only illegal to discriminate based on age, race, gender, religion, or sexual preference, but it's also illegal to discriminate based on capability? That's scary. Is this a common problem? I mean, across the country? I wonder if that explains anything?

As I see these layoff threads, I'm more and more grateful for my own job. We're not hiring as many people this year as we were planning on hiring, and I suspect that raises will be a little smaller than normal, but there isn't any hint of letting anyone go. I guess I should "hold my thumbs?" (Thanks for the foreign expression, I love it.)

Congrats on keeping your job, Jake. It turns out that Karma does work. ;)

Dan

Yeah I am glad I've got a couple balls rolling. My radio spot worked out well, they are going to make it weekly and looks like I'll get paid for it. Could be a fun path to explore.

YES! Passed the safety inspection on Wednesday, registered and insured. It's not perfect, not that I want it to be, but for the most part it's juts some squeaks and rattle I want to chase down... and the gas mileage is horrible... 14mpg. It's running rediculously rich.

Not going to spend too much time sorting the engine though. Now that I have it rolling, I can start getting my diesel swap planned out.


LOL, I am tellin ya, the VW 1.9 will be fine for now. I had a chance to pick up an older Toyota 2.2l diesel, but decided against it. I have 4 vw 1.9's in my garage (hidden!) right now, so even if it's a bit small, it makes the most sense for now.

A Benz om617 5cyl diesel swap is REALLY appealing, but nothing's on the market yet. I can order a VW-toyota adapter plate & flywheel and have it here in 8 days.

Jake,

Check out the thermostat or the temp sensor on the Toyota. It might not be getting warm enough (or not getting a signal) to get off the 'Cold Idle' circuit.

Will you put a plow on the beastie?

I just got a 30hp New Holland this fall to replace the Kubota, but I can certainly wait to see if the new blower works.

When does "Mrs. NFN get back from the Middle Kingdom?

Les

It's getting plenty hot; a full 91*C and the heater will make you SICK. But yeah, the cold idle circuit has a different temp sender, I think. I have the manual, but have spent more time in the brakes, suspension, wiring diagram sections. I'll do a bit of troubleshooting next week, probably. I just don't want to get into throwing parts at it, knowing the engine will be pulled soon. Then again, its thirst is pretty expensive. Even once it's fully warmed up, if I floor it I get black smoke.

I'm on the lookout for a good used 6 or 5' plow, electric over hydraulic preferably. Last year I spent $440 on getting my driveway plowed, so a used plow would pay for itself pretty quick. I'd do my friend's house down the road too, he could pay me in tasty beverages.


Wow a new holland, eh? With a blower, no less. any pics? I wish I had enough property to justify a tractor. I'm hoping that over time I can talk the family into something like an old $2500 9N up at the cottage. It would fit in real nicely up there. Then again, so would a nice steam launch, and maybe a gyrocoptor. They know my tricks.


I pick up Mrs Notfarnow in Bangor tomorrow afternoon. I had to put down the wrenches today, and pick up the dish towel, mop and vacuum. It looks like a bear broke into the house.

*Update*

Round Two... 500 heads this time!

Hold onto yer hats!

Jeez, what a way to live! Good luck!

You're telling me! Our director got gassed this afternoon, and two others I know this morning. Makes sense, you take the people who have been dedicated and worked hard to get into good positions, and you let THEM go.
R I G H T

According to the call I was just on, they aren't setting their sights on middle-rung wonks like me for another week or two. Sweet! We get to wait it out. Meanwhile, I'm working late to finish up a project that is short-staffed because of the last round. Seriously, working for The Man sucks sometimes.

Jake, my wife and I got fired by the new Governor last week, along with 150 other state employees. Hope for the best, but plan for the worst.

They knew they were laying me off on Oct 31st. I was ridden hard that week to get a lot done, including working until 2am the night before I was let go. Geez what a bunch of a-holes.

Anyway, a bunch of people have left and they are screwed now!

Wow talk about bad timing, getting dump while taking a dump.

I think there a country and western or blues song in those words, "I got the old blues because I got dump while taking a dump.......

Two weeks ago today I was told my contract would not be extended, giving me a tad bit less than 36 hours' notice. Twenty-four hours later, my contract was extended for sixty days while they figure out what they're doing. In the meantime, there is evidence they are TRYING to figure out what they're doing....and failing. In most industries, relationships are an important part of the job. In my industry, relationships are virtually the entire job. They are now busy learning this. I still don't know whether my contract will be extended beyond the 60 days and won't know for a while, but I do know what the correct decision would be. Let's see if they get that figured out.

In the meantime, even though my industry is extremely tiny (like.... maybe a half-dozen position in my metropolitan area), I'm a cool as a cucumber. I guess it's my age. And my understanding of the industry. But I just sure wish they would give me some indication that they have a tiny bit of this mystery figured out. I'll say no more for now.

Except that I have the same view as Jake. Worst case scenario.....I'm still better off that most of the folks I can point to on the street. Nobody starves in this country. My daughters and grand daughter are well. I've got three Porsches in various states of disassembly. Eleven gallons of homemade wine and four cases of homemade beer. I'm charming as hell. Life is good. Plus....I think that old guys like me are just plain hard to scare (I'm 51). I've had my guts kicked out on numerous occasions. There ain't a pitch life can throw at me that I can't hit.

51 is the new 41. 51 isn't old, maybe old for your grandfather and father who smoked three packs of Camel unfilter ciggy because Joe Camel was cool. Shlt call yourself an old fart when you are really old.