I watched a segment on the news about outsourcing and hiring employees from other countries here in the U.S. etc. Some white collar workers (programmers to be exact) had to train the H1B visas from other countries that were brought in to learn their job and assume it. Following the training, the U.S. citizens were laid off. It gets scarier everyday. One guy said it best (as close as I can remember): If you sit at a desk, eventually either someone from another country will be sitting there or the desk will be in another country...


>The old term, “Spread the wealth” will change to, “Spread the poverty”. Some analysis’s and executives seem to think that moving jobs offshore is good. It gives Americans the opportunity to increase skill levels. But where are the positions for your effort.
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>An associated topic is, where do my friends with PhD’s and advanced degrees go? Find a new “skill”. Having any amount of experience in our society can make it difficult to change careers.
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>The benevolent approach offered by some American companies is interesting. I have been reading this for years. Such companies are criticized for how they treat offshore employees. Many of these companies will state how they provide transportation, meals, education for the children of workers, day care, and a number of other benefits to offshore workers. All American workers are expected to provide these things for themselves. I enjoy this triple standard. Present the picture you want to the group you are facing. This sounds like politics.
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>American workers take care of his/her own needs. Offshore workers are either exploited or given a red carpet.
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>Whatever sources of labor you report on take into consideration the executives and the difficult life they enjoy trying to make a positive impression on next quarters earnings and profits. What management wants is to enjoy the lofty heights of the skyscrapers and a status symbol and life style to match it while the working class is relegated to caves throughout the bowels of the world.
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>I took many Sociology courses in college and loved the terms they use. One such term is “The Haves and the Have Not’s”! This is a social/economic division that is rationalized for a number of reasons.
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>When I became one of the 60,000 unemployed electronics engineers living and previously working in Silicon Valley from 1990-92, I created my own term. That term is “Used to Haves”! A “Used to Have”, is a person who had a good paying job, education, owned a home, had a wife and children and contributed over 40% of his/her income in the form of taxes, then found him or herself unemployed. Good by American dream! So much for years of education. You may as well have never gone to school or worked. You are about to loose it all baby, and nobody cares!
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>So to everyone out there I wish you luck. Each of will have a path we can look back upon and reflect over the decisions we have made and the experiences that are unique to each of us. Happy survival to all. Above all keep a smile on your face and a good sense of humor.
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>One small source on this topic:
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>http://news.com.com/2009-1069-964069.html?tag=nl