"Another day older and deeper in debt..."

[kentuck]

The latest unemployment stats reminds us of the old song, Sixteen Tons, from the 1950's. Yeah, he's working his ass off shoveling sixteen tons of coal per day with a shovel, down on his knees, but he just keeps going deeper and deeper in the hole, literally and figuratively.

They don't mention the hundreds of thousands, like myself, who are not included in any unemployment stats and who have had intermittent employment for the last 4 years. Those of us that are just hanging on and will eat dirt until this dictator is out of office. We will survive. But the unemployment rate was intentionally driven down around last Christmas when the Administation decided they would not extend benefits. It was a memorable Xmas present for many unemployed. And now, many of those folks are neither employed nor counted in their bright, shiny 5.5% unemployment stats...

Or that many have serious health problems which present an obstacle to getting employment, and are trying to buy just enough medicines to survive on, not what is needed, and are waiting in line to try and get into the VA office for an examination to see if you can qualify for some type of health benefits, since it was so long ago that you went to Viet Nam, and you wait patiently to see if you qualify for any help from your appreciative government.

[jpgray]

1. 'St. Peter don't you call me, 'cause I can't gooooooo!'

'I owe my soul to the company stoooooooore.'

(doo doo doo doo bum bum bum buuuuuuum)

Sorry. :silly:

[On the Road]

2. A Coworker of Mine Grew Up in That Environment

A large coal mining family in a company town in West Virginia. The mining company was the landlord and owned the retail stores. They even used company scrip instead of dollars.

[kentuck]

3. I remember the scrip....

About the size of a half dollar, sometimes with a hole punched in , made out of brass. Everytime you loaded a ton, you got your scrip. Then when you walked out of the hole in the evening, you could stop at the little "store" set up by the owner and buy yourself some flour, corn meal, lard, beans, salt and staples to live on until the next day...

[brokensymmetry]

4. Was the town named "Bushville"?

'cause it sure sounds like where we're headed. :(

[On the Road]

5. Seriously, Kenuck?

Did you personally work the mines? That's quite an experience.

[kentuck]

8. No. my Dad was a mule driver in the mines.....

and I used to go to the mines sometimes with him when I was a kid... It was close to Harlan and Whitesburg and Kayjay.... I can remember some mines so small that you had to crawl on your hands and knees because the seam was so small. I used to help my Dad cut timber to hold up the slate and rocks to keep them from falling on you. I can remember him working for 50 cents an hour back in the 50's... $20 per week. $40 dollars a week was good money...for nine kids in a wooden shack on the hillside...

But I have brothers-in-law that work in the mines right now..

[On the Road]

9. I Have Only Seen Coal Mines as a Tourist

and respect anyone who could work under those conditions. I went to high school in Cincinnati and had some friends from a similar background.

I'm actually surprised Kentucky is so Republican. The coal mines have been such a bastion of unionization that you would think labor issues would be more important.

[The Commie]

10. The Rethugs and fundies have...

...suckered rural people them into believing abortion, Gays, and School prayer is more important than feeding thier families. Rural folks tend to be conservative socially, but very liberal, almost socialist, economically (I am a rare rural Sociall liberal).

[Toots]

6. I have relatives in Harlan Kentucky

They are in coal mine country. Gotta say it ain't my cup of tea.

[seabeyond]

7. us, we are just staying level

just trying to make it through without the first shovel of dirt for the hole

figure we can hold on another 6 months or more. but man, i would like to be buidling up, then staying even. though better than digging hole. i hear ya

husband doing business, started as economy was taking. told him last nite, just gotta hold it together a while longer baby