[geeks] Socialized medicine [was Re: nVidia 8800GT for Apple Mac Pro]

[Lionel Peterson]

On May 26, 2008, at 1:17 AM, Phil Stracchino <alaric at metrocast.net>  
wrote:

> Lionel Peterson wrote:
>> Unemployment rates are at 4.5-5% here right now, using the only  
>> measure available.
>
> Except that it's not the only measure available.

I forgot to add "to me" - I assumed the Dept. Of Labor had other  
statistics...

>  The "official" unemployment rate includes only one category:   
> People who lost their jobs and are receiving unemployment benefits  
> or government-provided retraining.  If your unemployment benefits  
> have run out, you're no longer considered unemployed.

Not true, as others pointed out, you are still unemployed, you simply  
are not part of the "growth rate".

> Which is sort of like saying a systems failure after the sysadmin  
> has gone home for the night doesn't count. Likewise, if the only  
> work you can get is a single four-hour shift at MacDonalds per week,  
> you're considered employed.  (A single hour per week gets you out of  
> the "unemployed" list, in fact.)

Working to earn money IS employment. Cripes, what's next - folks that  
work below their state's poverty level are unemployed? (they are not,  
they likely are under-skilled or under educated)
>
> There is another figure also provided by the Dept of Labor, which  
> includes people whose benefits have run out and still haven't found  
> work yet, and people who don't have jobs and want them, but have  
> given up looking because they can't find work (there's a special  
> term for them; the DoL calls them "discouraged workers").
>
> That figure is rather higher ... it's currently running about 13%,  
> if memory serves.

I find it hard to believe that one out of every eight americans are  
unemployed. Where do stay-at-home moms figure into that statistic?  
College students? Mentally challenged adults? Retirees?

I do not understand how you can get any accurate statistics about such  
a diverse population...

Lionel