Signs Of The Times: Proof Positive The System Is FUBR

That would be "fucked up beyond recognition" for those who aren't familiar with the acronym.

Just today, here's what I have encountered:

**A friend of ours, who has been looking for work up and down the valley for the past 3 years, who also happens to have a Business/Finance degree, very bright, excellent work and volunteer experience, has finally landed a job. In what field? Real estate. Yikes. She could come directly out of the book I just read, Bait and Switch, about today's displaced white collar professional who often ends up in real estate because they are unable to find anything else. I haven't had the heart to tell her the facts about real estate: that nearly 3/4 end up leaving the field and only 20% or so end up making a decent living. And need I mention the current real estate market?

**I was looking for counseling services for a neighbor of mine who doesn't have a computer and doesn't speak fluent english. I found a local agency that provides counseling services to members of the community on a sliding scale fee and was flabbergasted to read, in order to qualify for services, you must subject yourself to a urinalysis, which is absolutely outrageous in and of itself, whereby they want you to prove you are not only drug free but alcohol free as well. My neighbor, who enjoys a glass of wine with dinner, told me to tell these people to "fuck off", in her native tongue I might add.

**In my phone calls and networking, I have discovered 6 local acquaintances are also looking for work. Can I scream "fuck" loud enough?

**And hey, the Fed lowered the interest rate again yesterday. And we's gots those rebate checks comin' in the mail before the summer solstice. Yep, that will do's the economy real good, eh.

**Speaking of the economy: There are people bitching online about local businesses leaving town because people refuse to patron them, refuse to buy local. Newsflash: it ain't that simple. Buying local is often more expensive than buying from the big stores and places that sell imported items. Need I remind these folks that not all of us make a living wage, that some of us are actually living in poverty right here in Mayfuckingberry, US of A? Some of us can't afford that $3.70 container of locally produced sour cream, especially when there's one for $1.29 sitting right next to it. So newsflash for local businesses: if you want our patronage, reduce your prices or, at the very least, become politically active and speak up about the GROSS WAGE AMOUNT LOCAL EMPLOYER'S ARE PAYING THEIR WORKERS. Honest to the universe I am fed the fuck up with this issue NOT BEING DISCUSSED. It's one of THE most important crises of our current economic times. That being said, one of the big contributing factors businesses leave is the expense of doing biz here locally. I have worked for two small local employers who both told me they have never lived in a city that makes it so flippin' difficult and expensive in which to do business in.

FUBR. There ya go.