Income up in Tulsa

[cannon_fodder]

quote:Originally posted by AMP

allowed them to gain the most from the Earned Income rebate

Its not really a "rebate" if you get more out than you put in.  Stupid governmental doublespeak. []

[AMP]

My point exactly.  The "Rebate" was stolen from the monies collected from the business owners and other tax payers.  Thus the highest modern day tax on small and mid size businesses in the history of the United States. Well, other than when Congress first enacted the Federal Income Tax Codes.  

[Conan71]

quote:Originally posted by AMP

I spent a winter weekend keying all the descriptions, codes and rates out of the NCCII book into a database so I can quickly search for the proper code, rate and description.

I guess you couldn't do something more exciting like watch the grass grow since it was winter, eh?

[Lister]

quote:Originally posted by AMP

I spent a winter weekend keying all the descriptions, codes and rates out of the NCCII book into a database so I can quickly search for the proper code, rate and description.

Yuk! Whatever you make, you certainly earn it AMP.

[AMP]

May of been the winter weekend before or following the Chili Bowl and the Shootout. LOL

I could not find it online or on CD so I just made my own, by God.  "Lead, follow or get out of the way".  LOL

Goes back to the rule of thumb.

5% of the people make things happen.
15% of the people wonder what happened.
80% of the people have no clue anything happened.

"You create your own destiny"  Bob Buck-1986

Enough chatter, I must get back to working on our October opening round of competition for our Winter Series, and get these people in our office to selling some advertising for the programs so we can make payroll this month. LOL

[Double A]

quote:Originally posted by rwarn17588

Here's a something I've always wanted to ask about workers' comp:

I don't completely buy into the notion that lawyers are the sole reason that workers' comp rates are so high in Oklahoma.

Is it because many companies in the state are too careless about safety?

Is it because Oklahoma has more lesser-educated people and thus more of them are working blue-collar, hazardous jobs?

Is it this less-educated populace that takes more unsafe risks on the job?

Is it all of these things?

                                              1099 worker misclassification. Employers cheating the system by not paying in.                             http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvnAjQP-VIM

[cannon_fodder]

I disagree DoubleA.  The vast majority of workers are corrected classified and employers correctly pay.  Certainly the problem is not TWICE as bad in Oklahoma as it is in neighboring states.  If it is, then fine the offending parties instead of taking it out on law abiding companies that try to do the right thing.

For the record, the video you linked to is a generic training video.  It has nothing to do with why OKLAHOMA is worse than other states.  Not to mention, perhaps it is the poor and expensive system that leads to the cheating... not the cheating that leads to the poor system.  In any event, it offers nothing to explain why Oklahoma is worse than others (it never even talks about Oklahoma).

"These contracts are making great profits off of the backs of these poor guys that are not making a living wage."  The video spends as much time talking about profiteering and bad contractors than about the causes of the problem.  Watching that video one would walk away with simplified understanding that contractors hate workers so they cheat the government.

I digress...

I'm tried to figure out what is wrong with the OK workers comp system and have never gotten a straight answer.  For some reason, its a political question instead of a practical one.  I don't know I'm afraid.

[AMP]

Problems with Workers Comp in Oklahoma

Picture a very large pool of money available, with straws provided for sucking the money into your industry.  

One group pointed to liberal work comp judges, aggressive plaintiff attorneys, insurance companies such as the state fund that had no dog in the fight as the large pool of money was the money from the employers and not theirs.

Plaintiff and Defense Attorneys would sit at the work comp court and exchange payment envelopes, as one would benefit the other at the expense of the businesses in Oklahoma that pay into the fund.

Management pointed to lack of controls on predatory employees that were seeking the "next claim" or an attempt to gain 100% disability.

Thrid party administrators commplained it was the "dueling" doctors syndrome, hospitals and medical groups with high charges that performed unnecessary procedures running up the costs per accident.

Labor pointed blame at the employers for not having proper safety training, proper safety guards on equipment, and lack of educating employees about hazards at the worksite.  That sparked the interest of the State Universities and County Vo-Tech schools.

With som many different groups tugging at the money in the pool, it became a major political battle.

The Reform introduced by Mary Fallin came in many shapes and sizes, it included controls on medical costs, training, set percentages for attorney fees, and fraud investigation.  But as with most rules written other methods of sucking funds from the pool were discovered.

And from the "Reform War" ashes came a new animal named Rehabilitation.  That involves the State Universities, County Vo-Tech and others who now have their piece of the pie, shared with the attorneys, doctors, insurance reps, TPAs, that is called workers compensation.  

Texas offers a totally different approach to work comp.

http://www.workerscompensationinsurance.com/workers_compensation/texas.htm

Current Reform articles:

http://www.insurancejournal.com/magazines/southcentral/2005/07/04/partingshots/57829.htm

http://www.legalreforminthenews.com/StateProfiles/OK/OK_Workers_Comp_6-8-05.html

[aoxamaxoa]

Looks like whatever the current situation was or is will change soon. Here comes the results of Bush/Rove/Cheney political shenanigans on the economy.

http://www.financialsense.com/Market/wrapup.htm

This is just unreal. Choppy times are here.

The truth is not known.

As of today the world central banks have injected $1 trillion dollars into the system. That's alot of bad paper that's been temporarily bailed. Real estate is tettering on a major collapse not seen in decades.


Fragile times indeed.

http://www.financialsense.com/Market/wrapup.htm


Don't everyone dive in at once....

[Conan71]

quote:Originally posted by aoxamaxoa

Looks like whatever the current situation was or is will change soon. Here comes the results of Bush/Rove/Cheney political shenanigans on the economy.

http://www.financialsense.com/Market/wrapup.htm

This is just unreal. Choppy times are here.

The truth is not known.

As of today the world central banks have injected $1 trillion dollars into the system. That's alot of bad paper that's been temporarily bailed. Real estate is tettering on a major collapse not seen in decades.


Fragile times indeed.

http://www.financialsense.com/Market/wrapup.htm


Don't everyone dive in at once....

Why not just blame it on Rumsfeld, Powell, or Libby?  Makes about as much sense.

[aoxamaxoa]

Nope. Not the dopes. They are the dupes.

[cannon_fodder]

1) The article you linked to is mostly about risk measurement.  It only mentions the market as being "fragile" in one sentence while talking about tightening capital markets.

2) There has been ~$300,000,000,000.00 in cash pumped into global circulation, not a trillion.  Even the article you linked to yourself says so

quote:having injected $300 billion into the world monetary system in the last two business days

3) and its not "bad paper" its available liquidity... its not as if they just printed $300 Billion and started handing it out.

4) And while I'm at it... a statement without any support is worthless.  It does NO GOOD to just say "Bush caused it" and leave it at that.  Not only is that a ridiculous claim, but as an unsubstantiated comment it doesn't even foster discussion.  Shall I reply with "did not!"

The bush impact on the economy is limited to the tax cuts, the war, and deficient spending.  None of which result tighter credit in private equity markets nor inflated real estate prices.  Since you failed to raise any issues, I'm not sure why I bother with any analysis.



Get your facts correct, then I'll bother discussing things with you.  Even when you get bad news to cheer over you still have to exaggerate it THREE FOLD. And t hank god Tulsan's made so much more money this year, so we can take advantage of the weak markets and buy in.

[mr.jaynes]

quote:Originally posted by Double A

quote:Originally posted by AMP

I doubt if Bob Funk had much to do with a few start up temp agencies on North Sheridan closing up shop.  Nothing against Express, matter of fact the assistant manager of AA worked for us for 16 years prior to moving to Express, where he is today.  I served as the Legislative Representative for the Oklahoma Staffing Industry for three years, and was Vice President for four.  

Would not be so quick to point fingers at the temp agencies that pay daily advances.  Withoug them there would be a much larger gap between the homeless and the day labores.   Remember at that time the companies they serviced were who set the pay rates, not the temp services.  

Trust me, the margins of profit are driven by the total wage, so the higher skilled and higer paied employees earned the agency and it's staff more income.  Most employees in that industry as with the majority of sales driven industries are paid on a commission basis. Just like automotive sales and mechanics.  Perform or go hungry, there is no guarantee.

There are all kinds of jobs that need to be performed in a city, some are better than others.  As I stated, we filled mostly Skilled and Semi Skilled positions, but also had many minimum wage job orders that came in.  Just like a store, some folks want Porter House, others choose not so lean hamburger meat, but most stores offer a wide variety. Why Baskin Robbins had 51 Flavors.    

Most people would be very suprised to see how many people on a daily basis are working for Temp agencies in Tulsa.  We had over 3,200 employees in a single year, and we were one of 35 agencies in Tulsa at the time.

                                              I am choking back the puke. Preaching that temp agencies are somehow altruistic benefactors is completely absurd. If anything, they promote predatory pay day loan companies, subprime mortgages, larger numbers of employees that lack health insurance and a large second class of slave wage service worker serfs.

I gotta agree here, and I'll take it a step further.

When I returned to Tulsa briefly in 2005, I tried out with various staffing firms while staying in the area, tried to get a feel for what they had. I have my degree in computer Science and experience in IT, but they had no positions available (or so they said), no work as a cosmetologist, masseur nor makeup artist; Call Centers were not a good fit for me. Sure, they'd advertise for IT or other things, but the jobs were often "filled" when you came in. Then they would try to send you on other jobs. I personally believe the advertised jobs were not there at all: just a way to build the database, and then "bait and switch." Somehow, while I didn't get the jobs I ideally preferred, I at least got the jobs that I had some proficiency in.

The people who sign with them are at least wanting to go to work (how well they do is not yet the issue), but the people who manage and send people out on the assignments are often a little sleazy and squirrelly. It's best never to deal with them on the phone, but rather in person. They can tell you whatever they want on the phone, even lie and try to sound convincing. But face to face, they dodge and weave and try to sound credible. It's actually fun to put them on the defensive.

quote:Originally posted by TheArtist

Niiiice to know.  All my jobs are temp jobs.  

That "friend I tried to help out" who went to the temp agencies to find work. They kept getting him some really decent jobs, and from what I could tell, they would have been long term positions. I was actually amazed at how quickly they could put him in another job after he blew it at the one before. They weren't temporary jobs, sadly it was just that he was a temporary worker. I think they were starting to get frustrated with him. He was making THEM look bad.

Have to mess up really bad to make people like that look bad!

quote:Originally posted by USRufnex

You characterized your industry as staffers for "the backbone of Tulsa."

I know differently.

You defended your friends and backwoods temp-agency exploitative cronies-- how many of them bought a new speedboat or RV this year on the backs of those working class "losers"?  How HORRIBLE was it for you to be forced to pay your workers a whole friggin' 5.85 per hour?    Sorry, today's 5.85 per hour has less buying power than my 3.35 per hour had back in '82...

Please don't pretend to care about the working poor while defending an industry that has a huge economic incentive for Tulsa to be barefoot and pregnant...

Temp agencies are largely recession-proof.

They have a job... a dirty job, but somebody's gotta do it... that much I understand.

So, a few cheap-aZZ temp agencies started up in response to Tulsa's post-9/11 recession are going out of business in this city?  That doesn't reflect Tulsa's economic failures... it reflects SUCCESS.

I figure, I go in, ask questions about the jobs. If they beat around the bush and either cannot give me a straight answer one way or another, I run as fast as my feet can carry me. Matter of instinct.

[aoxamaxoa]

quote:Originally posted by cannon_fodder

1) The article you linked to is mostly about risk measurement.  It only mentions the market as being "fragile" in one sentence while talking about tightening capital markets.

2) There has been ~$300,000,000,000.00 in cash pumped into global circulation, not a trillion.  Even the article you linked to yourself says so

quote:having injected $300 billion into the world monetary system in the last two business days

3) and its not "bad paper" its available liquidity... its not as if they just printed $300 Billion and started handing it out.

4) And while I'm at it... a statement without any support is worthless.  It does NO GOOD to just say "Bush caused it" and leave it at that.  Not only is that a ridiculous claim, but as an unsubstantiated comment it doesn't even foster discussion.  Shall I reply with "did not!"

The bush impact on the economy is limited to the tax cuts, the war, and deficient spending.  None of which result tighter credit in private equity markets nor inflated real estate prices.  Since you failed to raise any issues, I'm not sure why I bother with any analysis.



Get your facts correct, then I'll bother discussing things with you.  Even when you get bad news to cheer over you still have to exaggerate it THREE FOLD. And t hank god Tulsan's made so much more money this year, so we can take advantage of the weak markets and buy in.

I agree about buying in weak markets. Timing is the issue. How long will this last and how deep will it go?

Worldwide, there's been over a trillion pumped into this mess. So far.

They call it bad paper. That's what it is becoming....

The Bush impact includes confidence. That will surely fade away.

[Conan71]

quote:Originally posted by cannon_fodder

Get your facts correct, then I'll bother discussing things with you.  Even when you get bad news to cheer over you still have to exaggerate it THREE FOLD. And t hank god Tulsan's made so much more money this year, so we can take advantage of the weak markets and buy in.

Aox rule #1- never let facts get in the way of a good story.

Aox rule #2- see rule #1.