[thechat] Kinda funny, kinda sad...

[isaac]

> http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/cx/uc/20010607/ft/ft010607.jpg

reminds me...

so many people in the web industry are out of a job. many are struggling to
find contracts. a good friend of mine just got cut when a web agency (which
was actually doing very well financially) got closed down cos the parent
company wanted to focus on dial-up services.

(my business is surviving most probably because we have not over-capitalised
and brought on employees. we maintain an adequate level of work for the two
people in the business.)

my wife has worked for an educational institution for 5 years (clerical
stuff, information officer, publicity and promotions, office manager, etc),
and is still only offered 3-6 month contracts at a time. ie, not much job
stability at all.


my brother, however, at 19 years of age, with no post-highschool education
or qualifications at all (not to say that he's not intelligent - he
definitely is) has recently had two offers. one is a four-year full athletic
scholarship (basketball) with a division 1 NCAA college (LMU) in LA, worth
around AUD$240k. the other is a two year contract (with options on the next
two years as well), with an attractive educational support package (read:
university paid for), and transport (read: car each year), playing for one
of the top australian basketball clubs.

i'm extremely proud - he can hardly make a bad decision, since they're both
very good opportunities. i'm aware that a career in sport is never
guaranteed, but once he has a degree to back him up, he's in a good
position.

it really got me thinking - wouldn't you love to know where your
money/support was coming from for the next 4 years?

for all those people who've lost jobs and can't find a new one, or can't
find the clients to make it as a freelancer, it must be so tough...


isaac