Feb 2010 - 150,000 jobs lost due to... SNOW!

Brace your selves.. for the dumbest article ever posted on CNN (which is a pretty hard title to take, considering .. it's CNN..)

Snowmageddon could cost up to 150,000 jobs in February

Economists estimate that between 90,000 and 150,000 jobs could be lost in February, as the snow kept people home from work and stalled hiring during the month

Analysts had been expecting good news on the jobs front, forecasting that payrolls would expand.

Instead, both people who have jobs and those who were set to start new positions couldn't get to work because of the weather. As a result, they'll file for unemployment benefits.

I know what you're thinking: HUH??

But there we go .. if next months report comes out that Feb has had a massive tanking in jobs, don't blame the firing process from temporary holiday workers (who traditionally get laid off in Feb-March) .... blame Snow.

According to these astute and esteemed economist, the snow (approx 12-18inches on the Eastern Seaboard) will leave all those new hires at home, stranded and unable to get to work. Now, according to these geniuses among economist, these people will then trudge through the snow (presumably on foot?) to local Unemployment Offices and become first time benefit seekers. Say what? Yes, that's right.. those unable to get to work will walk to the unemployment office instead and file a claim.



90,000-150,000 expected jobs lost or not started due to this storm.

Now, having come from Ohio, I know we have ... salt trucks, plows and an assortment of ways to get back on the road.. I've only ever seen one time in 23 years that work was canceled for more than 2 days.

"The storms will have a tangible impact on the hiring process, which is impeded when people can't get out and businesses are closed" said Stefane Marion, National Bank Financial's chief economist. Marion originally expected that the economy would add jobs in February, but he now estimates that a total of 150,000 jobs could be lost because of the storms, at least temporarily.

I mean, you have to ask your self. WHO THE @$! ARE THESE PEOPLE?

Washington DC (where it's being called snowmagedon or whatever) has 17 inches of snow.

In December of 2009 DC had 16 inches of snow.

150,000 jobs were not lost. Well. Associated to snow anyways, I should say..

Don't worry though. Unemployment is still expected to decline in February, even with 150,000 jobs lost.

money.cnn.com...

Edit to put in me link.

[edit on 2/12/2010 by Rockpuck]

This is quite an interesting claim, since in PA we file unemployment ONLINE and do not go to an unemployment office.

This has been this way for a couple of years now.

A_L

Couldn't it have just cost 535 jobs? Employment could still decline in that case.

Well that is ridiculous but I do have to say that I live about 1 hr away from D.C. and we have been snowed in for the past week, schools and govt. offices closed. Actually the police forced Walgreens to close up for 2 days( they were like the only store open, if you could make it). In my area the snow has been measured from 53-60 inches, that's about 5 feet and I'll tell ya that the snow is past waist high to me. Crazy weather.

reply to post by Rockpuck


As someone who has been trying to dig themselves out, in teh past week, we have gotten 5 feet of snow.

The federal government was closed down for a few days. Part two of the storm ended the day before yesterday and they still haven't plowed my street.

It is a mess, and a nightmare.

If an employer is gonna can you for not being to get out, then they are not anybody you want to work for, even in this recession.

[edit on 12-2-2010 by nixie_nox]

I like this precedent. And let me openly state that I did not win the MegaMillion due to the snowstorms. I expect a check to fix that problem.

Oh and I was going to use part of the winnings to establish a rest home for spin doctors that make zero sense so that they may babble out their crazy talk in dignity, albeit ignored.

CNN really has dropped a few levels down. Their reporting is horrible. And the amateur reporting? Gag.

I think maybe young reporters are really dumb, too. I think the world is becoming more and more complex, and the new hires are not equipped with enough brain power.

eh...they may have a point. it might effect the job numbers.......a little.

but, the damage was there before the storms hit in the jobs picture.

one thing is for sure though, these storms are gonna be costly! and well, I will tell ya something, I live in virginia, moved here from NY. if we got these storms in NY, we'd she plows just about every hour doing down our street, even in the more remote ares. here, it took two or three days before the plow came during the pre-christmas storm. I don't mind being snowed in at home, but well, it has made me a little antsy about going to work if they are forecasting a major snowfall.
I applied for unemployment online too by the way.
and for the person in pa......ummm.....I know someone who's daughter really needed that walgreens open!

reply to post by nixie_nox


But think about it..

If a business is closed.. due to the weather.. they are not loosing money form operation, not loosing money from stocking stock, not loosing money from wages.. the only money lost is that not gained. Why would fire a ton of people?

Government offices sure as hell are not going to fire because of snow.

And while I can see how job GROWTH would be effected, I just cannot imagine how 150,000 jobs would be LOST due to snow.

IMO, a MSM outlet would only make such a drastic and sensational claim to try and cover up the truth .. that people were getting laid off all over the country because retailers were cutting back etc. Now next month, we can all blame the snow.

reply to post by Rockpuck


don't know, I had to miss a day of work because of it, which means my check will be a little less, which means I won't have as much money to spend....

hey, ya think, maybe, these jobs that they see being lost, are the jobs that our gov't was thinking about creating, which well, this snow IS costing alot of money and taxing the cities, which might just need fed funding to keep operating, even if no snow came...so well, now, they won't have the money to create the destined to be permantly federally subsidized jobs that they were wanting to create???

maybe that is what they are saying, but I doubt it. it's the media...
if it sounds good, print it, who cares about the real facts...the masses are idiots who don't think things through, so well...they will believe anything!

reply to post by Rockpuck


I wonder if they researched what jobs were gained because of all this snow. All the small snow removal businesses, towing, car repair.Salt sales, shovel sales.It has been high gear in my area, at unprecenteded levels this winter.

I wonder if they have considered jobs or income gained?

My husband manages an auto parts store, they have gone through windshield fluid and wipers like you wouldnt' believe.

reply to post by nixie_nox


Not to mention everyone surging to stores to empty the shelves. Bet the stores loved that. And unlike 2009, this blizzard occured during the slowest retail season, where as 09 was in December.