[Parallax]

.........................Can I live on $300 a week....hell no. Don't insult me with your ignorance.

Seems to me 300 is better than 0. Could you post a scan of the help wanted section of your local paper? From what you are saying I get the impression that it is totally blank and I have never seen one like that. Hey Elwood, I don't know anything about you or about your character, so I am not trying to disparage you at all. My point is only that there are an awful lot of people that can't differentiate between "there are no jobs" and "there are no jobs that I want to do"

[pingflood]

You have to keep in mind the guy's in Michigan. The company I work for has their headquarters there and believe me, jobs aren't easy to find. Sure, there are postings, but good luck making your application stand out from the other 300 that are sent in. A bunch of former co-workers are having one hell of a time trying to get by, and many of them can't leave because their house isn't worth shit anymore.

[Blue]

Ritz employees have been saying this for at least 2 years now.

Actually, a Wolf employee told me that in 1989.

[monochrome]

Hi everyone,

Sorry I haven't been around lately...trying to figure out what I'm going to do once I run out of weddings in 2 months (and have no day job), my baby is born and my wife goes on maternity leave (and loses 40% of her income)...and all around the Christmas season.

Well in any case, I was at a local camera store just browsing and started up a conversation with the sales person. He told me about a rumor that's going around that Pentax was getting out of the Digital Camera market and they weren't going to be making or selling lenses any longer. With Ritz Camera pulling all their Pentax merchandise off the shelves I'm wondering if this is true.

If it is I'll be pretty upset...since I recently made a huge investment in Pentax equipment (before I got laid off).

Sorry to hear about your employment situation. The best advice I can give is - make your full-time job looking for a full-time job. Do it 9 hours a day, just like you were working for someone else.

Believe me, few other unemployed people spend their entire day, 5 days a week, looking for work.

As to Pentax, ignore the negative talk. I certainly can't know the motive of the salesperson, but the key word is "rumor." Right now, anyway, Hoya isn't dropping Pentax. They just hit a home run with the K-7. They continue to advance the point-and-shoot line. They have openly and repeatedly stated they intend to develop a value DSLR and prime lenses for outdoors enthusiasts who want high IQ, ruggedness and near-cutting-edge (but not AT the cutting-edge) features.

Sounds kind of like what Pentax has been since the 70's, and what Subaru has been as well. I never hear rumors that Subaru will voluntarily stop selling cars just because the economy isn't very good.

[séamuis]

Sounds kind of like what Pentax has been since the 70's, and what Subaru has been as well. I never hear rumors that Subaru will voluntarily stop selling cars just because the economy isn't very good.

but they did shut down their WRC program. :ugh:

[pingflood]

Actually, a Wolf employee told me that in 1989.

Pentax has been going out of business since the 70s.

[séamuis]

Pentax has been going out of business since the 70s.

its funny, that nowadays that sentiment is almost a badge of distinction within the brand. kind of neat, in an odd way.

[benjikan]

Nahh... he just wants you to become a Canikon user. He makes more money that way....

..and THAT IS the TRUTH!

[Wildnsyko]

..and THAT IS the TRUTH!

Exactly the reason why I bought a Pentax! The guy at Best Best was trying to force a Canon on me. I looked at it, walked out and went to a small local store that sells Pentax. The guy told me all about the camera, but never once did he try to make me buy one. He answered all my questions, let me check it out and I decided myself.

Have you seen the frickin' unemployment rate in Michigan? Have you seen what Obama is doing to the Health Care Industry? Are you all a bunch of idiots who don't pay attention to what's going on? If not let me enlighten you.

14% unemployment rate in Michigan and it's getting higher (the highest unemployment rate in the United States). It's so bad, temp services like Kelly Services are not allowed to hire in Michigan.

Obama is attacking health care and the health insurance industry so a person (like myself) who worked in health insurance for over 2 years gets laid off due to lack of business and has to fight with thousands of others just to get a part time job in retail.

Did I say I'm not looking for work? Did I say I'm sitting on my ass? No. Can I live on $300 a week....hell no. Don't insult me with your ignorance.

Oh yeah, here we go again, it's all Obamas fault, first thing he did when he got into office was say "There's a guy up in Michigan, works in the healthcare industry, takes pictures with a Pentax camera. Do me a favour, ruin his life".

You were trying to tell me a couple of weeks ago what an expert on the healthcare industry you are. Why did they lay you off if you're such an expert? Oh, yeah, I forgot, because of Obama.

Being out of work hasn't stopped you buying lenses though has it? That's what I call getting the priorities right. No job, no home, wife's pregnant, time to buy a new lens.

Let me tell you something, I've got no job, my wife has just had a baby, my medical insurance is just about to stop, I start school in six weeks time and I've got fees to pay. You know who's fault it is? Nobodys, it's just life.

It's about time you started growing up and stopped blaming other people for your misfortune. You're going to be a father soon, start acting like it.

[monochrome]

but they [Subaru] did shut down their WRC [World Rally Championship] program. :ugh:

Indeed - but things like WRC are marketing strategies, not entire product categories or entire companies. Pentax made a similar marketing decision regarding its USA distribution channel and developed Europe service channel - and seems to be extending the ideas to Scandinavia, as well.

[Hey Elwood]

Oh yeah, here we go again, it's all Obamas fault, first thing he did when he got into office was say "There's a guy up in Michigan, works in the healthcare industry, takes pictures with a Pentax camera. Do me a favour, ruin his life".

You were trying to tell me a couple of weeks ago what an expert on the healthcare industry you are. Why did they lay you off if you're such an expert? Oh, yeah, I forgot, because of Obama.

Being out of work hasn't stopped you buying lenses though has it? That's what I call getting the priorities right. No job, no home, wife's pregnant, time to buy a new lens.

Let me tell you something, I've got no job, my wife has just had a baby, my medical insurance is just about to stop, I start school in six weeks time and I've got fees to pay. You know who's fault it is? Nobodys, it's just life.

It's about time you started growing up and stopped blaming other people for your misfortune. You're going to be a father soon, start acting like it.

Oh yeah,

Getting 1 lens on sale for $200 is such an aweful purchase...since I've already paid it off. And for your information Brit Obama is attacking independent health insurance or have you not been keeping up on current events. Most specifically it was Mike Cox (our attorney general) that cause everything to happen. If he didn't do what he did I would still have a job. The only reason I was let go was because BCBSM cut commissions to Agents and Managing agents.

I've been in health insurance for over 2 years so I know for a fact I know more about health care then you do. If you want to test me go right ahead. Let's see if you know the answers these questions...

What's the difference between a HSA, FSA, HRA?

How does Medicare work?

What is a BAAG?

If you had the program, could you generate me a quote?

What's a risk pool?

How many people do you need to enroll before sponsorship is not needed?

What is sponsorship?

What's an area rated group?

What's an industral rated group?

[shooz]

Hmmm.
Strangely eniough.
Cox is Republican.
So much for your Obama dig.
Seems BCBS needs to right size to compete.
Think mebbe they over complicate things Brit?
Looks like military aconyms to me.

PS. I get spam from blue cross now a days.

[woof]

withdrawn...

[J.Scott]

Oh yeah,

Getting 1 lens on sale for $200 is such an aweful purchase...since I've already paid it off. And for your information Brit Obama is attacking independent health insurance or have you not been keeping up on current events. Most specifically it was Mike Cox (our attorney general) that cause everything to happen. If he didn't do what he did I would still have a job. The only reason I was let go was because BCBSM cut commissions to Agents and Managing agents.

I've been in health insurance for over 2 years so I know for a fact I know more about health care then you do. If you want to test me go right ahead. Let's see if you know the answers these questions...

What's the difference between a HSA, FSA, HRA?

How does Medicare work?

What is a BAAG?

If you had the program, could you generate me a quote?

What's a risk pool?

How many people do you need to enroll before sponsorship is not needed?

What is sponsorship?

What's an area rated group?

What's an industral rated group?

Well I'm impressed... *yawn* .... NOT!

None of that hooey means anything now.

I'm sure you have a lot of marketable skills that can be used for other occupations.
Jobs are out there, we all know it.

Remember that growing old is mandatory; growing up is optional.
I'd recommend exercising that option.