Reading Fortune magazine at the dentist's office

[question everything]

From last month and I read the letters section, replying to an essay about how outsourcing was not that bad... or something.

One comment told about engineers at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida who were laid of in 2002. The outplacement counselors told them to apply at Wal-Mart as there were no other jobs.

I was quite shocked by this. Wonder whether anyone knows more about this.

[the Kelly Gang]

1. the solution to everything : Walmart !!!

[Career Prole]

2. When the Lockheed-Martin plant closed down in Abilene, TX

we were told there'd be job retraining offered which was very encouraging news to us at first.
There were two retraining options offered... Prison guard or truck driver.

[question everything]

3. That's horrible. Hope you've done better than that

not that there is anything wrong with being a prison guard or a truck driver.. different set of qualifications, though..

The greatness of this country - however one defines "greatness" - is due to the technical advances made by engineers and scientists. And it is hard to understand why they have become such a disposable commodity.

How can so many be encouraged to become scientists and engineers and then be tossed aside after running out their usefulness?

[Career Prole]

4. I became the staff engineer at the local newspaper after doing

some work for them on the side. Salary's only 70% of what I was making but the health insurance was a must with three kids. It feels pretty secure, but I still have a Monster.com "trotline" strung out.:)