Unemployment in North Caroline had more than doubled since April 2008 and is higher than the National average for May by 2%. When compared to other states in the Southeast only South Carolina is higher with 11.6%. When we look across the state line at our neighbors we find, Virginia at 7%, Georgia at 9.5%, Florida at 9.7%. What is even worse in comparison is when we look at the so called “Deep South” where one might expected higher unemployment we find both Mississippi at 9.6%, and Alabama at 9.3%. Louisiana with it’s 6.3% is almost half of North Carolina’s unemployment rate!.

So what are these states doing that a state with $4.7 BILLION budget deficit isn’t doing? What are these states doing that Governor Bev Purdue isn’t doing with her proposed $1.6 BILLION in new taxes? What are these states doing that Governor Bev Purdue isn’t doing with her proposed Recreation Tax which will likely force summer day camps in this state to close? Read the rest of this entry »

A bit late on this story but that’s mainly because the facts are just not there as to how many people have in fact been laid off. Reports vary however it appears the number is as high as 200 which is on top of the 300 in March. In our earlier post we reminded everyone of the at least $320 million state and local governments gave Dell to come to North Carolina at a time when Dell’s margins were getting thinner and thinner. Since that time Dell has remained silent on their employment numbers and is seeking to sell it’s Triad plant.

With no formal announcement of the number of layoffs Dell has confirmed they are laying off workers at the Winston-Salem plant. So far the number ranges somewhere between 150 and 300 workers were lead off the plant floor and informed they no longer worked for Dell.

Dell Inc. is trying to sell its computer factories around the world, a move to sharply overhaul a production model that was long a hallmark of the PC giant’s strategy but is no longer competitive.

Granted as far as I know these are not made at the Winston-Salem plant however they do appear to have some nice features and look somewhat Mac’ish. These will not be out for some time yet but the new models are in the consumer level line, Inspiron, and are the 1435, 1535 and 1735.

Up to Core 2 Duo 2.16Ghz T5850
3G Option
BlueRay Option (slot loaded, aka Mac style)

Expect to see these rolling out starting in June.