A job interview at Seton Hall University

My last job search article discussed an incident that happened on an interview with a company in the private sector, Goldman Sachs. But I had some odd experiences while interviewing for jobs at colleges. (Oh, and “universities.” Excuse me for that major oversight).

Once I went to an interview at Seton Hall University Law School, and met with a committee of four people. So when I walked into the room each person introduced himself or herself and held out their hand. I smiled as I gave each person a firm handshake.

Unfortunately I grimaced when I clasped the last woman’s hand. Her hand was greasy. She must have just smeared it with some sort of hand lotion, before I entered the room. Now my hand was covered with whatever this oily slime was. Afterward I wondered if this was her, or the committee’s way of trying to trip up a candidate. A stress test of some sort? A clever way to see how someone would react to adversity? Perhaps it was a signal that if I got the job I would have to “grease palms” in order to get ahead in the organization?

Or maybe the woman was just a moron. Even with all their degrees some people who work in higher education are pretty strange.

They asked me a couple of questions, the asked me if I had any questions. I asked one and had a few more prepared but one guy with an unkempt beard (must have been a sleazy lawyer before landing his cushy job at the law school) abruptly thanked me for coming and stood up.

Needless to say I didn’t shake anyone’s hand as I left. I didn’t bother to send a thank you note either. I decided I didn’t want the job. I guess some lawyers really are slimy, literally.

Donald Trump is right to not shake anyone’s hand. Smart man…

Here's where to find $6 billion to fund unemployment benefits

Republicans in Congress are willing to fund extended unemployment benefits if Democrats agree to cut around $6 billion from other parts of the budget to pay for it.

Fair enough.

Here's an idea: Take the approximately $3 billion in aid given to Israel, the approximately $2 billion given to Egypt, and another $1 billion given to various other countries for who knows what, and pay for unemployment benefits that way.

This way American citizens are getting their own money back.

Still, it has to be pointed out that cutting foreign aid will hurt American workers, since some of the funds aren’t given directly to other governments, but to American companies that produce weapons or other products that are then sent to these countries. Less foreign aid means fewer jobs for Americans.

So unfortunately, as members of Congress refuse to admit in public, and as many Americans are too dumb to figure out, there's no easy way of the budget mess. Fixing things will require both cutting spending and raising taxes - neither of which anyone, Congress or the public, wants to do.