Arbythree, Tulsa (8/13/2009 3:44:57 PM)

My goodness, they are laying off over half their work force.

Cat, Tulsa (8/13/2009 4:37:57 PM)

Haven't I seen a lot of billboards around town that say they are hiring? What the heck...

droopy, wagoner (8/13/2009 5:09:52 PM)

The messiah's stimulus at work

okie ridgerunner, Small Country Town State Line (8/13/2009 5:15:44 PM)

Bad news,

emotional_sting, tulsa - (8/13/2009 7:42:45 PM)

interesting observation kool-aid.

Mar, Tulsa (8/14/2009 10:37:43 AM)

"...Pleiss said the two programs being discontinued in Tulsa include work for a retail bank and a wireless cell phone service provider. One of those clients is moving some of the work offshore,...."

That says it all, whatever company West was doing work for has moved their work offshore. I'd love to know who the company is.

I'm unemployed and I've had people suggest that I apply at these call centers, though I have no experience (my main experience is almost 20 years as a legal secretary). I always reply, no thanks. I feel those call centers are iffy.

Ratherbeinthemountains, (8/14/2009 10:55:11 AM)

FYI for FS - the Tulsa center does no outbound calling - so get your facts straight before typing - or they may get you for "uninformed keying" LOL

JoTulsa, Broken Arrow (8/14/2009 12:19:57 PM)

Let's see. This week alone Blue Cross has announced 250 people gone, H&P had a small layoff (5 or 6) and now this company. I'm sure glad Obama told me the recession was over. I might otherwise be confused.

Better Than, Tulsa (8/14/2009 1:57:09 PM)

I am so glad to have my own small business. I remember how nerve wrecking it was to sit and wait to see if the hammer was going to come down on you.

Cartmantul, Tulsa (8/14/2009 5:01:29 PM)

I wonder if this recession ending will be a bit like someone ceasing to ram a knife in you. You won't be back to yourself for a while (at least until you stop bleeding and get medical attention).

I've never seen anything like this in my life and I can recall the lines for gas and feeling the world was about to end during Carter with the Chrysler bailout and our punking by Iran that should of resulted in something other than a firmly worded letter considering he bailed on the Olympics to protest something we would do down the road ourselves (albeit for a better reason).

200 at BCBS, 300 at a plant I think I saw as well, and now this. My heart goes out to these folks out of work when finding a job is not a challenge, it's a near lottery with the numbers also looking.

We should take heart that unlike a lot of auto cities that became ghost towns of crime and hopelessness, Tulsa made it out of the oil bust and found new ways. I was also reading during the recession from 2001 to 2003, the city lost 28,000 jobs which is a hit we also weathered. .

Tulsa is a place where people make it no matter the odds. Uncle Zeb for example. A man who clearly dislikes children often not botering to even hide it made his name as a children's TV icon, Clayton Vaughn is a news icon even with his hairdresser gossip news background, three little girls MMMBopped their way to fame, and Queen Taylor can have the World do a hit piece on anyone simply waving her wand from the ice palace.

I do think we are near the end (but not at it). Things will get worse I imagine and recovery will be slow, but Tulsa will be here (maybe even stronger).