Now Recruiting Runners in the East Bay Area - TaskRabbit

 Apparently, TaskRabbit has taken San Francisco by storm and they need more runners to fill the required jobs. I still think that I would have to need someone pretty desperately before I'd let a perfect stranger into my house to do an odd job - or God forbid, make my bank deposit. That's going a bit too far.
   . . . June


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TaskRabbit.com now recruiting Runners in the East Bay:
2010-09-11, 12:53AM PDT

Life is busy. But if you don’t have time to go to the bank, would you trust a stranger to deposit a check for you? Users of TaskRabbit, a network of part-time personal assistants, do. The site pairs assistants, called runners, with overtasked city dwellers. TaskRabbit has more than 300 runners, who have all undergone a background check, and they accept tasks online from thousands of users in Boston and San Francisco. Task requests include running to the bank, jump starting a car and building furniture inside a stranger’s home. My request for groceries last Thursday night resulted in two runner responses within 15 minutes, and orange juice was delivered to my neighborhood within an hour.'

TaskRabbit.com has taken San Francisco by storm and is growing to the East Bay. Our online marketplace is attracting the attention of the local news, the Wall Street Journal, and the Today Show because we are helping underemployed people find additional sources of income and purpose. Some tasks that are currently up for grab include:

- Moving help in Berkeley, CA
- Plumbing expert for temporary dishwasher hookup
- Folding, rolling, and stickering t-shirts
- Fix sync issues with MacBook Pro and iPhone 4
- Pick up replacement glass
- Slip 'N Slide engineering and construction
- Tidy and organize
- Get pants from H&M
- Ride to and from SFO

Read More . . .

Are Unemployment Benefits encouraging people not to work?

New applications for unemployment insurance reached the half-million mark last week for the first time since November, a sign that employers are likely cutting jobs again as the economy slows. It makes one wonder how many are enjoying their extra unemployment benefits instead of looking for work.
   . . . June

Signs of a faltering recovery August 20, 2010 at 6:44 AM By Christopher S. Rugaber Associated Press WASHINGTON - Employers appear to be laying off workers again as the economic recovery weakens. The number of people applying for unemployment benefits reached the half-million mark last week for the first time since November. It was the third straight week that first-time jobless claims rose, and the news Thursday helped drag stocks down for the day. The jobless-claims numbers suggest the private sector may report a net loss of jobs in August for the first time this year. Initial claims rose 12,000... Unemployment rate continues to increase; Is jobless recovery on the horizon? August 19, 2010 at 6:27 PM The U.S. Department of Labor released a August 19 report, stating that initial claims for jobless benefits rose by 12,000 last week to 500,000, which is fourth increase since the week of July 29. Following the four-week average, jobless figures have increased from 8,000 to 482,500, making last weeks claims, the highest average since December 2009. Is the U.S. Economy Creating Jobs, At All? The rapid increase in unemployment claims, suggest the economy is creating fewer jobs than in the first half of this year. More than a 100,000 jobs a month are needed just to keep up with the growth of the working-age population, even without reducing the millions of Americans who are already unemployed.... Sen. Schumer will support Americans Want to Work Act, US trains 3000 offshore workers August 19, 2010 at 5:10 PM Let me again apologize for the poorly designed and implemented Examiner "upgrade". This upgrade process has been taxing on both writers and readers and it is the main reason why I have not published as frequently. I plan to write more regularly starting next week. I will also be moving content of my posts to http://layofflist.org, which offers a more robust platform for videos and graphics. Thank you for your patience. Update: There's been some news of late about where legislation for 99ers – benefit exhaustees- currently stands. Since Chuck Sen. Schumer (D-NY) has spoken repeatedly about the need to help benefit exhaustees, I felt it important to get information directly from his office. I... Sen. Schumer may introduce 99er, Tier 5 unemployment legislation, US trains 3000 offshore workers August 19, 2010 at 3:16 PM Let me again apologize for the poorly designed and implemented Examiner "upgrade". This upgrade process has been taxing on both writers and readers and it is the main reason why I have not published as frequently. I plan to write more regularly starting next week. I will also be moving content of my posts to http://layofflist.org, which offers a more robust platform for videos and graphics. Thank you for your patience. Sen. Schumer may introduce 99er, Tier 5 unemployment legislation once Senate returns from recess There's been some news of late about where legislation for 99ers – benefit exhaustees- currently stands. Since Chuck Sen. Schumer (D-NY) has spoken repeatedly about the need to... Initial requests for jobless benefits jump to 500,000, highest level since November August 19, 2010 at 10:50 AM — Employers appear to be laying off workers again as applications for unemployment insurance reached the half-million mark last week for the first time since November. Initial claims for jobless benefits rose by 12,000 last week to 500,000, the Labor Department said Thursday. It was the fourth increase in the past five weeks and evidence that the economic recovery has weakened. Homebuilders and other construction firms are laying off more workers as the housing sector slumps after the expiration of a popular homebuyers' tax credit. State and local governments are also cutting jobs to close large budget gaps.... New Unemployment Claims SURGE, Hit Highest Level Since November 2009 August 19, 2010 at 10:25 AM WASHINGTON (AP) -- New applications for unemployment insurance reached the half-million mark last week for the first time since November, a sign that employers are likely cutting jobs again as the economy slows. The Labor Department said Thursday that initial claims for jobless benefits rose by 12,000 last week to 500,000, the fourth increase in the past five weeks. Wall Street economists forecast that claims would drop. The four-week average, a less volatile measure, rose by 8,000 to 482,500, the highest since December. There... This email was sent to dyna999399.task999@blogger.com. Delivered by Feed My Inbox 230 Franklin Road Suite 814 Franklin, TN 37064 Account Login Unsubscribe Here

TaskRabbit Sounds Like A Win / Win To Me!

TaskRabbit does sound like a good idea. Basically it helps out those who need a job and have time on their hands and it helps out the people who need help with chores and are willing to pay for it. So what is the writer of this article complaining about?

June

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TaskRabbit: The US Economy Really is in the Pooper
by Drea of Business Pundit, Aug 5, 2010

I ran across TaskRabbit, which matches you with people who can run your errands for you–or hooks you up with people who need errands run–while reading this excellent Wall St. Journal article on work-at-homers. With TaskRabbit, you put up a task, price it, and a “runner” (errand runner, rabbit, person who does your errands) picks it up, usually within 30 minutes. Once the task is complete, you pay and rate your runner.

There are currently around 300 runners, most of whom earn around $15 per errand, according to the WSJ. Most runners are self-employed, unemployed, or work-at-home parents. TaskRabbit currently operates in Boston and San Francisco, but is looking to expand.

Recent tasks on the website include:

$10 – give me + a few things a ride
$25 – Pick up Jacket left at Fillmore Theatre
$15 – pick up rent check in downtown SF, drop off on Piedmont Ave. in Oakland

I understand that a service like TaskRabbit is helping create jobs and all, but let me rant for a moment. In many less-developed countries, it’s really easy to find someone nearby to get something done for you–whatever you need, really. When I lived in Ghana, we had a lady come to our door and sell us bread; we had our laundry done whenever we wanted by a nearby man; if we wanted something fixed in our rooms, we just had to put word out and a guy would arrive with a hammer and toolbox and take care of it. We’d pay them cash in return. It was convenient and effective.


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Would you sign up to do some of those jobs? For that matter would you post jobs there?
Leave a comment


June