# The joke is on the company that just laid off my husband **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 9, 2007, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-joke-is-on-the-company-that-just-laid-off-my-husband/403429 "2007-05-09T18:30:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2007, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-joke-is-on-the-company-that-just-laid-off-my-husband/403429/21 "2007-06-01T23:34:18Z")
[QUOTE=sturmhauke] Companies do have a way of hanging on longer than they deserve, but they do sometimes actually die. - sturmhauke, ex-3DO employee [/QUOTE] When were you at 3DO? I was there forever (1995 until the bitter end). Which teams were you on? ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2007, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-joke-is-on-the-company-that-just-laid-off-my-husband/403429/22 "2007-06-02T00:34:37Z")
[QUOTE=MaxTheVool] When were you at 3DO? I was there forever (1995 until the bitter end). Which teams were you on? [/QUOTE] Either of you work with a guy by the name of Andrew Crowell? He claimed to have worked for 3DO composing music for games. ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2007, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-joke-is-on-the-company-that-just-laid-off-my-husband/403429/23 "2007-06-02T00:55:42Z")
[QUOTE=Tuckerfan] Either of you work with a guy by the name of Andrew Crowell? He claimed to have worked for 3DO composing music for games. [/QUOTE] The name doesn’t ring a bell. But 3DO was pretty big as its height, so that doesn’t mean much. ---
**Author:** ![Gukumatz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/74df32/32.png) [@Gukumatz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gukumatz)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2007, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-joke-is-on-the-company-that-just-laid-off-my-husband/403429/24 "2007-06-02T18:00:37Z")
3DO? The guys who brought us the first Heroes of Might & Magic games? Man, I grew up on the first one! You lot are ever my heroes! (Unless I’m sadly mistaken) ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2007, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-joke-is-on-the-company-that-just-laid-off-my-husband/403429/25 "2007-06-02T18:09:18Z")
[QUOTE=Bookkeeper] She not only got almost twice as much pay, but was able to do most of her work by telecommuting, which let her split her time between Ontario in the summer and Florida in the winter while working. [/QUOTE] I hope she’s paying Florida income tax while she’s working from here. ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2007, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-joke-is-on-the-company-that-just-laid-off-my-husband/403429/26 "2007-06-02T19:43:43Z")
[QUOTE=teela brown] Sorry to bring back up this aging thread. Actually, they’re not surviving. It looks like I have the ability to call down a curse. People are leaving the place in droves, both resignations and firings, and all signs point toward its being bought out by a mega-biotech. Mr. brown was just in the first wave of folks being dumped. [/QUOTE] So I’m guessing that SO getting sacked was \*unlucky \* for you? :eek: _hides behind the sofa until the dust settles_ 😃 ---
**Author:** ![sturmhauke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47c2d/32.png) [@sturmhauke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sturmhauke)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2007, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-joke-is-on-the-company-that-just-laid-off-my-husband/403429/27 "2007-06-03T01:32:52Z")
I was a game tester at 3DO for about a month in 2000, when I was still in college. Apparently they decided they really didn’t need all the new testers they had just hired, so they let us go. Their whole philosophy was to rush games out as quickly as possible and to ignore reviewer scores, which pretty much led directly to their demise. I don’t know who Crowell is, but like Max said it was a big company. I know the guy who ran the website up until the end, though. They shafted him on his last paycheck. And yes, 3DO used to publish the Might and Magic games, although New World Computing originated the idea and then was bought by 3DO. ---
**Author:** ![OttoDaFe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ottodafe/32/356_2.png) [@OttoDaFe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OttoDaFe)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2007, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-joke-is-on-the-company-that-just-laid-off-my-husband/403429/28 "2007-06-03T03:55:22Z")
[QUOTE=teela brown] Sorry to bring back up this aging thread. Actually, they’re not surviving. It looks like I have the ability to call down a curse. People are leaving the place in droves, both resignations and firings, and all signs point toward its being bought out by a mega-biotech. Mr. brown was just in the first wave of folks being dumped. [/QUOTE] It wouldn’t surprise me if DoltBoss™ is looking on the bright side — if the hemorrhage goes on long enough, headcount will be down to the point where even _she_ can mamage the layout. I mean, what’s so hard about doing one cube? ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2007, 8:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-joke-is-on-the-company-that-just-laid-off-my-husband/403429/29 "2007-06-03T08:35:55Z")
[QUOTE=sturmhauke] I was a game tester at 3DO for about a month in 2000, when I was still in college. Apparently they decided they really didn’t need all the new testers they had just hired, so they let us go. Their whole philosophy was to rush games out as quickly as possible and to ignore reviewer scores, which pretty much led directly to their demise. [/QUOTE] I think what killed 3DO was that **Army Men 3D** for the PS1 was rushed out the door and crappy… and it DID make lots of money, which taught the executives exactly the wrong lesson. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2007, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-joke-is-on-the-company-that-just-laid-off-my-husband/403429/30 "2007-06-03T12:57:04Z")
I just wanted to give a big fat YAY! to Mr. Brown and Bookkeeper’s mom. ---
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2007, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-joke-is-on-the-company-that-just-laid-off-my-husband/403429/31 "2007-06-03T15:03:02Z")
[QUOTE=teela brown] Actually, they’re not surviving. It looks like I have the ability to call down a curse. People are leaving the place in droves, both resignations and firings, and all signs point toward its being bought out by a mega-biotech. Mr. brown was just in the first wave of folks being dumped. [/QUOTE] Well, then in an effort to find the silver lining, it may be better that he left early before the pool gets flooded by all the other job seekers. Good luck to him and good riddance to DumbAssCo. ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2007, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-joke-is-on-the-company-that-just-laid-off-my-husband/403429/32 "2007-06-03T20:17:21Z")
**Malacandra** : “So I’m guessing that SO getting sacked was \*unlucky \* for you? :eek:” As it turns out, not at all, thank the birthright lotteries that gave me life. The new job is very, very good, but I’ve avoided posting much about it. I’m a bit superstitious about counting my chickens before they’re hatched. The bread _can_ land butter-side down if you get too cocky. Isn’t it amazing how long-lived incompetent employees are? DoltBoss was unable to handle one single project correctly or on time, yet she is still at the place. The mind boggles. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2007, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-joke-is-on-the-company-that-just-laid-off-my-husband/403429/33 "2007-06-03T23:13:43Z")
[QUOTE=ShibbOleth] I hope she’s paying Florida income tax while she’s working from here. [/QUOTE] Florida doesn’t have a state income tax. Are you whooshing? ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2007, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-joke-is-on-the-company-that-just-laid-off-my-husband/403429/34 "2007-06-04T02:56:10Z")
[QUOTE=ivylass] Florida doesn’t have a state income tax. Are you whooshing? [/QUOTE] 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2007, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-joke-is-on-the-company-that-just-laid-off-my-husband/403429/35 "2007-06-04T04:07:55Z")
[QUOTE=Harmonious Discord] What’s that joke? You’re charging us $50,000 to tap the machine to make it work? No. I’m charging you $50,000 to know where to tap the machine to make it work. [/QUOTE] A little bit mangled - I originally heard it as the joke of the auto mechanic, and it is one of my absolute favorite jokes. A lady comes into the mechanic’s shop because her car engine is making a strange clacking noise. The mechanic pops the hood and looks it over for a minute, then pulls out his hammer and gives the engine a tap. The noise suddenly stops. “That’ll be $100” says the mechanic. “$100?” she balks, “All you did was tap it with a hammer!” “It’s $90 for knowing where to tap, $10 for the tap.” ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2007, 11:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-joke-is-on-the-company-that-just-laid-off-my-husband/403429/36 "2007-06-04T11:14:16Z")
An aside: If you’re setting yourself up as a private contractor, pick your rate carefully. Remember that you’ll be paying an extra 7.65% for the employer-paid portion of social security; and you may want to buy medical insurance and life insurance, and put some $$ away for retirement savings. Those are all things that a reasonable-sized company would provide. And then, remember that your entire earnings are taxable, so you need to gross up so that you have the appropriate amount after tax. Example: Suppose you want to earn $1000 as a contractor, and you ask for another $300 to cover the additional social security and a portion of medical premiums, the additional $300 is taxable income. You’d need a higher amount to have the $300 left after tax; if the tax rate is 30%, you’d need about $430 to have the $300 after tax. This is a way that first-time independent contractors sometimes screw themselves (or allow companies to screw them) by not understanding the tax and benefit implications. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2007, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-joke-is-on-the-company-that-just-laid-off-my-husband/403429/37 "2007-06-04T14:54:00Z")
I don’t know about the U.S., but here in the U.K., there are lots of gotchas about being a contractor. If the OP were here, I’d suggest starting off by going through an agency and going PAYE (Pay As You Earn). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-joke-is-on-the-company-that-just-laid-off-my-husband/403429.md?page=1)