Just when you started to enjoy writing code again!
This is from last fall and in the "McPaper" no less, but I noted this snippet:

But they face an uphill battle, says Mr. Miano, as business groups are far better organized and funded than the smattering of programmer groups. "They have the best legislation money can buy," he says.

Thus confirming the adage, "It's not what you know....it's who..."

USATODAY.com - Endangered species: US programmers

Just when I started to let this get me down, I found out about this contest. It sounded sounded like a lot of fun, show off your coding skills, win prize money... things were looking up -- The Google Code Jam. This year's winner -- an Argentinean.

Outsourcing Pipeline | Opinion: Outsourcing On Outs At J.P. Morgan Chase, Wal-Mart

This one is from last fall, (shows how much time I've had to provide this valuable public service) but is a nice piece that pulls together thoughts on trends at some large companies. Of particular note:

Is it possible that offshoring and outsourcing were both symptoms, while the real disease was the need to relentlessly innovate and compete on a global scale? And can it be that some companies are addressing that malady with home-grown remedies that don't necessarily include outsourcing of any kind?

Said another way, "Since we don't know how to compete, or maybe even haven't a clue what we are really doing, let's pay less for it". Does the place that currently signs your paycheck know how to compete? Let me know.