$11 per hour

That's what a company is actually offering in an American metropolis for the following contribution: database design and SQL expertise; cross-browser compatible Web development with PHP, JavaScript, DHTML, and HTML+CSS; client relationships; reliable, scalable, high-performance 24/7 systems; specialized languages (XML, Java), APIs (JDBC), and frameworks (Ajax, SOAP).

Why would someone with such skills and experience sell themselves short? why should they bring so much to someone who obviously doesn't value their ability to master vast, complex engineering structures; to build reliable, fault-free systems; to design, realize, and maintain the entire operations of a business?

All of that for $16-$23 per hour, should one erroneously assume the work-week is a leisurely 45 hours. What if it reaches 70 hours, as so often happens when engineers are pressured by dishonest management? $11-15 per hour. Before the taxman hits.

Does dog-walking, gardening, baby-sitting, or burger-flipping for minimum wage sound bad? How about a desert island or a mountain cabin? How about shrugging?