All this gig lacks is Japanese soldiers bayoneting us when we fall exhausted into the roadside ditches

The swordfish isn't dying on this job; it fucking quit. We started with 6 people on a "2-3 day" job. One guy quit after day 1. Claimed his previous project started back up. Or his mother was really sick. I forget which. We got jacked up for being shitty coders on day 2, and mysteriously another person had a "family emergency" and didn't show for day 3 or today. When you miss days 3 and 4 of a :2-3 day" project, odds are fair that you have no plans to return, since you should have no expectation that a project will be there to return to.

Even with four of us left, one guy is virtually useless when he actually shows up, and he generally shows up pretty late. Today, he left for most of the day because his dryer was being serviced or some such shit. The fourth guy disappears for hours at a time and doesn't do much work as a result. Basically, the only two people there every day, all day are me and this one other woman. We happen to also be the fastest reviewers, but as we are the only ones actually working, even among the people still on the project, "2-3 days" already has turned into 5 and counting, and probably at least 6. If the main burden remains on the two of us, we're probably looking at a day 7, as well. All in all, it is starting to feel like the Bataan Death March. No end in sight, and not clear who will survive. With no overtime, I think I might prefer to get bayoneted in the ditch.

Jeez Louise, that's a shitty gig

Because my project ended today, and I've been home sick (cough, cough) the last two days, I've been looking at pretty much every project posting out there, whether it is Posse List, Craig's List or wherever. I saw one that makes me fear for the future:

[An agency I've never heard of] is now hiring licensed attorneys for a new project starting THURSDAY, May 29 and lasting about 4 weeks (but possibly longer). The pay rate for this project is $22/hour and overtime, if available, is paid at time and a half. Review will take place at our client's facility in DC.
If interested, please submit your resume via email. All further communication about this project will be via email.

Dear Lord, I hope no one is interested in that. What does "licensed" mean? Is that "any bar membership," or DC bar? I can only assume it is any bar, but that is below even the JD-only rate. Speaking as a guy who is currently out of work, I can understand the temptation to take anything to bring some money in, but please. people, don't stoop this low.  It can only drag everyone down.