Where did all our industry go?

[tentoze]

"It's always easiest to simply make fun of things you cannot understand, or concepts that intimidate you. Afterall, isn't that what bullies do to the "smart kids"? Another very human reaction to fear is (attempted) humor. It's sad that so many wear their ignornace of history as a badge of honor...

...I do believe that many politcians,...

...Better to have them fighting over class, race and religion, then to see a larger picture."

You might consider having someone proof-read your posts for spelling and grammatical errors before you start bandying around the word "ignornace", whether of history or anything else.

"BTW, when I worked 3rd shift (in the field of research and development) I did enjoy listening to the Art Bell Show, usually as entertainment, but often because it was thought provoking. I admired his ability to interview the ghost chasers, self-proclaimed witches, and UFO spotters and treat them as respectfully and open minded as the literal rocket scientists, mathmaticians and astronomers who were often guests on the show. During the same time slot, might you critics have been listening to "sports-chat" or Britney Spears?"

And your freedom of choice to listen or not certainly should never be abridged by any person or institution. To answer the specific question of THIS critic, I don't listen to any radio, period.

I think I'll stick to the music-related forums from now on- things seem to get contentious and tedious in here, and it's clear some people object to a little humor, even when the topic is relatively absurd.


:

 

[merrylander]

"My Honda Accord is more American than your Chevy Impala"


Not really, all the parts were shipped here and assembled and all the profits went back to where the parts came from.

Rob

 

[kavakidd]

Incorrect Merrylander

All of the parts in the Honda Accord are manufactured right here in the good ol' U.S.A. Even Accords sold in Japan are made in Marysville, Ohio. In addition, companies like Honda, Toyota etc., are creating those "high-paying" jobs everyone says are going overseas.

All one need do is take a look at the "Origin" statement on the window.

 

[heathkit tv]

Originally posted by kavakidd
IFree trade is with us to stay and-over time-we will ALL benefit hugely from it. Just think - when the Chinese and Mexicans have money to spend, they can spend it on our technology.

Am so tired of hearing that smoke and mirror nonsense. Common sense dictates otherwise. If a poor Mexican can't afford cheap local made goods how in the hell will he be able to buy American made products? There are Americans who can't afford American goods! See my point? Doesn't matter if the Mexican worker gets a higher paying job at an American owned/built factory, he still gets paid far less than the typical American worker....there is NO way he's on a level playing (purchasing) field.

Am SO fed up with companies who are selling us out (and the consumers who feed into this) by moving production offshore. "We have to reduce costs to remain competitive" BULL. It won't matter if they get the retail price of a Cadillac down to $1000 if the only remaining jobs pay $1 a day.

COMMON SENSE APPLIES:

NAFTA etc is one of the greatest screwings this country has ever received.

Anthony

 

[jshorva65]

Originally posted by heathkit tv
Am so tired of hearing that smoke and mirror nonsense. Common sense dictates otherwise. If a poor Mexican can't afford cheap local made goods how in the hell will he be able to buy American made products? There are Americans who can't afford American goods! See my point? Doesn't matter if the Mexican worker gets a higher paying job at an American owned/built factory, he still gets paid far less than the typical American worker....there is NO way he's on a level playing (purchasing) field.

Am SO fed up with companies who are selling us out (and the consumers who feed into this) by moving production offshore. "We have to reduce costs to remain competitive" BULL. It won't matter if they get the retail price of a Cadillac down to $1000 if the only remaining jobs pay $1 a day.

COMMON SENSE APPLIES:

NAFTA etc is one of the greatest screwings this country has ever received.

Anthony

We need to take back control of our currency from the Federal Reserve banking cartel which creates money out of thin air by blackmailing the Treasury into pledging the property of unsuspecting citizens as collateral. See Erie v. Thomkins (sp) 1938 Supreme Court decision. I mentioned in an earlier post the devaluation of the dollar under the smoke-and-mirrors Federal Reserve system such that $25 is required today to buy what $1 bought in 1904. I actually am considering posting the following on my site or some version of it ... the text is a work in progress ...

PRICING

We make every effort to make restoration costs as reasonable as possible, however, one must bear in mind that the value of $1 in 1954 corresponds to about $15 in 2004 currency. As such, what was a $10 repair in 1954 may cost $150 today. In 1954, a 10BP4 picture tube cost about $25 plus about $10 for installation and setup. To remove that 10BP4 tube, package it, send it for rebuilding, and then properly reinstall it, may cost as much as $525. This is actually consistent with 1954 prices converted to 2004 currency values. Tube cost converts to $25 x 15 = $375. This is approximately the cost of the rebuilding service plus the cost of shipping to and from the rebuilding facility. Removal, installation and setup of such a tube, in 1954, cost about $10, and $10 x 15 = $150. To perform these tasks correctly requires approximately 4 hours' highly-skilled work to make absolutely certain that the job is done correctly. Since many vintage television models, correctly serviced and working, have values of $1,000 or more on the collectibles market, the cost of major repairs is very often justified by the substantial difference in value between a working set by comparison to that of a non-working set of the same model. The value of a working vintage television as a collectible is often 5 to 10 times the value of a non-working set, particularly if proof of recent professional servicing can be produced for the buyer at the time of the sale. Your invoice from Amptech Systems proves that your set has been serviced by a professional technician with over 30 years' experience using quality materials.

 

[kavakidd]

Pointless

It'pointless to add any further comments to this thread when there is so little apparent understanding of Economics 101. Besides - this site is about music - the universal communicator

 

[THOR]

Ah but Kava this is "Off Topic" which means anything can be discussed not just music

 

[Thatch_Ear]

Since understanding economies does little to control them I just want to make a point about how easy it is to screw them up.
Some country in Africa that used to be very wealthy, had schools, hospitals, heavy and light industry has an economy mainly driven by selling each other the used clothes that Americans donate to charity.
Here is the kicker.......the last industry left in the country after rising oil prices made it unprofitable to mine and extract copper was textiles.

The Nobel Lauriet for Economics in 1990 was doing redneck jokes on Letterman last night.

And I agree, this thread is worthless or worse. I mean who really gives a crap about the buying power of the dollar or who is making nails the cheapest. The country making nails today will be making cars in a decade and someone else will be making nails. Since wiping out societies and taking all their resourses isn't the good clean sport it used to be maybe we should buy their nails.

 

[kavakidd]

Sad - truly sad.

 

[Bauhausler]

I'm a former IT worker and now I sell shoes for what I somewhat t inaccurately refer to as a living. I had a fat job with frequent flier miles, bonuses and an expense account. Now I climb up 10' shelves with a pair of Weejuns under each arm hoping for a $50 sale and that 8% commission. Two of my co-workers are also former IT guys, both over 50 and formerly with $100k/yr jobs. You ought to hear us bitch when business is slow.
I'm a Liberal and I hate America losing jobs, especially mine. I'm also a Capitalist, and if 3 guys in Bombay want to do my former programming gig for $3/hour each, then my time is no longer worth $60/hour. The greatest asset that poor countries have to trade on is poverty. They can do more for less dough. If we deny them the right to compete for our jobs on the basis of lower wages then they're enduring privation and hardship for nothing.
People ask me what my career plan is to get back into IT and I say "Die young and be reincarnated as a Pakistani or an Indian". Grim, and hardly far from the truth.

 

[heathkit tv]

Saw a bumper sticker that blew my mind:

"Worldwide Minimum Wage"

At first I thought, WTF? Sounds like typical leftist propaganda and complete unworkable fantasy, but the more I pondered it, it dawned on me that it removes the incentive of continually moving jobs and factories further and further away. Takes away any unfair advantages for the most part as the cost of transportation then becomes a critical factor again.

Not for a moment do I think this would occur, at least not in our lifetime, but IF it did, think of what an impact this would have on the world (and not necessarily for the better in some cases). Still, a very interesting concept.....one I'm sure our learned economic types would have a field day with.

Anthony