Believe it or not!

[JimBuis]

Foreign lumber:  In Tokyo Saturday morning, I bought some SPF lumber.  2" by 4" by 12' - 498 yen (That's $4.10 U.S. tax included.)  2" by 6" by 12' - 1,580 yen (That's $13 U.S. tax included.) 2" by 8" by 12' - 2,280 yen (That's $18.76 U.S. tax included.)  This was some of the prettiest pine I have ever seen.  It was planed so smooth I think it must have been sanded as well.  Every board was as straight and flat as it could be.  No crook, twist, or warp at all.  I don't know where this stuff came from, but it is fantastic.

Manufacturing jobs in the midwestern U.S.:  I grew up in the Alton, Illinois area, near St. Louis.  When I was a kid, many thousands of people were employed at places like Laclede Steel, Owens-Illinois Glass, Olin-Mathison, Winchester, Alton Boxboard, etc., etc.  It was almost a given that kids graduated from high school and went to work at one of the local factories.  Olin-Mathison is the only one left now and it is a fraction of what it once was.  Most people in the area have been forced to move elsewhere to find jobs or they make a lengthy commute into St. Louis.

The American way of life:  I grew up in the 60's the youngest of five kids, my Dad died 6 years ago at the age of 82, my Mom is now 85.  We never owned a new car.  We never bought a new house or had one built.  We always made due, although never lived high off of the hog.  Nowadays, it seems like too many people think they have to have a new car or two, one for him and one for her, a new house, four bedrooms and three bathrooms with deck and swimming pool, big screen TV, etc., etc.

I don't get it.  My own son is driving a $38,000 mini-van and wonders why he can't afford to buy a house.   Duh!!  He ought to be driving a little second hand car so he can afford to make a mortgage payment.

Don't get me wrong.  In June, I will be unemployed, living in the St. Louis area again and hoping to find a way of supporting myself and my wife.  I don't know how that will turn out.  I suspect we will live conservatively and I will work somewhere or maybe buy a sawmill, but I will definitely not be driving a new $40,000 automobile.

Jim

[Norm]

Any state that complains they can't keep jobs there, Iowa included, just needs to look at their state gov for the reasons why. MI is rated in the top three for the amount of bs it takes to run a company there, we're not far behind. Yet Iowa will give breaks to get you here and then pith and moan when they expire and the co moves to the next sweet spot.

Low taxes, low regulation and a business friendly legislature will get you more jobs than you can use. The overseas myth is just that. You cannot get a skilled manufacturing labor base in China or Mexico, maybe one that can turn a widget but not skilled.

[farmerdoug]

I will admit that our state is not very business friendly.  Then again our Govern is not very friendly to us taxpayers either. >:(

Jim,  Go to a high school around here and look at the cars the kids are driving.  I bet some of them are newer than their parents.  This have a new car thing is way out of control.  People borrow money nowadays without even planning on paying it back.  I think that all debt be secured.  I know that credit cards have high interest rates but I beleive if you borrow you should pay it back period.  My cousins are losing their house because they cannot control their cash flow so what do they do?  They go and buy a new Harley on payments.

Farmerdoug

[Ron Wenrich]

How they figure unemployment rates in the US:

http://www.fiu.edu/~thompsop/money/data_of_macro/unemployment.html

It wasn't what I expected. 

[Cedarman]

Thanks Ron, that was very interesting

[Mr Mom]

     When i was looking for a car to get around in my dad said one thing and said it one time. What he said was that he bought his first car with no help and that is how i was going to get my first car.
     My first truch was a 1974 Dodge 3/4 four wheel drive bought it for $350.00 in 1993.
     I will tell my kids the same thing.



     Thanks Alot Mr Mom

[TexasTimbers]

We have taken the same route. We have been in the position to buy for them but it does them a disservice. Our policy has been that in order to get help you must first get a job. But we do not allow them to get a job without As and Bs. Our senior girl waitresses at 2 restuarants part time (well one now, she just broke up with her boyfriend who's parents owned one of the resturaunts : ) and is a straight A student; we did buy her a car because she has her act so together but she pays her own gas and insurance and is a great role model for her siblings to shoot for in getting the same help.
Our junior daughter is not being as motivated and is bumming rides. When she wants to get the lead out and establish a track record she will earn her freedom.
The boys are both on par for earning help from mom and dad and will get it soon as they are old enough to hold jobs providing their grades don't suffer.
Too many parents today are afraid to let their kids work after school or on weekends.
If we had 20 million in the bank our kids would not have to have less discipline in our eyes.
Our job as parents is to bring them up in the way of the Lord (this automatically covers honesty, character, integrity), teach them the importance of keeping up their grades, teach them a good work ethic, and teach them that anything worth having is worth working for.
Too many kids are spoiled rotten these days and don;t even know simple phone ettiquite.
Most adults these days don't even know how to be poite and respectful on the phone.
If you call my house and a young adult answers the phone you will not be treated like you have interupted our lives. that chaps my . . . . . . chaps.

[pigman]

Well. according to the web site Ron linked to, I fit in the category  of " Not in Labor Force".  I no not have a job and am not looking for a job. Come to think of it, I have been in this category most of my life. :

Bob

[Dana]

Jrokusek, After reading your post I also did a Google search on Chinese factory ships, Chinese manufacturing ships and more. As you said, nothing comes up on any of it. In my opinion this dosen't mean it dosen't exist. But, rather that the information is buried a bit deeper than a bit of casual searching will reveal. We are after all talking about a Comunist country and I would think possible unfair trade issues.

In any event, I have  contacted a marine trade magazine editor and am waiting to hear  from her if she has heard of this. I will keep you posted on the responce.

[metalspinner]

The linked article from Ron doesn't mention people who are incapable of holding a job.  "Incapable"  for many reasons already mentioned...laziness at the top of the list. How are these people classified? 

I agree that because we, as American's, want so much stuff, that we are forced (?) to work more jobs.  Needing 2 or 3 incomes to make ends meet. The $40,000 car or two, the new digital camers, or high definition TV, etc...

But I agree with Norm...

You cannot get a skilled manufacturing labor base in China or Mexico, maybe one that can turn a widget but not skilled.

This, IMHO, has become our own downfall.  Because we can make the product better, we demanded more pay and benefit's and priced ourselves out of the market.  It truly is ironic to some extent because we demand high pay for a quality product, but then go to a store and buy the cheapest thing on the shelf.

American's independance of thought and action allow us to determan our own future.  Whether that is inventing the next great widget or service, or being to lazy or proud to go find another job - even if we think it is "beneath us". 

We can also vote the current people in office out of office if we are dissatisfied with their decision's.  I am not sure what percentage of people vote on any given election day, but I'm willing to bet it's below 1/3 of the population.

Any troubles we have as a country are our own fault's.  Not the rst of the world's.

I