More cowboy capitalism - Page 2

nostatic · nostatic's Garage

I have a couple of friends who are currently looking but are unemployed. They aren't willing to work at WalMart, but instead are looking for something reasonable (they are project managers with tech expertise and college degrees). One friend who is a computer geek was unemployed for quite some time. Finally broke down and took a QA job. Did that for awhile, now hooked up with SAIC and is being trained. In March he's off to Baghdad to fix things. I suppose that counts as a job...if he comes home in one piece.

Knock on wood I still have a job. But I have a major budget meeting tomorrow, and who knows what will shake out. I've got a plan (what would you do when faced with a 20%+ budget cut?), but you never know how things will play out, and who's been working the backchannel and sharpening the knives...

RoninLB · 01-13-2005, 12:14 PM

I blame Steve Jobs for the villain poster boy most responsible for out sourcing.

He spent over $1.5bill in China out sourcing the iPod alone. Many economic talking heads say we should devalue the dollar till we get those jobs back. Just because iPod's profits is the reason Apple's stock climbed from $21 to over $60 is no excuse.

Jobs' China spending caused a wealth of over $16bill in the US.
Too bad.

I figure if the Fed prints enough dollars we can cause enough inflation caused devaluation to rise another 90% so we can get those 10-15,000 US jobs back.

Jobs caused an increase in our trade deficit.. dam him.

M.D. Holloway · 01-13-2005, 08:19 PM

Walmart accounts for 10% of China's GNP. I think if Uncle Sam sneezes, China will make plenty of tissue.

If the trade def developed a true ecomonic depression, I would be critical but as long as there are Porsches in garages and those willing to work can find an income (even if it is lower than prior) I can't get too jazzed over the imbalence.

The ecomonic and prouctivity models are really different from country to country, heck even from city to city. Plenty of concerned folks beefing about the state of affairs but things are still pretty cushy here and gap is only widening.

Moneyguy1 · 01-15-2005, 06:59 PM

Looks like most of those praising the employment picture are not the ones affected by it.

Makes sense to me. To them, all is tickety-poo.

lendaddy · 01-15-2005, 07:22 PM

And now for something truely unpopular. Did it ever occur to you guys that IT guys had no business making $50-$80k in the first place? That maybe those wages were simply not sustainable?

Do you think it currently occurs to UAW guys that a lug nut inspector has no business making $60k either. Any guesses on what's gonna happen there?

It cant always be peaches and cream guys.

RoninLB · 01-15-2005, 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by lendaddy

It cant always be peaches and cream guys.

a strong economy must be fluid.

No matter how big China, India, or Russia may become they will always be at a disadvantage to the US when it comes to being liquid. No matter how much gold they mine this world card game will always have a consistant winner..

I'd hate to be a fuel leak in the USA machine.

M.D. Holloway · 01-16-2005, 07:45 PM

Lendaddy - your right as rain. It is a model built on a flaw. This is one (of many) reasons why many (but not all) of the airlines are having their problems. Imagine a company that built it's model on providing the mil and gov with unique products - then things dried up and they tried to bust into the public sector - their margins would not be sustainable and they would either go out of business or have a massive re-organization or buyout. I bet you can give at least 10 examples of this as can I.

When a business model is built on graf and asumptions, it is doomed to fail.

350HP930 · 01-16-2005, 08:05 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by lendaddy
And now for something truely unpopular. Did it ever occur to you guys that IT guys had no business making $50-$80k in the first place? That maybe those wages were simply not sustainable?

Do you think it currently occurs to UAW guys that a lug nut inspector has no business making $60k either. Any guesses on what's gonna happen there?

It cant always be peaches and cream guys.

I am sure the same could be said of whatever 'executive' job it is you do. I am sure some college educated third worlder could take your place for a small fraction of what you make so why not just join the club of americans who are so arrogant to think they should be trying to improve their standard of living instead of directly competing with gulag labor.

As someone posted earlier there is always good work out there for talented and hard workers. The problem is that in todays economy it usually pays less than what they had before.

Making the switch from being an engineer to a machinist I know it all too well.

I will now wait for the '200K a year is not enough to live off of' croud to chime in with their blather about why we should be willing to sacrafice the american dream for the sake of corporate profits.

M.D. Holloway · 01-16-2005, 08:21 PM

I wish I could find someone to do what I do - I swear to God I would hire five of them!

Granted, some WC positions are political posts, others are luck and yet nepotism rounds out the bunch. There are a few of us that do well becuase of a certain talent and nitch (sp), but are also unique in ability - we should get paid even more but don't.

lendaddy · 08:39 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by 350HP930
I am sure the same could be said of whatever 'executive' job it is you do. I am sure some college educated third worlder could take your place for a small fraction of what you make

That would be difficult on many fronts, first I own a business, second I don't make dick

Lets just say I'm the lug nut inspectors b1tch

Wanna trade salaries?

By the way, I was at work all day today by myself running production, for free.... You know, corporate fat cat stuff

Superman · 01-17-2005, 11:59 AM

I'm afraid Lendaddy DOES understand. Another lucid post. Oop. Did I say that?

Mike, I'm not sure whether your remark applies to the airlines, or the aerospace manufacturers. The manufacturers are not having much of a problem I wouldn't think. War is getting mechanized, and flying technology is probably foremost. As far as the airlines goes, they're deregulated so there's no problem there. Wait a minute......they keep delaring bankruptcies. Hmmmmm. But.....they're deregulated. So, there's maket forces at work and that should make everything perfect. Right? Oh, wait a minute. It's those competitive forces that have caused the airlines to set ticket prices at a level lower than what they can actually afford. Well, I've said it before and I'll say it again..

Hmmmmmm.

RoninLB · 01-17-2005, 12:52 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Superman

Wait a minute......they keep delaring bankruptcies. Hmmmmm. But.....they're deregulated. So, there's maket forces at work and that should make everything perfect. Right? .

not exactly.
Gov't sponsered bail outs and Gov't Pension Guarantee Adm is distorting a so called de-regulated mkt.

M.D. Holloway · 01-17-2005, 12:54 PM

I don't know if Boeing is doing all that well. Lost the 717 and the re-fuelers contract - then again I bet a few in the industry could provide much better intel than I.

The ticket wars certainly are going to shake things up. Untited slashed 50% and US, AA and TWA will have to follow suit. This will really mess things up for the maligored carriers.

I just booked 5 trips for the cost of one!

Shaun @ Tru6 · 01-17-2005, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by LubeMaster77
Open question - maybe it should be a poll. Does anyone know of anyone who has zero income that is capable of working?

uhhh, me!

M.D. Holloway · 01-17-2005, 01:22 PM

Ya right! Your build'n serious equity into your biz - you may not be pulling your 6 "O's" yet but that is by choice and design not by lack of personal marketablity! But if you really need a job, send me your resume - I bet I could find ya a lil sump'n to tide ya over till the rough times pass...

Shaun @ Tru6 · 01-17-2005, 01:32 PM

Thanks Mike, I got my social security life report last summer and was shocked at how many years I made $0, yes actually $0. Damn dad magazines! Been 6.5 months without a paycheck now, but it looks like it'll pay off. Just glad last job was a good one and I actually saved money for once, who'd have thought?

I've been on the road pitching to a few investors and things look good. I've never had investors ask when they can give us $, so I'm taking that as a good sign. Working on the business plan now and I've got to say, it rocks.

M.D. Holloway · 01-17-2005, 01:41 PM

I have a few franchise ops open here in the big D for you to explore the home party concept. Have two different people ready to pop - just give the word and we can set them up.

$0 income - reminds me of some guys I know that have bars - each year they never seem to have any profits showing on the books - always seem to "just break even" every year.

I guess if times were real lean you could always live out of the 95 Grand Cherokee - the Targa might be drafty and the GT3 would raise suspect and of course you wouldn't want to sleep in the E without a duevat cover!

just bust'n chops...

Shaun @ Tru6 · 01-17-2005, 01:50 PM

Let's do this, I'm going to MN to run a party sometime in Feb, being set up now. Will be in Vegas for a retail buyer show Feb 14-17 (that should be interesting, can't wait to have a booth... Pics will be posted!), so perhaps I could go from MN to TX to host a party or two and get G9Girl going in the great Republic of TX.

Just sold a 69 RS tub, so I've got rent covered for the next month or so. Next month it'll be a set of 9x15s and so on.

M.D. Holloway · 01-17-2005, 02:05 PM

The capitilistic folks here in the great republic of Texas look forward to it. Ya may want to curb the yankee speak and check your BLH at the door but the money is as green as any place else and the womenz is all about look'n da part.

I am in SC week of 2/7-10, Chicago 2/10-11, Cleveland 2/21-25. I will be around 2/14-18, Maybe you can collect on the grain fed bovine I owe you when you come in?