Big Kahunas

In article EWmBb.29325$ZE1.20603@fed1read04, "R. Hubbell"
writes:


Well we are certainly imposing our way of life on others both directly and
indirectly. Do you understand what our consumption is doing to this
planet?


Providing gainful employment to millions in third world countries who would
otherwise starve to death along with their children.


I doubt a lot of them would call it gainful employment. More like indentured
servants. Not to mention what those companies do to the environment.



How compassionate of you.

After all, it is certainly prefferable that they starve with their children
rather than break solidarity with their union brothers and accept a wage below
what you think suitable.

Don


--
Wm. Donald (Don) Tabor Jr., DDS
PP-ASEL
Chesapeake, VA - CPK, PVG

On 09 Dec 2003 20:13:33 GMT ackatyu (Wdtabor) wrote:

In article EWmBb.29325$ZE1.20603@fed1read04, "R. Hubbell"
writes:


Well we are certainly imposing our way of life on others both directly and
indirectly. Do you understand what our consumption is doing to this
planet?


Providing gainful employment to millions in third world countries who would
otherwise starve to death along with their children.


I doubt a lot of them would call it gainful employment. More like indentured
servants. Not to mention what those companies do to the environment.



How compassionate of you.

So we're doing them a favor?


After all, it is certainly prefferable that they starve with their children
rather than break solidarity with their union brothers and accept a wage below
what you think suitable.


I think you don't know what some US corporations are doing in other
"emerging" countries. The fact you mention unions means you really
have no idea. An interesting world you've created for yourself, I
guess we all create our own.



R. Hubbell


Don


--
Wm. Donald (Don) Tabor Jr., DDS
PP-ASEL
Chesapeake, VA - CPK, PVG

I think you don't know what some US corporations are doing in other
"emerging" countries.

Enlighten us, please.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

I think you don't know what some US corporations are doing in other
"emerging" countries.

Enlighten us, please.
--

I am not attempting to enlighted anyone, but this morning, I was in a store
shopping. (This is very rare for me).

I spotted a shrink-wrapped, shadowbox frame, 11x14, of exceptionally high
quality.
I use these types of items in my business, so I looked VERY closely at it. It
was made in Thailand. Now here's the thing . . . it was selling for $ 5.99.
The 8x10 was only $3.99.

So I ask myself, how can something this nice be made, packaged (these are GLASS
and very fragile pieces), transported from the other side of the planet, loaded
onto trucks, delivered, unpacked and placed for sale at $6? How can there be
enough profit for all the parties involved in the process?

I'm guessing that the cost to make them in Thailand must be real low, huh? G

I bought a dozen of each.




www.Rosspilot.com

So I ask myself, how can something this nice be made, packaged (these are
GLASS
and very fragile pieces), transported from the other side of the planet,
loaded
onto trucks, delivered, unpacked and placed for sale at $6? How can there
be
enough profit for all the parties involved in the process?

I'm guessing that the cost to make them in Thailand must be real low, huh?
G

It's amazing, isn't it? I don't pretend to understand how they can possibly
make that stuff in Thailand cheaper than we can make it here -- the shipping
alone has to cost 50% or more of that six bucks.

I was just out shopping for my kid's Xmas presents. On the shelf was a
"real" "GI Joe", for $21.00. Next to it was a knock-off that actually had
MORE cool stuff, for $4.99. Funny thing is, BOTH were made in China -- so
what's the difference? One said "Hasbro", and one was "No Name" -- what do
I care?

I bought TWO of the No-Names...

I'd guess that the Thai (and Chinese) people are simply more dedicated to
what they're trying to do economically than we are...
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
news:cMMBb.302393$Dw6.1006170@attbi_s02...
So I ask myself, how can something this nice be made, packaged (these
are
GLASS
and very fragile pieces), transported from the other side of the planet,
loaded
onto trucks, delivered, unpacked and placed for sale at $6? How can
there
be
enough profit for all the parties involved in the process?

I'm guessing that the cost to make them in Thailand must be real low,
huh?
G

It's amazing, isn't it? I don't pretend to understand how they can
possibly
make that stuff in Thailand cheaper than we can make it here -- the
shipping
alone has to cost 50% or more of that six bucks.

I was just out shopping for my kid's Xmas presents. On the shelf was a
"real" "GI Joe", for $21.00. Next to it was a knock-off that actually had
MORE cool stuff, for $4.99. Funny thing is, BOTH were made in China -- so
what's the difference? One said "Hasbro", and one was "No Name" -- what
do
I care?

I bought TWO of the No-Names...

I'd guess that the Thai (and Chinese) people are simply more dedicated to
what they're trying to do economically than we are...
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"


Saw a tid bit on the news a week or so ago. For 40 months in a row the
number of manufacturing jobs in this country has gone down. In the mean
time worker productivity has gone up significantly. Don't know if any
conclusions can be made but it sounds suspicious.

Dave Stadt wrote:

Saw a tid bit on the news a week or so ago. For 40 months in a row the
number of manufacturing jobs in this country has gone down. In the mean
time worker productivity has gone up significantly. Don't know if any
conclusions can be made but it sounds suspicious.

That's simple. At least 1/3 of the cost of an employee is overhead. If the
company involved has a good retirement and benefits package, the cost is more
like 2/3. Even if you have to pay time-and-a-half, it's cheaper to work two
employees 12 hours a day than to work three employees 8 hours a day. The only
problem is that, if you keep employees working lots of overtime, after a few
months, they get tired and the amount they do per hours goes down. You may fix
that by setting the workday at 14 hours, but at some point, the overtime pay
gets to be more than just hiring another person.

If your employees are "professionals", however, you don't have to pay them for
the overtime. The real problem there is that many of these people were working
long hours well before the current recession, so there's not a lot of room for
"productivity" increases.

So. If you increase the work day from 8 to 12 hours and fire every third person,
the number of jobs just went down by 33.3% and productivity went up by 33.3%.

George Patterson
Some people think they hear a call to the priesthood when what they really
hear is a tiny voice whispering "It's indoor work with no heavy lifting".

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
news:cMMBb.302393$Dw6.1006170@attbi_s02...

It's amazing, isn't it? I don't pretend to
understand how they can possibly make that stuff
in Thailand cheaper than we can make it here --
the shipping alone has to cost 50% or more of that
six bucks.

I was just out shopping for my kid's Xmas presents.
On the shelf was a "real" "GI Joe", for $21.00. Next
to it was a knock-off that actually had MORE cool stuff,
for $4.99. Funny thing is, BOTH were made in China -- so
what's the difference? One said "Hasbro", and one was
"No Name" -- what do I care?

I bought TWO of the No-Names...

I'd guess that the Thai (and Chinese) people are simply
more dedicated to what they're trying to do economically
than we are...
--

Oh yes, that's right. The "Thai (and Chinese) people are simply more
dedicated to what they're trying to do economically than we are".

Perhaps the fact that the workers are paid 24 cents an hour and work 84
hours a week might have something to do with it. But who cares what the
Chinese are paid. We get our toys dirt-cheap.
http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/business/7449186.htm


Earl G.

"Earl Grieda" wrote in message
ink.net...
Perhaps the fact that the workers are paid 24 cents an hour and work 84
hours a week might have something to do with it. But who cares what the
Chinese are paid. We get our toys dirt-cheap.
http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/business/7449186.htm


Earl G.


But Earl, How can this be? China is a Communist Worker's Paradise.

But you are right on one point. I couldn't care less how much China's
workers are paid.

Oh yes, that's right. The "Thai (and Chinese) people are simply more
dedicated to what they're trying to do economically than we are".

Perhaps the fact that the workers are paid 24 cents an hour and work 84
hours a week might have something to do with it. But who cares what the
Chinese are paid. We get our toys dirt-cheap.

Okay, how else would YOU define "dedication"?

If these folks are willing to work 84 hours per week, for 24 cents per hour,
I'd say it's pretty obvious who is more devoted to what they're trying to do
economically. Would YOU work for that pay?

The obvious answer is "nope". Guess who is more dedicated?
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"
"Earl Grieda" wrote in message
ink.net...

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
news:cMMBb.302393$Dw6.1006170@attbi_s02...

It's amazing, isn't it? I don't pretend to
understand how they can possibly make that stuff
in Thailand cheaper than we can make it here --
the shipping alone has to cost 50% or more of that
six bucks.

I was just out shopping for my kid's Xmas presents.
On the shelf was a "real" "GI Joe", for $21.00. Next
to it was a knock-off that actually had MORE cool stuff,
for $4.99. Funny thing is, BOTH were made in China -- so
what's the difference? One said "Hasbro", and one was
"No Name" -- what do I care?

I bought TWO of the No-Names...

I'd guess that the Thai (and Chinese) people are simply
more dedicated to what they're trying to do economically
than we are...
--

http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/business/7449186.htm


Earl G.