OT Neighbor (rant)

  1. Greed is good. The poor, for example, cannot contribute to charity.
  2. It was social regulation that caused the financial sector failure. It started with the Community Redevelopment Act under Carter, but the big switch was thrown under Clinton in 1993 when loans to otherwise ineligible borrowers were mandated by the government.

Aside from these two errors, your post is spot on.

Sigh. Adam Smith settled this hash in 1776 with the publication of "The Wealth of Nations." In a nutshell, nations and their people should do what they do best and not try to protect inefficient jobs or industries. When that happens, everybody prospers.

You really should try to keep up.

Reply to
HeyBub
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Not at all. The government mandated that specific requirements had to be met,

*how* to meet the requirements was left to the banks, and they had a number of options. Many banks chose an option that was not in their long-term interest and suffered because of it. Other banks, which chose other options, are still healthy.

Do you have any data to support that? Not that it really matters, if Toyota can assemble a car in the US from foreign-made parts, GM is free to do the same. Whose fault is it that they chose not to?

Oh by the way, should we consider exactly *why* foreign car companies are assembling cars in the US? Does the threat of import tariffs imposed by the government ring a bell?

One where facts weigh more than political dogma?

Reply to
Eric

yeah. Long before they actually came over that was a dead horse. Most did that related the strength or not of the UD$

Apparenlty not. First of all, can you point out even one time where ANY party has gotten involved in stopping pay or other benefits? Can't. What they do tend to get involved is in making sure unions don't have to actually compete. Thus every government project is required to be bid on a prevailing wage basis that always ends up being union wages. Non-union shops are essentially not allowed to bid for buildings, roads, etc., unless they want to give up the only major advantage they have, lower wages.

Reply to
Kurt Ullman

overseas because the US

competitions because

impact that unions have.

Honda, Nissan...) have

regulations as the

having to meet all the

the playing field is

Okay, I had it straight in my head, but I mixed two different points together when typing them out. I concede I was unclear in my statement. Let me expand:

Much of what the foreign automakers do is ASSEMBLE vehicles in the US, not fully manufacture all the parts. Ford, GM, and Chrysler do as much of that as they can, also, without running afoul of the Union, because to do everything in the US is cost prohibitive.

of course are not part

regulated by the

might be very different

The more government regulations that are in effect, the less innovative industry is, and the less productive it is. The level of innovation and productivity is directly related to potential profit.

Government is like anti-matter to profit.

Reply to
Ryan P

can assemble a car in

that they chose not

Unions, for one. And actually, if you look at the documentation for your vehicle, you'll see that many of their lines ARE merely assembled in the US.

assembling cars in the US?

How about the logistics of shipping materials? If you are sourcing SOME of the parts from the destination country, it makes more sense to send everything there for assembly, rather than have items make multiple trips across the ocean.

Of course, the use of tariffs is an admission that we can't be cost-competitive in the first place.

Apparently, the side of the economic/political spectrum you stand on determines what you consider facts vs political dogma.

Reply to
Ryan P

So, how long did you let it go on?

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

Da, komrade. Fail! Fail! Nyet gud.

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

"benick" wrote>

Bingo!

My table saw isn't a 99$ model but it isn't an 800$ one either. It's a decent enough 200$ or so unit suitable for our needs. We are a mix and match with some tools being quite cheap, and others being fairly close to top of the line. Just depends on if we need the more advanced features or not.

Reply to
cshenk

My wife's late aunt (a missionary) used to say you're earning "crowns in heaven".

I think it's harder to accept selfishness in people when you're a selfless person, because you hope you would be a good influence on others. But you don't know what kind of seeds you have planted in this couple or in others by your being willing to give of your time and efforts and talent. There's a cumulative effect here, and at some point we can hope/pray that this couple will have that epiphany, that "ah-hah!" moment when they see what others have done for them and what they've refused to do for others.

Keep hope alive!

Reply to
Kyle

You know what the odd thing is, is I'm fairly handy (ought to be obvious, as often people will see me on a Saturday morning underneath some vehicle or other - when it's not raining at least) but I can't remember any of my neighbors asking me to help them with anything around the house. I'd be happy to help, at least until I start feeling used... we all have to save money for stuff we CAN'T do ourselves these days...

nate

Reply to
Nate Nagel

"Bill" wrote

Good lord! I don't have a truck. I do have friends of my husbands who do and Don pays them for the gas (actually over pays as these are 3.5 mile round trips to local big box store and he passes them 10$ for gas). The main one who helps us with truck time, also gets free help from Don to work on their boat and various home projects. Technically if i were keeping score, they are slightly behind but that's only because they needed help putting in a new fence recently and it took 3 days.

Grin, I get great service from various contractors. Reason is simple. I'm a dang good cook and I feed'em. I even do specialty dishes if any need (or just desire) to avoid certain foods. Don's the same way. He'll get the munchies and ask any workers (if we have any) what they'd like after mentioning what was handy, then fix'em up a meal.

The last time the plummer was here (tub install) it was fried rice with shrimp and vegetables. For the sunroom install team it was various things from pulled BBQ pork, to home made pizza, to chicken adobo, or fresh made

*real* chicken stew/soup with home made dumplings. Fresh bread from the breadmaker daily (Come'on guys, take the rest home and here's the baggies and i'll make more tomorrow. What type would you like tomorrow? I got rye, all white, part whole wheat, all whole wheat recipes and ingredients so let me know before ya go and I'll do a timed bake so it's ready about 11am).

Oh the chimney repair team? One of'em only eats fish for his meat and the other one won't touch it so we go salmon or tilapia (butter fried with carmelized onions and green bell peppers) for the one and a pork, chicken, or beef bit for the other (various dishes there but all simple and tasty). They both love spinach, carrots, asparagus, green beans, and cabbage so the side is easy. Hehe they time my cleaning jobs for when I'm home and at lunch time.

Reply to
cshenk

Kurt Ullman wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@70-3-168-216.pools.spcsdns.net:

Being able to sell "American-made by american workers" autos helps a great deal. Many "imports" contain more US content than "American" brands.

(what's a "UD$" ?)

Reply to
Jim Yanik

Ryan P wrote in news:h06i96$5fp$ snipped-for-privacy@news.eternal-september.org:

No,because many of the component parts also are manufactured right in the US. Honda has an engine plant in Ohio.ISTR one other major "import" also making their motors in the US.

OTOH,many "US" autos and their assemblies are made in Canada and Mexico,by foreigners.

Reply to
Jim Yanik

Yup!

Well, sometimes the 'can't' is just 'heck, never used a hammer in my life'.

This came up this past weekend. We host the local neighborhood cookouts because we have the best screened porch and a decent grill. Happens 2-3 times a month. Folks swap stories and just have a good time for 3-4 hours then walk home.

One of our regulars brought along a new next door neighbor who's renting the house of one of our other 'regulars' while he's in an overseas billet (Navy). Turns out the back raised wood porch was going bad in just a few spots. Lady renting has her husband out at sea and she'd never done more than hang pictures. Sweet thing and not stupid, just hadn't ever had to deal with it.

With all my repairs after my renters, I still have about 16 PT suitable boards so we grabbed the 5 she said she thought she needed and walked down (regular guy next to her had the tools). Took us 7 about 45 mins which included trotting back for a 6th board as I didnt like the look of 2 stair steps.

Grin, in fact it would have gone faster with fewer of us but we had fun anyways!

We emailed our friend who's renting out his house and told him it wasn't a color match to the stain but it should hold and be safe for the newly walking child the renters had. His response was a happy 'thank you guys!' and a reminder to her to ask us if she runs into anything as we are apt to be able to fix it.

She emailed back a small list today. It's easy stuff and she said she'd get all the parts (needed help on a few of them on what to get) and bring a whole pork loin to the next picnic for goodies. Grin, I like her ethics!

Sometimes, you win-win...

Reply to
cshenk

I was trying to help the dyslexics that were following along by designating US$. Okay so it was ham handed typing skills.

Reply to
Kurt Ullman

I think there are a lot of people who truly would offer help more but don't have any confidence in their own ability...kind of "I'm no good" thinking. People used to tell my mom she was artistic and creative, and she would get irritated at that because she didn't think she knew how to do anything that everyone else could do if they tried :o) I still have a little bundle of newspaper clippings she started collecting as a teenager - 1920's - all sorts of "how to" stuff....build a bird house, order chicks to raise, etc.

Reply to
norminn

RBM wrote:

Same here. The sorry-a** putz will show up some day soon to ask for more help. I'd like to be there to here what you tell him.

Loren

Reply to
L Vetter

Jim Yanik wrote: (snip)

Eh, I can't really regard our northern friends as foreigners. More like the strait-laced sibling living down the street from Ma'n'Pa that you still keep in touch with, even though you have been written out of the will because you went and got all those tattoos.

-- aem sends...

Reply to
aemeijers

Erm...hear, nor here.

Loren

Reply to
L Vetter

Me either. I generally regard Canada as the attic in which one keeps the crazy aunt.

Reply to
HeyBub

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