Why is it that we still look for free stuff? I have ofund that almost all free stuff is not free.. but I will show here a few small exceptions to this rule..
www.blogger.com free blog
www.yahoo.com free email
www.google.com free searchengine (with the best results) Submission to and use is free.. if you have a web site submit to google.. all the rest are kind of after-thoughts.
www.nascigs.com you can get free smokes!
Now if anyone else knows of USEFUL free stuff post it here as a comment.. if I like your comment I will make it a post here.. I'll make you famous.. for free..
Wednesday, October 12, 2005
Tuesday, October 11, 2005
The Fall of another American Giant. GM.. the Delphi story..
The Fall of another American Giant. GM.. the Delphi story..
Which came first the chicken or the egg?
This may be the question on the minds of analysts all across this great land of ours, as Delphi, a major supplier to GM seeks Ch. 11 Bankruptcy Protection.
As a person who works inside the world of Automotive Sub-Contractors, I have seen on the horizon for the last 18 months, this fall in progress.
Perhaps it will stop with Delphi, but I doubt it.
For the last several months, more so than in the past, auto manufacturers, GM, Ford and to a lesser degree Chrysler, have been squeezing, and squeezing their suppliers for lower and lower prices, to the degree that after money is spent on expensive tooling, one of the big three threatened to pull the contract, if the per part price that they wanted was not met. For this one supplier it meant immediate bankruptcy, vs. a slow bleeding to death supplying parts at less than cost. This supplier elected to bleed a while and hope for a more lucrative contract to make up for his loss. My parts from them were subsequently made more expensive. While my friend would not admit that he did this as a way to stem the bleeding, from his Auto contract gone bad, it still makes me feel like I am the one giving corporate welfare to tone of the Big 3!
So who’s to blame? The Corp. Execs at the Big 3? The Unions? Healthcare costs?
My thinking leads me to believe it is a little of all three and other factors that we cannot see.
The U.S. Auto industry in the states is sick, and perhaps dying. This comes from excessive salaries for both the production employees, as well as the executives. It comes from the Unions, who mandate some very silly and restrictive rules upon the companies that rely on Union labor. (Example, a supervisor cannot jump onto a hi-lo to move a skid, if it is in the way, but rather a union hi-lo operator must be called to move it).
Healthcare costs, are clearly out of control, if you are an employer, you see this every day.
Lack of vision, has made the pension plans, which are very generous, not sustainable, (reminds me of Social Security in many ways when you hear the pros and cons talk about them).
A squeezing of supplier has lead to many going off shore for assembly work, so in effect the unions and the management of these companies together have driven jobs off-shore.
The lack of quality, perceived or real in US made cars, has driven the US consumer to look at foreign made vehicles, more and more. I have news for you, a European Ford, is relatively the same cost to buy, but has much better fit and finish, and appears to be a higher quality vehicle.
The EPA and DOT, have been restrictive enough to increase costs of American Cars again forcing people to look to off-shore manufacturers.
The Unions have come into the smaller supplier and made Union shops out of shops that have been around for years, supplying to the Auto Manufactures. This drives their cost of operation up, while the customers (the Big -3) are squeezing for lower prices / costs. This is making more than a few close up shop. Making the employees that the unions were supposed to protect, now unemployed.
To get a good feel of the U.S. Auto industry health, just look at the employment numbers from the State of Michigan. Pretty dismal, and only bound to get worse if practices do not change and change fast.
My shop is not union, if it is ever made union, it will have to consider closing, or moving south, we currently operate at a 4% net profit. It will not take too many supervisors, or persons who cannot do more than one job, i.e. drive a Hilo, + wrap product for shipping + load trucks + receive parts to eat my 4% up.
How do we fix it?
I do not know. If you listen to the Cons, you fix it by getting rid of unions, tariffs on foreign goods, etc..
If you listen to the Libs, you make every shop union, you tax everyone to pay for pensions for everyone, you put a ceiling on CEO salaries, and you create universal healthcare..
I don’t know about you, but I don’t think either will fix the problem, and both cases not addressing the core issues. I just hope that some economist out there somewhere is making a magic potion to fix this problem, because in the end, it is not just the Auto industry that these effects are being felt in, it is our whole economy out whole industrial complex, it is only starting in the Auto sector, it will be coming to a company near you soon.
Which came first the chicken or the egg?
This may be the question on the minds of analysts all across this great land of ours, as Delphi, a major supplier to GM seeks Ch. 11 Bankruptcy Protection.
As a person who works inside the world of Automotive Sub-Contractors, I have seen on the horizon for the last 18 months, this fall in progress.
Perhaps it will stop with Delphi, but I doubt it.
For the last several months, more so than in the past, auto manufacturers, GM, Ford and to a lesser degree Chrysler, have been squeezing, and squeezing their suppliers for lower and lower prices, to the degree that after money is spent on expensive tooling, one of the big three threatened to pull the contract, if the per part price that they wanted was not met. For this one supplier it meant immediate bankruptcy, vs. a slow bleeding to death supplying parts at less than cost. This supplier elected to bleed a while and hope for a more lucrative contract to make up for his loss. My parts from them were subsequently made more expensive. While my friend would not admit that he did this as a way to stem the bleeding, from his Auto contract gone bad, it still makes me feel like I am the one giving corporate welfare to tone of the Big 3!
So who’s to blame? The Corp. Execs at the Big 3? The Unions? Healthcare costs?
My thinking leads me to believe it is a little of all three and other factors that we cannot see.
The U.S. Auto industry in the states is sick, and perhaps dying. This comes from excessive salaries for both the production employees, as well as the executives. It comes from the Unions, who mandate some very silly and restrictive rules upon the companies that rely on Union labor. (Example, a supervisor cannot jump onto a hi-lo to move a skid, if it is in the way, but rather a union hi-lo operator must be called to move it).
Healthcare costs, are clearly out of control, if you are an employer, you see this every day.
Lack of vision, has made the pension plans, which are very generous, not sustainable, (reminds me of Social Security in many ways when you hear the pros and cons talk about them).
A squeezing of supplier has lead to many going off shore for assembly work, so in effect the unions and the management of these companies together have driven jobs off-shore.
The lack of quality, perceived or real in US made cars, has driven the US consumer to look at foreign made vehicles, more and more. I have news for you, a European Ford, is relatively the same cost to buy, but has much better fit and finish, and appears to be a higher quality vehicle.
The EPA and DOT, have been restrictive enough to increase costs of American Cars again forcing people to look to off-shore manufacturers.
The Unions have come into the smaller supplier and made Union shops out of shops that have been around for years, supplying to the Auto Manufactures. This drives their cost of operation up, while the customers (the Big -3) are squeezing for lower prices / costs. This is making more than a few close up shop. Making the employees that the unions were supposed to protect, now unemployed.
To get a good feel of the U.S. Auto industry health, just look at the employment numbers from the State of Michigan. Pretty dismal, and only bound to get worse if practices do not change and change fast.
My shop is not union, if it is ever made union, it will have to consider closing, or moving south, we currently operate at a 4% net profit. It will not take too many supervisors, or persons who cannot do more than one job, i.e. drive a Hilo, + wrap product for shipping + load trucks + receive parts to eat my 4% up.
How do we fix it?
I do not know. If you listen to the Cons, you fix it by getting rid of unions, tariffs on foreign goods, etc..
If you listen to the Libs, you make every shop union, you tax everyone to pay for pensions for everyone, you put a ceiling on CEO salaries, and you create universal healthcare..
I don’t know about you, but I don’t think either will fix the problem, and both cases not addressing the core issues. I just hope that some economist out there somewhere is making a magic potion to fix this problem, because in the end, it is not just the Auto industry that these effects are being felt in, it is our whole economy out whole industrial complex, it is only starting in the Auto sector, it will be coming to a company near you soon.
Conspiracy theory Anti-Depressant Drugs and Gun Control & Free Universal Healthcare!
Conspiracy theory Anti-Depressant Drugs and Gun Control
Well my fellow Conspiracy theory readers. Allow me to put this out there for you to expand upon.. pass it on to conspiracy theory writers and watch the fireworks if you will.
I have not read this any other place, so perhaps this is a first?
It has been brought to my attention that in many areas of the country, that you second amendment right to keep and bare arms is stripped from you, if you have been placed on anti-depressant drugs!
It strikes me as funny, that there are so many advertisements for anti-depressants on television, and in print, and to a lesser degree on radio.
Is this the latest ploy of our government to make sure that the populace is not armed?
What is the government’s master plan? Why is it so important to them, to keep us the citizens from having a way to effectively protect ourselves?
Could this, in conjunction with Universal healthcare, ensure that more and more of the population cannot get a permit to carry or even purchase a firearm in the future?
Is this just the beginning of the age of American totalitarianism?
Could be???
I take Paxil.. how about you? (I became addicted to it during a smoking cessation, attempt, and was diagnosed as “depressed” during my withdrawal from it!
Add this to the mix.. more and more children and adults are being placed on medication for ADD or ADHD.. this to is seen as a psychological disorder.. and using the broad brush law in my area.. if you are currently, or have been at anytime diagnosed with a psychological disorder, you may not acquire a permit to carry a firearm. Nor may you obtain a permit to purchase a handgun. (Rifles and shotguns are slated for similar legislation, even as I write this..)
What other maladies can be put down as psychological disorders? (That are currently being treated with drugs, that have to be prescribed, thus requiring a doctor to make a diagnosis?) Over eating.. under eating.. fatigue.. unexplained muscle soreness.. = depression (yep saw that one on TV last night!), the list will continue to grow, until every American adult can be diagnosed with one for or another of psychological disorder.
Can you think of a better way to get the guns out of the hands of those who may revolt? Give universal healthcare, have a government doctor diagnose you as depressed.. and viola’ no guns for you.
I can almost hear the lines of storm trooper goose-stepping out side my office right now.. can’t you?
Well my fellow Conspiracy theory readers. Allow me to put this out there for you to expand upon.. pass it on to conspiracy theory writers and watch the fireworks if you will.
I have not read this any other place, so perhaps this is a first?
It has been brought to my attention that in many areas of the country, that you second amendment right to keep and bare arms is stripped from you, if you have been placed on anti-depressant drugs!
It strikes me as funny, that there are so many advertisements for anti-depressants on television, and in print, and to a lesser degree on radio.
Is this the latest ploy of our government to make sure that the populace is not armed?
What is the government’s master plan? Why is it so important to them, to keep us the citizens from having a way to effectively protect ourselves?
Could this, in conjunction with Universal healthcare, ensure that more and more of the population cannot get a permit to carry or even purchase a firearm in the future?
Is this just the beginning of the age of American totalitarianism?
Could be???
I take Paxil.. how about you? (I became addicted to it during a smoking cessation, attempt, and was diagnosed as “depressed” during my withdrawal from it!
Add this to the mix.. more and more children and adults are being placed on medication for ADD or ADHD.. this to is seen as a psychological disorder.. and using the broad brush law in my area.. if you are currently, or have been at anytime diagnosed with a psychological disorder, you may not acquire a permit to carry a firearm. Nor may you obtain a permit to purchase a handgun. (Rifles and shotguns are slated for similar legislation, even as I write this..)
What other maladies can be put down as psychological disorders? (That are currently being treated with drugs, that have to be prescribed, thus requiring a doctor to make a diagnosis?) Over eating.. under eating.. fatigue.. unexplained muscle soreness.. = depression (yep saw that one on TV last night!), the list will continue to grow, until every American adult can be diagnosed with one for or another of psychological disorder.
Can you think of a better way to get the guns out of the hands of those who may revolt? Give universal healthcare, have a government doctor diagnose you as depressed.. and viola’ no guns for you.
I can almost hear the lines of storm trooper goose-stepping out side my office right now.. can’t you?
Blog Promotion Tips that make sense
Getting your blog seen is (or can be) frustrating.. I seem to have forgotten my basics.. I invite you to view this other blog
http://promote.mad-den.net/
This guy seems to have his stuff together.. and has discribed the basics beter than I would have.
Peace, Pass it on..
http://promote.mad-den.net/
This guy seems to have his stuff together.. and has discribed the basics beter than I would have.
Peace, Pass it on..
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