So,,, how's this "Change" thing going for everybody??

well I like the sticker on my truck

HechoEnMexico.gif
 
osd9 said:
Excerpt ....

Owners of sport utility vehicles, pickup trucks or minivans that get 18 mpg or less could receive a voucher for $3,500 if their new truck or SUV got at least 2 mpg higher than their old vehicle. The voucher would increase to $4,500 if the mileage of the new truck or SUV was at least 5 mpg higher than the older vehicle.

Dealers participating in the program would receive an electronic voucher from the government for the trade-in to apply to the purchase or lease of a qualifying vehicle. The bill directs dealers to ensure that the older vehicles are crushed or shredded to get the clunkers off the road.


from here....

http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20090618/NEWS03/90618033/1263/RSS
Click to expand...

Cool.
My 1999 Lincoln Navigator is EPA rated @ 13 combined.
A new 2009 Lincoln Navigator is EPA rated @ 16 -- 3 MPG better

I get to buy a gas hog and get a check. It's not like my truck, with 310,000 miles is worth anything near $4,500. The downside is that I really want to know how far she'll go before she suffers some major breakdown. The engine is in good shape. Good compression. Minimal oil consumption. Good power. Gets up to 18-19 mpg on the highway @70 mph, so the internals are good. I'm guessing somewhere near a half-million miles...

This is funny.
 
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comsnark said:
No. . .I admit to not getting it at all.

So. . if a Toyota is made in Georgia and. . . a GM is made in Mexico. . . .

Which provides more American jobs?
Which one helps the American economy more?

Good question. OK. . the assembly point is one thing. Where are the parts coming from? I am sure the ten cent screws are made locally. The Engines are probably coming . . .where? I am pretty sure the Toyota engines come from Japan. Does GM build engines in the US. . .or is that also moving overseas?

So in terms of jobs. .. . the situation is already muddy.

In terms of profit. . .Toyota profits go to Japan. Where does that money go? First it goes into the Rich Guy's bank accounts. What do they do with it? Obviously, most of it is reinvested. So if a Japenese guy invests in Japanese companies. . .where are the jobs created?

I guess mostly Japan. . but if they invest in Toyota. . .they are building plants in the US. Anything else that builds infrastructure. . .the actual "jobs" are in China, right?

And if a GM exec invests. . . they will invest in a company that is building things. . .in China?

This is not an easy analysis if one is actually interested in something more than hyperbole.

- - - - - -

I remember the old arguments about Nafta. The case was made that it is better for the consumer if a sweater is made in Mexico for $10 than it would be if the sweater was made in the US for $20. I never understood the argument. .
Click to expand...


Surely most of your comments are in jest? Toyota engines are made in the USA as well as most of the parts and steel used (80% for the Camry's made in Georgetown, KY)

And just where do all of the employees who work in these plants come from? No there is a lot of misconceptions and hyperbole perpetuated by the media.

I agree with this;

"To me, the sweater would cost $40 in TJMax and $80 in Macy's regardless of where it was made."

:thumbsup:
 
rktktpaul said:
After taking a 20% paycut for the past year and no new work to pursue, my company is actually seeing proposal requests for architectural/engineering services taking off like a bat out of hell. Most of the requests are from the Feds, but we're also seeing a lot of requests from local municipalities. Even some of our private sector clients are starting to open up. Most of this is attributable to the Recovery and Reinvestment Act passed by Congress.

We've been selected for a couple of projects, so I get to go back to full salary and finally afford gas for the boat just in time!! :smt038
Click to expand...

Now I would take the money and run too, but concider this. I drive all 48 states and to ONLY place I see this is in ILLINOIS

official_seal_of_the_american_recovery_and_reinvestment_act_of_2009svg.png

This is their fragazzy symbol to put at road constructuin sites paid for by the blah blah blah tax the crap out of me act. I notice you are from Chicago. No wonder your company gets the cash. But like I said I'd take the money and run too.
Guess the real gangsters are from Chicago...for now.
NY and NJ get what?
 
Pseudomind said:
Surely most of your comments are in jest? Toyota engines are made in the USA as well as most of the parts and steel used (80% for the Camry's made in Georgetown, KY)

And just where do all of the employees who work in these plants come from? No there is a lot of misconceptions and hyperbole perpetuated by the media.

I agree with this;

"To me, the sweater would cost $40 in TJMax and $80 in Macy's regardless of where it was made."

:thumbsup:
Click to expand...

Yeah, I just took my gf's Toyota in next door for an oil-change, and went to check the new 2010 Tundra's 80 or 90% parts from US/Canada, assembled in Texas. Try to find that on your little 3, it won't be easy.
 
jitts3 said:
Now I would take the money and run too, but concider this. I drive all 48 states and to ONLY place I see this is in ILLINOIS

official_seal_of_the_american_recovery_and_reinvestment_act_of_2009svg.png

This is their fragazzy symbol to put at road constructuin sites paid for by the blah blah blah tax the crap out of me act. I notice you are from Chicago. No wonder your company gets the cash. But like I said I'd take the money and run too.
Guess the real gangsters are from Chicago...for now.
NY and NJ get what?
Click to expand...

I'm really sorry that I got involved in these "discussions".

I get branded a socialist because the only work available to my profession right now is being generated by ARRA; and now I guess I'm a gangster because Illinois posts signs on a road construction project saying the project is funded by ARRA.

The State of Illinois has not had any new construction projects in over five years because of state budget issues. The road construction project you saw was ready for construction a long time ago, it was just lacking funds. When Illinois received the ARRA funds, they pulled the trigger because they had the plans ready to go. You're going to see this sign all over the country; I mean you actually had to pull the image from the Town of Sparks, Nevada website after all.

My company being from Chicago has or had nothing to do with getting work funded by ARRA; we just happened to have the specialty that the Feds were looking for. And trust me, I'm not lighting cigars with $100 bills because my firm is making a killing from these Federal projects; there's litterally no profit in these jobs, but we're going to finally be able to cover our expenses for once instead of draining our bank account.

The only thing getting this ARRA work has allowed for me to do is go back to work for 5 days a week after not being able to do so for a year now - I'm not getting a handout and running, but I'm actually WORKING!! And these projects are giving me a little breathing room in trying to find some work that isn't tied into ARRA, which are very few to be found. If I can't find any work to get into the office, we're back to part time in August!!

Like I said in a previous post, my industry was hit very hard. The unemployment rate among architects is over 20%.

So I'm very sorry I even opened my big mouth. I thought that I would share what my experience has been thusfar; I didn't expect to be hammered over it.
 
rktktpaul said:
I'm really sorry that I got involved in these "discussions".

I get branded a socialist because the only work available to my profession right now is being generated by ARRA; and now I guess I'm a gangster because Illinois posts signs on a road construction project saying the project is funded by ARRA.

The State of Illinois has not had any new construction projects in over five years because of state budget issues. The road construction project you saw was ready for construction a long time ago, it was just lacking funds. When Illinois received the ARRA funds, they pulled the trigger because they had the plans ready to go. You're going to see this sign all over the country; I mean you actually had to pull the image from the Town of Sparks, Nevada website after all.

My company being from Chicago has or had nothing to do with getting work funded by ARRA; we just happened to have the specialty that the Feds were looking for. And trust me, I'm not lighting cigars with $100 bills because my firm is making a killing from these Federal projects; there's litterally no profit in these jobs, but we're going to finally be able to cover our expenses for once instead of draining our bank account.

The only thing getting this ARRA work has allowed for me to do is go back to work for 5 days a week after not being able to do so for a year now - I'm not getting a handout and running, but I'm actually WORKING!! And these projects are giving me a little breathing room in trying to find some work that isn't tied into ARRA, which are very few to be found. If I can't find any work to get into the office, we're back to part time in August!!

Like I said in a previous post, my industry was hit very hard. The unemployment rate among architects is over 20%.

So I'm very sorry I even opened my big mouth. I thought that I would share what my experience has been thusfar; I didn't expect to be hammered over it.
Click to expand...
Socialist was what sombody else tossed out there, not me. I wrote twice "I'd take the money and run"! I wish I could get some of that work but nw the trucking industry has been hit hard and the only thing I can do is to make some adjustments, and survive. I in no way was refering to you as a gangster, especially since I am from New Jersey and come from a large Itallian family. haha I am refering to Chicago politics. Obama will take care of the city that took care of him. At least politically.
If ARRA is helping your buisness prosper then God Bless. At least sombody is benifiting from it.
Now as far as the Original post, the "change" to me has been just the same crappy economy and the taking of money from the people who are on the fence of needing my services. So naturally they do not. To me this sucks. But if we have to have a quazi-socialist President then hopfully some of us will benifit, I would just rather more of us be allowed to survive.

Long story short, I ment no offence to you.
Steve
 
Ah. . .don't take the socialist jab personally.

A while back, before the election, I posted a few anti-republican things. A poll was taken to determine if I was a socialist pig. I will let you guess the results. :)

I was highly tempted to put that poll in my sig line for a while.
 
Thanks Steve! I realize no offence was meant, and I do know that you didn't call me a socialist. That comment really had gotten under my skin, especially since its been a very rough year and a half for me and my industry. As I said earlier, my brother-in-law is also in architecture, and has been out of work since last August; he's now losing his house since he is still unable to find work.

So I'm very grateful that there's some work that happened to come our way; its not much, but it keeps my company going for a couple of months. Oddly enough, there were several larger projects in the Chicagoland area that the Feds selected architects; if we would have been able to get one of them, we would have been set for the next 18 months. Of the four projects the Feds had, two went to New York firms, one went to a Dearborn, MI firm, and the last project went to an outfit from Denver . . . so much for being from Chicago!!

Steve, I hope business picks up for you very fast. Our business is usually the first to tank in a recession, and we are seeing some signs that business will be picking up. Usually everone else catches up with us pretty quickly, and I hope that will be the case for everyone.
 
If the government offered me a huge consulting job, I'd take the money. Considering taxes I paid over the last few decades, I'd view it as no more than a late partial refund of what they have been stealing from me.
 
It didn't dawn on me that you were from Ill, you're not a socialist, you're a gangster!!

For the record, don't take my label seriously. But do consider this. The $1 trillon spent on these projects requires us to borrow from the Chinese.

These give aways have significantly eroded the value of the dollar world wide and will continue to do so.

Most of the economic problems we face today are to do excess production of goods and services. You are now producing more.

We all blame the banks for making bad loans, but don't look in the mirror because I built 800 homes in two years for people all too eager to put their names on the dotted line and then when the market turned realized they were playing a game they had no business being in.

The banks just took $5 trillon out of the credit market. That would snuff out the economies of many countries.

The worst is yet to come. For instance, we are now seeing defaults in the ARM loans. If you want to be frightened, think of this. There are 10x has many arm loans as there were subprime loans. The ARM loans assumed a certain appraisal and as people refinance they can't do it because their homes won't appraise so they can get refinancing.

And forget about the government's bailout plan. Most homes can't meet the 105% rule or more than 31% rule. Nice catch 22 for millions of home owners. We haven't even seen the hard times yet and we have a president and staff that is ill equipped to handle it.

Yes, in the micro sense we are all happy for you. In the Macro sense the Obama socialism only makes things worse.

You can drink the Kool Aid or you can examine the facts.
 
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Just came across this posting and read through all of the posts.

Wow.... really opens the eyes to how different people look at the same situation

And the Toyota Tundra is currently(and has been since its full size introduction) the single vehicle that puts the most dollars into american hands

Even though they are non union....
....just have to work for their jobs
 
Fishnut said:
It didn't dawn on me that you were from Ill, you're not a socialist, you're a gangster!!

For the record, don't take my label seriously. But do consider this. The $1 trillon spent on these projects requires us to borrow from the Chinese.

Does that make the Chinese Shylocks?
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Minimu Wage in China 0.21 cents an hour
Minium Wage US 7.25 An Hour

So Class; where will more products be produced in the future?

Where will US manufacturing jobs be going?
 
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