Round the Farm Kitchen Table

I'm a city slicker but this is farming country and these discussions remind me of sitting around the kitchen table at a friend's farm years ago. I find it informative, thought provoking and exhilarating to know that there are still so many people that care enough about topics that affect us all so greatly.

For years I have been asking, "what happened to all those 'angry young men'?" Well, I think I have finally found them!

I'm from Canada and originally from UK so please don't take offense at my comments just because I'm an "outsider". I post because (as Dale Carnegie proposes) I feel I have "some unique experience or knowledge" that might be useful to others. Just like the farm kitchen discussions.

22 years ago we were having a hard time with a new company that we had just started. It was 1982 and didn't look like it was getting better anytime soon. People would ask "how are you? how's it going?" (knowing that we were struggling). Pretty quickly I learned to just say, "GRREEAAT!!". This surprises people, disarmes them and makes them smile. Best of all IT MAKES ME SMILE! and when I think about it I DO FEAL GREAT!! Thank you for asking.

Just in the last couple of years I, in turn, am surprised by how many people (strangers) when I ask them how they are....just say, "GRREEAAT!!" and smile!

So here's hoping we can start something else (even if it takes 20 years!!)

I watch US news quite a bit and am niggled by the constant talk of exporting jobs. I wish they would stop rabbiting on about the problem and suggest a solution or two! In the 60's when the UK was going bankrupt and part of the problem was exporting jobs to Japan they started a BUY BRITISH campaign. That's when the Britsh flag started appearing everywhere. Everyone had shopping bags that were just one big flag. It got to the point where you felt ashamed to buy anything that wasn't British.

Start a BUY AMERICAN campaign!!

The subject is bandied about politically and the lobbyists want to label products, but that's to put pressure on the retailers to stock only US products. I'm afraind that the US and Canadian people are just a little too afluent and therefore apathetic to actually do it. Shame on us all for buying those cheap Sony CD players, JVC TV's etc. Come on Lou Dobbs start a movement here.

There are areas where it will hurt Canadians but I don't think most Canadians will object as long as it's the people, not the politicians, lobbyists and large industry that's doing it. And in the end you'll end up buying our stuff anyway because our labour costs are in line with yours and both our peoples cross the border to work.

Ken Franks
Calgary, Alberta
CANADA

Respectfully,
Dan

You never hear anything about inflation anymore, why????? ??? It's prevelant in everything we consume. Every year employee's need a raise, better benefits, etc, etc. Why do prices keep going up and up on our consumables??? Sure the big boys at the top get more % wise than the guy down the ladder. But that's America. If the lower guy goes up....he expects more and eventually forgets the bottom. Human nature...GREED!!!!! !!!!! ! There comes a point when it can't continue....and that point has been reached. In order for company X to continue in business inputs have to be stopped or cut or there is no Company X anymore.

As far as unions, the concept was and is great. Problem is too much power in too few hands. I've always said when the day comes for me to pay someone to have a job, is the day they can put me 6' under. When a worker doesn't keep up his end of "plank", he should go bye bye. Too many know that it takes an act of congress almost to get rid of the guy. By the time the strike is over with the little bit they get better. It takes how long???? to make up for the $$ lost while on strike. Simple economics says someone isn't thinking.

Grabbing Marks spare fire suit.

If I didn't buy the inferior product at a reduced price (that I could afford) I wouldn't be making a purchase at all.

Besides folks, (I'm as redneck as anyone here) there are a lot of jobs here that support overseas manufacturer's and what the media don't usually tell you is that a lot of jobs are attrition...either the person quits or retires and they don't bother replacing them.

One more thing..... read where GM has more retired workers than employees. Do you have any idea as to what kind of financial burden it is for a company to provide all the benefits WE REQUIRE????

At least we have our old Iron and don't have to buy the pumpkin brand unless we want to.

(Ducking the flak that I know will come)

Mark

Mark

They are just perpetuating the problem by making these companies feel like they are "just one of the crowd". You can just hear the next board meeting, "Gosh, if they're all doing it maybe we should be looking at it?"

Yes, I think they may actually be motivating the export of jobs rather than preventing it. If they searched out companies who manufactured in the USA, then maybe we could start a movement to buy from those companies. Or at least give them preference.

If I had a son right now I would tell him to become a plumber! Why? 'Cause you can't get someone from India to come fix your toilet!!

My family thinks I'm nuts 'cause I won't shop at Wal-Mart or Home Depot (Okay, since I retired I have shopped at Wal-Mart) but have you noticed what else happened over the last 20 years? We used to take printed output off the computer and send it to the "bursting & decollating room". There, the carbon was removed along with the side strips and the paper was "burst" into single pages. Companies have got smart! They have "distributed" that "processing"!!! So now you get all this crap in the mail, with instructions so small these old eyes can't read them! and so complicated this tired old brain can't interpret them (somebody shut that violin up, will you!). But you get my meaning? What happened to the service?????

What happened to quality control? It got "distributed"! Fire the lot of them! Lower the price and let the customer return what doesn't work.

Trouble is, once you don't have service for the product you buy, you might as well buy that crap from China!!! If we insisted on quality and we inisted on service wouldn't the job have to be done locally? In this country?

Supper is on the table - everything has to stop for food!!

Ken Franks
Calgary, Alberta
CANADA

• Three Men Went A-Hunting

'Scuse me I think I'm in the wrong opera!!

Seriously, around these parts on a 105 degree day when we are driving down the street in our 1998 Dodge p/u with the air conditioner blowing full blast...nice and cozy, Jose is in the median laying bricks..... ..no gringo's or others anywhere to be seen.

I don't care what you say, I admire them for that....course my mama showed me some of them digging out the ditch in front of our meager home when I was a kid and she said "son, if you don't get an education, you'll be out there doing that".

And FYI, my Dodge is over 5 years old now and has never been back to the dealer or in the repair shop.....except to get the gimme cap they promised me when I bought it..... and the door lable says
Made in Mexico..... ..from Canadian parts...well the Canadian part is not written there (it's on the parts)but there are a lot of Canadian parts...and that's ok....Seems the Japanese, among others, have learned the lesson about jobs and having customers with money to spend (cause of a job) selling automotive/truck products.....or did they do it to reduce import tariffs to remain competetive??? Confused..... . So I can buy an "American" Dodge made in Mexico City or a "Japanese" Toyota Tundra, made in San Antonio, TX....new truck plant being built....boy I am really confused now.

Mark