That's the question here, given the most recent 8.9 quake in Japan. If you think about it the advancements made in communications and media offer a much more graphic and vivid picture of recent natural disasters. Not too long ago these natural disasters were not covered in such depth, and while being in the center of one would no doubt be as frightening today as it would have been 100 years ago, it seems almost certain that the wide spread proliferation of such devastating events could cause people to over-react with "End of day" fears.
On the other hand, these modern day advancements with communications will be a good thing in terms of the world reaching out to devastated areas with support. While the actual event may be as devastating as ever, the clean up and re-build effort should be improving.
What do you think?
-- Edited by SELLC on Sunday 13th of March 2011 03:33:21 PM
__________________
What is to give light must endure burning -- Viktor Frankl
Some advancements that make natural disasters worse than days of old would be-
Nuclear power Electrical grids/distribution Gas mains/distribution Large sky scraper buildings Plains, Trains, Automobiles and Boats Disruption in GPS and navigation
Feel free to add to the list.
-- Edited by SELLC on Saturday 12th of March 2011 11:57:37 AM
__________________
What is to give light must endure burning -- Viktor Frankl
The owner of my dealership owns 9 other dealerships. He pays the mechanics at those other 9 dealers the exact same payscale that our union negotiates for us. So actually I feel like I'm having to fend for more than just myself, but hundreds of others. The techs at the other stores never bother to stop by and thank us for our efforts, but they're welcome anyway.
As I said, if you reduce the bargaining power of union employees, it reduces wages and bennefits for EVERYONE. If you think Governor walker is some kind of hero for putting the downward spiral for working class wages on steroids, remember for a second which tax bracket you're in when the CEO's of the world are laughing at you all the way to the bank.
Did I say Walker was a hero? But now that you brought it up I think you will find that in a way Walker is a hero to all other governors that are going to have to make the hard call on budget issues. I never had the luxury or the limits of a Union in my negotiating so it's hard for me to understand where you guys are coming from. I have to undercut super powers like Ford, GM, Mercedes-Benz, Midas, Tuffy, Firestone, Belle Tire, and every other vulture out there to get my work.
Wait until companies have to start cutting overhead to pay more taxes and wages. You will be working out of your shop owners back yard.
Kind of reminds me of this new Advanced Auto Parts commercial.
I find that scenareo in the commerical to be real life some days while having to run down parts.
Your union may be limiting other dealerships abilities to ask for MORE money PowerStroker, you never know. Your owner may actually use your Union to set the pay scale bar. The highest pay should be awarded to the shops that gross the most profit, not what some group of special interest decides to set it at.
__________________
What is to give light must endure burning -- Viktor Frankl
But now that you brought it up I think you will find that in a way Walker is a hero to all other governors that are going to have to make the hard call on budget issues.
He could have sat down with the unions and told them about the budget crunch he created. the unions agreed to all of the financial concessions he needed even without being asked to do so. I don't understand why he's afraid to talk to people and decides it's easer just to take their rights away and impose his will. Not very democratic if you ask me.
I never had the luxury or the limits of a Union in my negotiating so it's hard for me to understand where you guys are coming from. I have to undercut super powers like Ford, GM, Mercedes-Benz, Midas, Tuffy, Firestone, Belle Tire, and every other vulture out there to get my work.
It's not hard to undercut me, I'm like the most expensive mechanic in town I think - or damn close to it. I have absolutely no interest in being "cost competitive" for the things I do. Price isn't how I compete for work, yet I'm usually busy anyway.
Wait until companies have to start cutting overhead to pay more taxes and wages. You will be working out of your shop owners back yard.
Corporate tax rates haven't been this low since 1950 - you can thank Obama for that. Wages are a percentage (a low percentage) of the door rate, there's plenty of profit margin for my owner... Actually it's obscene. I wouldn't work in anybody's back yard.
Kind of reminds me of this new Advanced Auto Parts commercial.
I find that scenareo in the commerical to be real life some days while having to run down parts.
You don't have people to do that for you?
Your union may be limiting other dealerships abilities to ask for MORE money PowerStroker,
The other 9 (non union) dealers aren't limited in any wayin their negotiating, except that the owner is a scrooge who doesn't value techs. The only reason he pays them union scale is to prevent them from unionizing. He'd pay 30 cents per hour if he could get away with it. So much for your theory about unions limiting ones bargaining power.
you never know. Your owner may actually use your Union to set the pay scale bar.
That's exactly what he does.
The highest pay should be awarded to the shops that gross the most profit, not what some group of special interest decides to set it at.
At the end of the day, after all expenses are paid, my dealer is the 2nd most profitable of his 10 dealerships. The only reason his big Mazda store beats us is because he has lower health care costs for them because they are non union and he gets the cheapest plan possible for them.
PowerStroker wrote: You didn't need to, I know how you think.
Okay Yoda.
He could have sat down with the unions and told them about the budget crunch he created. the unions agreed to all of the financial concessions he needed even without being asked to do so. I don't understand why he's afraid to talk to people and decides it's easer just to take their rights away and impose his will. Not very democratic if you ask me.
Again, as a self employed non-union worker I have a hard time grasping any concept of collective bargining. If my customer don't like my work, prices or service "I'm fired".
It's not hard to undercut me, I'm like the most expensive mechanic in town I think - or damn close to it. I have absolutely no interest in being "cost competitive" for the things I do. Price isn't how I compete for work, yet I'm usually busy anyway.
That's pretty arrogant. I think this mentality is what cost the dealership customers in the after-warranty-life. I have a serious interest in being "cost competitive" because saving money is in style these days. I guess you have to be "EXTRA" good at what you do to beat dealership prices and still have the trust of your customer without all the overhead. That's a long way of saying you have to be good at what you do.
Corporate tax rates haven't been this low since 1950 - you can thank Obama for that. Wages are a percentage (a low percentage) of the door rate, there's plenty of profit margin for my owner... Actually it's obscene. I wouldn't work in anybody's back yard.
We can thank Obama for making the deal with the Republicans to lower taxes so they would fold on the start treaty? How do you say Merry Christmas in Hawaii?
You don't have people to do that for you?
Some places deliver, others do not. In any case I can do more than just fix the car PowerStroker. I can quote the job, write it, deal with the customer and then cash it out. Skills I tell you... It keeps coming back to skills grasshopper.
The other 9 (non union) dealers aren't limited in any wayin their negotiating, except that the owner is a scrooge who doesn't value techs. The only reason he pays them union scale is to prevent them from unionizing. He'd pay 30 cents per hour if he could get away with it. So much for your theory about unions limiting ones bargaining power.
Anyone would pay 30 cents an hour if they could, the question here is are they worth 30 cents an hour? Maybe is should just be a quarter and hour.
That's exactly what he does.
I don't think you are understanding where I am coming from.
At the end of the day, after all expenses are paid, my dealer is the 2nd most profitable of his 10 dealerships. The only reason his big Mazda store beats us is because he has lower health care costs for them because they are non union and he gets the cheapest plan possible for them.
Well pretty soon you will all have the government plan, so you won't have to worry about that advantage the Mazda store has. Someone once told me there is no award for 2nd place, but I think they do in the special Olympics.
__________________
What is to give light must endure burning -- Viktor Frankl
SELLC wrote: Again, as a self employed non-union worker I have a hard time grasping any concept of collective bargining. If my customer don't like my work, prices or service "I'm fired".
Not really, you'll just find other customers. That's pretty arrogant. I think this mentality is what cost the dealership customers in the after-warranty-life. The arrogance is earned, and my prices keep the cheap customers away just the way I like it.
We can thank Obama for making the deal with the Republicans to lower taxes so they would fold on the start treaty? How do you say Merry Christmas in Hawaii?
I still can't believe they were against the START treaty. It was REAGAN who was behind the first one. Every former Republican president and secretary of state was fully behind it. The only reason congressional Republicans were against it, is because Obama was for it. Not everything Obama is in favor of is bad - there are some bi-partisan things like START, but the Republicans just hate him so much that they would rather put the country at risk than agree with him on anything. That is really sad and immature on the part of Republicans. Some places deliver, others do not. In any case I can do more than just fix the car PowerStroker. I can quote the job, write it, deal with the customer and then cash it out. Skills I tell you... It keeps coming back to skills grasshopper.
I write all of my own estimates on customer pay work. I look up all of my own warranty labor ops on warranty work. Sometimes I deal with customers too. Anyone would pay 30 cents an hour if they could, the question here is are they worth 30 cents an hour? Maybe is should just be a quarter and hour.
You are definately a Republican with that attitude.
I don't think you are understanding where I am coming from.
I don't think anyone understands where you're coming from. Well pretty soon you will all have the government plan, so you won't have to worry about that advantage the Mazda store has. Someone once told me there is no award for 2nd place, but I think they do in the special Olympics.
Well, if anyone would know about competing in the special olympics and losing, it would be you.
What if big business wanted to join together to fix prices PowerStroker? What if they wanted to call it collective bargaining?
When customers didn't want to pay the rate all the businesses would close down on strike and force customers to suffer until they met the demands of business.
Some how I don't think that would go over well with you. I think the unions have had a similar effect on business.
__________________
What is to give light must endure burning -- Viktor Frankl
What if big business wanted to join together to fix prices PowerStroker? What if they wanted to call it collective bargaining?
That wouldn't be any kind of bargaining - it would be exactly what you said "price fixing" and collusion which is against the law.
When customers didn't want to pay the rate all the businesses would close down on strike and force customers to suffer until they met the demands of business.
Like oil companies, insurance companies, big banks, and the other trans-national corporate interests that own the Republican Party?
Some how I don't think that would go over well with you. I think the unions have had a similar effect on business.
Unions are created by and serve the soul purpose of representing THE PEOPLE... THE PEOPLE are given rights by our Constitution. Businesses don't have a right to exist - they have a privilege to exist so long as THE PEOPLE are ok with it. Businesses don't have constitutional rights, PEOPLE do. In order to register as a business, you must obtain permission from your state government... Government of THE PEOPLE by THE PEOPLE and for THE PEOPLE.
People don't need government permission to exist, because government is supposed to work for us, not corporations. Somehow I think your side of the aisle forgot that. Somehow I think you feel more powerful as a L.L.C. than as a person... You would be wrong.
That wouldn't be any kind of bargaining - it would be exactly what you said "price fixing" and collusion which is against the law.
I don't see how it differs from getting every employee of a company together and FIXING the pay/benefits. But I guess like always with you PowerStroker it's okay because you benefit from it. Fuck that!
Like oil companies, insurance companies, big banks, and the other trans-national corporate interests that own the Republican Party?
Glad to mentioned that PowerStroker... I noticed the other day gas is climbing back up to that all time high of $4.11 yet there is a Democrat who is President. Where is all the outrage now? Insurance companies? Well let's talk about the new Government Heath Care company that Obama made into law, you know the one that generates fine revenue for not participating. Nice try though. Oh and about them trans-national corporations, well Hillary sure spent a lot of time in China, some wonder if she was selling out America. Where she left off I am sure Obama picked up in Indonesia. But you don't see that because your bigoted.
Unions are created by and serve the soul purpose of representing THE PEOPLE... THE PEOPLE are given rights by our Constitution. Businesses don't have a right to exist - they have a privilege to exist so long as THE PEOPLE are ok with it. Businesses don't have constitutional rights, PEOPLE do. In order to register as a business, you must obtain permission from your state government... Government of THE PEOPLE by THE PEOPLE and for THE PEOPLE.
YAWN... See the Union is not THE PEOPLE. It's a group of workers uniting for themselves for their own benefit. This same union would shut down vital services TO THE PEOPLE to extort more money and get concessions. See there is a big difference. Your arrogance that you feel the Union in any way makes my job any easier or pay any more pisses me off because it DOES NOT.
People don't need government permission to exist, because government is supposed to work for us, not corporations. Somehow I think your side of the aisle forgot that. Somehow I think you feel more powerful as a L.L.C. than as a person... You would be wrong.
An L.L.C just limits my liability as a PERSON who happens to work for a business entity. I don't feel any more powerful as an L.L.C as I do as a person. In fact it is usually the other way around! I have been banned from many forums for participation just because I am affiliated with another business. While I am just another person that likes to bullshit as much as the next guy on a web forum, many consider me a threat and try to stomp me out like a porch fire. And while the fire may get stomped out from time to time, now they have shit on the bottom of their shoes. Do you know what shit smells like PowerStroker? It stinks! Much like a lot of things I see going on around me.
Just because I don't stomp you out like a porch fire doesn't mean you arent full of shit... because you are! It's just that I like a good roast.
__________________
What is to give light must endure burning -- Viktor Frankl
many consider me a threat and try to stomp me out like a porch fire. And while the fire may get stomped out from time to time, now they have shit on the bottom of their shoes. Do you know what shit smells like PowerStroker? It stinks! Much like a lot of things I see going on around me.
Did you just call yourself a flaming bag of poo???
