Ahh, what a relief

[finnbow]

A Chinese factory is getting proactive about the number of suicides among its workers. It's having them sign a "no suicide" pledge. Lest you had any guilty feelings about buying cheap Chinese products, perish the thought.

[BlueStreak]

Yes. I am certain there are American managers green with envy at the Chinese managers having a free hand to drive their employees to suicide. "Man, if only the government would get off my back I could be a completely tyrannical asshole too.
This sucks."

Seriously. Years ago, I worked in warehousing for a rug importer. The boss was sent to the factory in China. When he came back he had all sorts of horror stories to tell. Even he said, "If anyone needs to unionize, it's those people."

Regards,
Dave

[noonereal]

Originally Posted by BlueStreak

Yes. I am certain there are American managers green with envy

no doubt

[Charles]

China has some real problems.

http://www.chinahush.com/2009/10/21/...tion-in-china/

Chas

[BlueStreak]

Originally Posted by Charles

China has some real problems.

http://www.chinahush.com/2009/10/21/...tion-in-china/

Chas

Yeah, but just think of all the money that's being made! Well, obviously not by the people in those pictures....but i'm someone is getting fabulously rich, so it's okay. Right?

BTW, there were large "industrial districts" right here in the U.S.A. that looked very similar to that, and really not all that long ago. Wanna see the pics?

It used to piss me off that so much of that heavy industry is gone from here. But, as I get older, I wonder if it isn't for the better? I'm sure i'll be assailed for that comment.....

Regards,
Dave

(The fourth picture with the dust covered car under the lit streetlamps was taken at NOON in Donora, Pennsylvania circa 1948. This is just one city. I have many more of other American industrial cities taken during the "Industrial Revolution". The source of this mess was a Zinc plant owned by United States Steel. Look closely at the pictures----notice the lack of vegetation. Until about ten years after the mills closing in 1962 NOTHING would grow in that soil.)

[Fast_Eddie]

Originally Posted by BlueStreak

It used to piss me off that so much of that heavy industry is gone from here. But, as I get older, I wonder if it isn't for the better? I'm sure i'll be assailed for that comment.....

I think it remains to be seen. Could be good, but if the jobs that replace them are at McDonalds, I'm not so sure.

[BlueStreak]

Originally Posted by Fast_Eddie

I think it remains to be seen. Could be good, but if the jobs that replace them are at McDonalds, I'm not so sure.

Economically, no. I believe the loss of heavy industry is a crippling factor on our economy. I meant from an environmental standpoint.

And I think your point strikes at the heart of the matter, economically. Many of those jobs were high paying, but low skill level jobs that have been replaced with "service industry" jobs. Which keeps people busy, but does little to sustain a strong and stable consumer base. Pay unskilled people $50 an hour to insert screws? No, that's rediculous. But low service industry wages do little to create demand, IMHO.

Dave

[d-ray657]

Originally Posted by BlueStreak

Economically, no. I believe the loss of heavy industry is a crippling factor on our economy. I meant from an environmental standpoint.

And I think your point strikes at the heart of the matter, economically. Many of those jobs were high paying, but low skill level jobs that have been replaced with "service industry" jobs. Which keeps people busy, but does little to sustain a strong and stable consumer base. Pay unskilled people $50 an hour to insert screws? No, that's rediculous. But low service industry wages do little to create demand, IMHO.

Dave

That's what I've been talking about, in terms of energy consumption and overall consumption -- we need to simplify our lives. We can't constantly be buying junk and replacing it with more junk a year or two later. The old junk ends up in a landfill, and God knows what kind of chemicals are in the junk. The manufacture of most of the junk probably adds to the pollution problems in China.

With the advent of all of this cheap junk, not only has the economy lost manufacturing jobs, but also repair and maintenance jobs. I remember when the TV repairman used to come to our house with his toolbox full of tubes. Now about the only things we get house calls for are the major appliances and the heating/air conditioning. Very little else gets repaired, unless you count the "factory reconditioning" performed on warranty returns.

At some point, our prosperity can have a negative impact on our quality of life.

P.S. For a good book on post-industrial life read Kurt Vonnegut's Player Piano. I remember that the summer I read it, I was working on an assembly line.

Regards,

D-Ray

[Boreas]

Originally Posted by Fast_Eddie

I think it remains to be seen. Could be good, but if the jobs that replace them are at McDonalds, I'm not so sure.

The biggest problem is it just kicks the can a little farther down the street. Sure, we get rid of a polluting industry but by palming it off on someone else. What needs to happen is for us to keep the industries (and the jobs they provide) here while looking for ways to "green 'em up" a bit.

John

[merrylander]

Originally Posted by Boreas

The biggest problem is it just kicks the can a little farther down the street. Sure, we get rid of a polluting industry but by palming it off on someone else. What needs to happen is for us to keep the industries (and the jobs they provide) here while looking for ways to "green 'em up" a bit.

John

As if sending them to China is going to stop the arctic ice cap from melting, better we had kept them and figured out how to clean them up.