More good news from "The Steel Valley".

[d-ray657]

Originally Posted by Charles

If you're a one trick pony, you're going to spend a lot of time in the stall waiting for your chance to balance the ball on your nose.

And the best of luck with your son. If he is as intelligent as you, I'm sure he'll find his niche.

Chas

Thanks, but both of the boys are smarter than their old man. You spend enough time learning how to baffle people with BS, you can also baffle them into over-estimating your intelligence. The boys are fortunate to have enough of their momma in them that they will do just fine. (They were lucky enough to get her looks too.)

P.S. nice metaphor.

Regards,

D-Ray

[Sandy G]

I wouldn't worry too much if he finds something he LIKES, or at least is very good at...Those people rarely ever have worries about finding work. Those IBEW 934 guys, a lot of 'em were journeymen construction electricians, the only time they got much "time off" were when they were between jobs. They'd typically work 7/12 for several months, "Balls to the wall", & then crash for a month or so at home. At least they'd do that when they were younger, to build up seniority & experience....Some experiences...They ALL told me stories of how they'd screw w/the Ironworkers... An' vice-versa... Or riding the "Headache Ball" up & down on a construction site, the damthing would be in free-fall for 90% of the way, & you'd only be hangin' on w/yr arm... Ironies would chug a pint/5th of whiskey right before goin' up on the steel-That was the only way a lot of 'em could work 50, 60, 70 stories up w/nothing between you & the ground but a lot of air...To a green kid right outta college, those tales were unreal...I'm sure some of 'em were embellished a bit, but it didn't matter...I had/have a deep, abiding respect for those type of guys...Hard-livin', hard-workin', hard-partyin'...

[d-ray657]

Originally Posted by Sandy G

I wouldn't worry too much if he finds something he LIKES, or at least is very good at...Those people rarely ever have worries about finding work. Those IBEW 934 guys, a lot of 'em were journeymen construction electricians, the only time they got much "time off" were when they were between jobs. They'd typically work 7/12 for several months, "Balls to the wall", & then crash for a month or so at home. At least they'd do that when they were younger, to build up seniority & experience....Some experiences...They ALL told me stories of how they'd screw w/the Ironworkers... An' vice-versa... Or riding the "Headache Ball" up & down on a construction site, the damthing would be in free-fall for 90% of the way, & you'd only be hangin' on w/yr arm... Ironies would chug a pint/5th of whiskey right before goin' up on the steel-That was the only way a lot of 'em could work 50, 60, 70 stories up w/nothing between you & the ground but a lot of air...To a green kid right outta college, those tales were unreal...I'm sure some of 'em were embellished a bit, but it didn't matter...I had/have a deep, abiding respect for those type of guys...Hard-livin', hard-workin', hard-partyin'...

To tell you the truth, I'm not really worried about either of the boys doing OK. The older one is in something he is really passionate about, and which should provide a few job opportunities. He gets his BS in physics next year, and is aiming for a MS after that. The younger one has rediscovered his work ethic and has decided that he is in college because HE wants to be there. If he decides to join his GF in the teaching field, they will get to enjoy the lifestyle that comes with having summers off. They know that they do their folks proud, and they feel pretty good about that too. Just get me going on my favorite subject, and I end up bragging to much. Sorry.

Regards,

D-Ray

[Sandy G]

...And like I've never bragged on Bethany ?!? An' she ain't even MY kid...Well, she IS, too, in my heart anyhow, & that's what matters...

[piece-itpete]

For the record, I did not blame the unions, I pointed out a fact.

Management, unions, somehow we priced ourselves out of the market.

We don't have to have pay parity with the cheap countries, only cost per unit parity (we've got to be more productive than those slackers!)

pETE

[merrylander]

We did not price ourselves out of the market, some dumbass decided that we should allow stuff produced by near slave labor into the country without tarriffs.

[BlueStreak]

...and now wonders why so many can't even afford the foreign goods.

[Zeke]

Originally Posted by merrylander

We did not price ourselves out of the market, some dumbass decided that we should allow stuff produced by near slave labor into the country without tarriffs.

Oh.

You mean the people who buy the products and voted for that arrangement, right?

You know. Us? John Q?

[rickr15]

Originally Posted by merrylander

We did not price ourselves out of the market, some dumbass decided that we should allow stuff produced by near slave labor into the country without tarriffs.

They got paid a lot of lobbyist cash to be dumbasses.

[rickr15]

Originally Posted by Zeke

Oh.

You mean the people who buy the products and voted for that arrangement, right?

You know. Us? John Q?

Truth be told some products I really can't find an American made version of anywhere.

Sad story I put a few bucks in the DAV guys kettle at Frys and he hands me a little American flag. On the way to the truck I take a better look at it. Yep made in Taiwan.