My hat’s off to those who emerge from jail with a new outlook on life and plans for a new career, but a lot of prisoners, when they get out of jail, end up right back in there. And I guess maybe if it more resembled a dungeon, just maybe they wouldn’t commit another crime and end up back in the pokey. Despite the protests about jail conditions, maybe conditions should be bad enough to discourage their return. Some people in jail are unfortunate victims of circumstance, while others are just plain mean.
But back to our new jail...at the same time that the new jail was going up, we also built a new Middle School for our kids. I don’t know who selected the artist’s renderings for these new buildings, but somebody somewhere must have gotten them mixed up, ‘cause from the outside, our new Middle School looks like a jail and our new jail looks like a middle school. Sad to say, but somewhere down the line a former student of that middle school may one day end up in the new building that looks so much like a middle school. I wish it wouldn’t happen but I suspect it will.
I’ve maybe got a little off track about the topic, Lazy-ass Americans, but I guess the public-housing thing threw me off. We all probably have worked with someone, at some point in our lives, who’s just too tired or lazy or stubborn to get up and do the job. Sometimes (and it’s been my experience to work with some of these) those same people do more work—to get out of work—than if they’d just went ahead and done the job. I don’t get it! If you’ve got enough energy to weasel your way out and find a place to hide, why don’t you have the energy to do what’s asked of you from your boss? You’re just making it harder on everyone else, because we’re having to take up the slack and do your work as well as ours. Then you have the gall to ask us if we want to go shoot some hoops or go fishing, or play football after work. No thanks, pal, we’re gonna be tired from doing your work for you.
Chapter10: Business and Brand Loyalty
I hated the fact that a local factory that made air-conditioning systems, Carrier, closed up and moved to Mexico. That left a lot of people in my area without jobs. Good jobs. Funny thing (really nothing funny about it), the Mexicans who tried to make air-conditioners in the new factory just didn’t have the technical skills to produce a product that worked, so some of the workers who got laid off here-ended up going to Mexico to show the Mexicans how to do the job.
And there’s so many good jobs that were lost to foreign countries. Some of them are coming back, and I believe that it’s because of our hard-working, dedicated, skilled work force. But a lot of them are foreign companies. For example, a lot of our US automakers produce either parts, assemblies, or complete vehicles outside of our country, and yet within a few hours’ drive I can end up at an automobile plant that belongs to a foreign company. I can drive to a Nissan plant, a Kia plant, a Volkswagen plant, a Mercedes plant...all within a few hundred miles of my home in middle tennessee. What’s up with that? American industry is giving our jobs to foreigners, while foreign industry is giving their jobs to Americans. It doesn’t make real sense on the surface, but it’s not until you examine the financial breaks given to these foreign companies (to provide Americans with jobs) that it all comes together. And we shouldn’t have to incentivise it. Dammit, American auto companies belong in America! They need to be brought back.
The North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA, was a large cause of American corporations going out of the country, along with our strict Environmental Protection Agency’s mandates, Safety Issues, and our own corporate greed. I mean, what corporation wouldn’t take advantage of a system that lets you lower your overhead, lower your labor, lower your overall operating costs, while cutting to the bone the environmental and safety regulations that were costing you money and lost productivity here in the United States, and dropping or eliminating tariffs when the final product was shipped back to America? I can’t really blame them, but I can blame our government for allowing it to happen. Or encouraging it to happen. And who thought up all this NAFTA crap, anyhow? All those lost manufacturing jobs, but they told us we’re going to become wealthy with our highly skilled “service-sector” employees. What a farce. It’s BS, and every hard-working red-blooded American saw through the smokescreen before it was ever signed. What’s wrong with our career politicians that they couldn’t see it...that they would let this happen? Too much wine and dine? Head turned the other way? Just what was it?
Incidentally, another trade agreement, GATT, or the General Agreement on Trade and Tarriffs, besides laying out agreements between trading nations also had a big slap-in-the-face for a lot of Americans who were about to retire. Due to new rules about about our pensions—being cleverly hidden within a document where they didn’t even belong— when I finally did retire, my pension payout was about 25% smaller than it would have been several years before. Again, our government, who are supposed to be looking out for us.
But back to business, I really have a hard time accepting the fact that businesses used to care about the employees but then, somewhere along the line—employees just became numbers in a computer. I think that companies went public, and then they had to satisfy the stockholders, which could mean dealing with a bunch of demanding big-money jerks, whose only purpose was to make more money...and damned the personal fallout.
On the other side of the business coin is my disappoiontment with General Motors. I’ve always been proud to drive GM products, I’ve got good service from them, and so when I finally had a few extra bucks, I decided to invest in them. Yep, I bought GM stock, stupidly thinking that because I had supported them all these years that they would be faithful to me as well. But in a stunning round of smoke and mirrors, The General let me down.
I discovered that my faith and dedication to them meant nothing. They went bankrupt and left me holding worthless paper, then, as if by magic, they reappeared, stronger than ever. They probably didn’t know that I had lost money by investing in them, so to add insult to my injury, they sent me a card in the mail, thanking me for being a loyal GM buyer, and if I would like to visit a showroom, they would like to show me “The New General Motors”. No note saying “we’re sorry we screwed you over,” no discount for being a broken stockholder, no apologies...just an invitation to buy another new GM car. Well, go to hell General Motors.
I’ll never buy another new GM product as long as I live. I’ll probably buy GM, but I’ll buy used, either from individuals or my local dealer whom you screwed over as well, because I absolutely refuse to support you. You know, if you had gone out of business totally, I would be more accepting of the fact that you used me and then tossed me aside. But to “magically emerge” as the New GM, with no remorse at all about what you’ve done...well, when the government bailed you out, where do you think they got the money? From the taxpayer. That’s my money! So I helped bail you out—after you dumped on me. The news media regarded your actions as a stroke of genius and a brilliant power-play. I just regard you as a boardroom full of blood-sucking low-lifes. In spite of your actions, and in spite of my feelings, I do wish The New General Motors all the best, because lots of dedicated hard-working people depend on you for employment. That’s the only reason. Hopefully, your factories in America will thrive...the ones you moved or built in other countries, like Mexico, I really don’t care.
Similar deal on my Sears Craftsman lawn tractor that my wife and I bought Brand New a few years ago. While we were shopping, I noticed the brilliant metallic red, white, and blue MADE IN AMERICA sticker affixed to the Briggs and Stratton engine underneath the hood. “Wow,” I told my wife, “this one’s made in America! This is the one!” So we bought it and actually had a couple of years’ good service out of it, but over those couple of years I did notice that some things were flimsier than I thought they should have been, and it did require a few minor repairs and adjustments. We changed the oil and filter religiously and did all the required maintenance before it was due. Then the warranty ran out. This spring, the engine began smoking. And it kept on smoking. And it never quit. It got
to using about a half-quart of oil in a thirty-minute mow job. So now it was time for action. I pulled the hood off to prepare to work on the engine, and I got a close-up look at that Made in America sticker. What it actually said was this: “MADE IN AMERICA of foreign and domestic parts.” Messed over again by Sears, my go-to place for appliances, tools, and lots of other stuff. Never again. Incidentally, I did find lots of complaints on-line about this particular engine, and I did manage to fix it myself. But it has a design flaw, so I’m sure it’ll need the same repair again in another couple of years. Made in America...
I guess that in the real world, most all companies use an assortment “of foreign and domestic parts”, but it looks like that we could somehow be self-sufficient. In the old days, we needed spices. We imported spices and we exported lots of things, including raw materials like cotton for some other country to use, completed goods, manufactured goods, agricultural goods...we were close to being self-sufficient, but the trade balance was in our favor. Nowdays, it’s hard to find something that’s Made in America, despite what the sticker says. I’m not sure what we ship overseas, but we sure do bring in a lot of stuff.
That reminds me of the old pajama factory we had right smack dab in the middle of our small town. Back in the 1970s I met a member of management of this factory, and he told me the factory was moving to the Dominican Republic, and he was moving with it. Now this move just about devastated our small town because so many people worked at the factory. But costs would be cheaper and profits higher after the move. Fast forward about seven or eight years, and I ran into a lady I knew who had worked at the pajama factory. “What are you doing now?” I asked.
“Oh, I’m still working at the pajama factory,” she replied.
“I thought they closed down and moved to the Dominican Republic. What are you doing at the old factory?”
“They did move to the Dominican Republic, but they kept the old building. Me and another girl are the only two left at the place. We’re sewing “made in usa” labels in the pajamas, and repackaging them.”
I was floored, but what could I do? This girl still had a job, which she was very proud of, and she didn’t see anything wrong with what she was doing. She was glad to have a job.
I just thought I’d share that story because it shows how companies have cheated the system for decades. NAFTA only gave them permission to do it legally.
Chapter11: Offensive Material
Earlier in the year, a big ruckus was raised about the Rebel Flag...how it was so offensive to many people, and in fact several retailers decided to quit carrying anything related to the rebel flag. I don’t know if they were expecting Kudos from the American population, but anyhow, here’s my thoughts. Let’s talk about eBay as an example. I love eBay and I shop eBay. eBay banned rebel flags from their listings because of some complaints, and really, I believe that they should have told the complainers “If you come across something you find offensive and you don’t want to buy it, just keep on scrolling until you find something that you Do want.” But to please the complainers and remain Politically Correct, they removed all rebel flags.
Here’s the deal...after they banned the rebel flag, I went to eBay and looked up some things that, if I wanted to pursue, I might have been able to dig deep within my soul and somewhere found offensive to me. For example, I found the following: North VietNam Flags, Iraq Flags, Muslim merchandise, Swastikas, Black Power, Black Panther, Malcom X...any of these things I could have probably claimed were offensive to me, if I wanted to cause a big stink. But I didn’t think it important enough to dwell on...after all, I wasn’t planning to buy these things, so why even go looking for them? I’m not looking for an excuse to cause problems in other people’s lives. In the words of Rodney King, I ask this: “Can’t we all just get along?”
Other offensive material...I personally find it offensive that we had to remove “The Ten Commandments” from a plaque at our courthouse square. See, I’m offended that it was removed, and others were offended that it was there. Actually, we should have taken a vote on it, and let the majority of citizens in our county decide. And that’s something that I do believe seriously in: The majority rules. Madalyn Murray O’Hair somehow convinced the Supreme Court that her minority voice should override the majority of American people when she got bible reading taken out of schools, and that ain’t right. And now look at our schools. And look at our country. And our Supreme Court.
Chapter12: Gun Control
Speaking of offensive material, how about a town that mandates Gun Ownership? How offensive is that? Pretty darned offensive, if you’re anit-gun-ownership, but if you examine the crime rate in Kennesaw Georgia, you’ll see that since they passed the mandatory-ownership law back in 1981, crime rates immediately plummeted and the murder rate is 0. That’s zero murders since every homeowner has been required to possess a gun along with ammunition. Can you make that claim about your city? How’s mandatory gun ownership look now?
Still, that maybe sounds like overkill, but when you think about it, who’s gonna break into a house and steal— and hurt someone— when you know darned good and well that the owner has a gun? I mean, hats off to Kennesaw for thinking that way. More towns should follow.
Without a firearm, if I wake up in the middle of the night and there’s an armed intruder in the house, what am I supposed to do? Grab a box of tissues off the nightstand and throw it at him? Now don’t get me wrong, I also believe in calling the police, and I’d do that first if time and circumstances allowed. But if they don’t, well it’s just me vs. the armed intruder, and dammit buddy, you shouldn’t have broken into my house. Believe me...I never ever want to shoot anyone, but if the situation ever occurs that my family’s in danger... I’d rather have a gun and not need it, than to need it and not have it.
Chapter13: Police
I never wanted to be a cop. I have friends who are cops, and that’s as close as I want to get to the front lines of our country’s internal battlefields. I guess it just takes a certain kind of person to go out into our crazy, drunk, drug-laden society and attempt to keep the peace for all the Johnny Americans in the neighborhood. And of course, as in any group, every once-in-a-while you’ll find one who should not be doing this type of job. But my experience with the Police and other similar groups indicates that most of them are hard-working, dedicated personnel...dedicated to keeping you safe. What really ticks me off are the little squirts who decide that they’re gonna catch a bad cop doing nefarious things...such as checking their driver’s license at a roadblock.
Most of my exposure to this type of behavior is through youtube or other video channels, in which a wise-ass with “rights” posts a video, with this or a similar title: “Peace-loving citizen delayed by mean cops for ten minutes...for no reason.” Then the young punk sets up a video camera in his car, and when he drives through a driver’s license checkpoint, he refuses to show his license and does everything he can to protest about his rights, quote the constitution, or whatever he has planned to try and confuse or belittle the police officer. This whole scenario takes ten minutes, then the punk cries “unlawfully detained,” or other such crap. Personally, I think he’s just out for attention, and had he cooperated and shown his driver’s license, he probably would have been on his way within 30 or 45 seconds.
Really, that police officer is just trying to do his job, to uphold the law, and you ought to thank him for doing it. Don’t you want him to find out who’s driving illegally? Don’t you want him to pull the drunks off the road? Don’t you want him to catch the criminal whose next target might just be your wife, girlfriend, or mama?
Cops sometimes have to make split-second decisions, and, just like being an armchair quarterback, it’s often easier after the fact for you and I to critique his decision, to tell the press what we would have done in that situation. Cut him some slack, and if you think you can do a better job, be my guest. The police academy always has openings for strong young immortal men like you.
/> Chapter14: Energy
Gas and Oil, oil and gas. We use a bunch of it. Alternative sources of energy are out there, yet we haven’t developed these other sources enough to economically wean ourselves from the gas and oil. Cost is a huge factor, so we’re stuck with using gas and oil until something else takes its place. Wind, BioDiesel, Solar...each of these might provide some relief, but nothing yet can replace the gas and oil we use.
Speaking of Solar, what about that expensive Hemlock Semiconductor plant that was built within the last few years in northwest Tennessee. The one that took about $350 million dollars in public investment (taxpayer dollars) to produce polysilicon products for the semiconductor and photovoltaic industries, and then, when it was time to open, they decided to close the plant? I don’t believe that they ever produced the first solar cell or integrated circuit at that plant. What a way to spend our money, huh? Taxpayer dollars just blowin’ in the wind...and I’m sure that someone, somewhere, made a ton of money on that project.
Another alternative is nuclear energy, but that brings with it safety concerns. Control and containment... and one of the concerns has to do with radioactive waste...what do we do with that? I suggest that when we’re finished with it, we just dump it back into the same hole we dug it out of. I mean, how simple is that?