Pretty disgusted with the ’08 race. Politics as usual with a promise everything to everyone twist. It would be resounding to see a leader running for President, and not just any leader, someone with some vision. My favourite Hillary quote so far went something like “Americans are expected to think and do too much for themselves these days....” Plug in, turn on, tune out. Don’t worry your pretty little head about anything. Leave the driving to us.
It’s a cold cruel world out there. The US consumes 25+% of the worlds resources with 5% of the population. No matter how you package the message, the American dream is unsustainable without higher education, higher responsibility, higher behaviour and higher vision. China and India want their piece and for the US to just maintain will require a great deal of creativity, innovation and hard work. Hardly any message you’ll hear at an NEA, Teamsters, Democratic or Republican political meeting.
Mattel is making me laugh my ass off. Their MBA’s told them to outsource all their toy production to China, so they did. Did they bother about maybe hiring some QA/QC personnel to ensure they were getting quality and non hazardous toys? I’m sure the MBA’s just said, “Put it in the specification. QA/QC inspectors are a waste of money.” They just put all the extra profit in some ones pockets. How many millions of children did they put at risk? Probably less than you would imagine. After the legal system gets done with them, they will be another Union Carbide or Breast Implant bankruptcy victim. Only in this case, the bankruptcy will be well earned (Where Union Carbide and the Breast Implant manufacturers were more likely victims of our pathetic legal system). So the news makers and politicians are calling for restrictions on China. Mattel is the culprit. If it was a Chinese company, maybe bang the drum but the villain here is Mattel and everyone who irresponsibly beats the outsourcing drum. Globalization is great if everyone is held to the same standards.
I’ve thought long and hard about our discussion on the protection of pensions. After long sober thought offshore, I’m more adamant than before. I have as much pity for the United Stewardesses as I do for anyone who works for GM not seeing some portion of their pension. Why? Because those companies suck. They both have an atmosphere of contempt and disdain. The employee’s make fun of the company and their customers. They are typical products of big unions. I know a guy at GM who went to work at GM out of school. He said everyone at GM hated the company, made fun of the cars and he was once disciplined in writing for waking a union employee on the production line. I can list 10 specific personal horror stories about United Airlines, 5 of which would include contemptuous entitled bitchy stewardesses, flight attendants or aisle Nazi’s.
Hopefully, Richard Branson will come in and teach the US Airlines how to treat their customers. My friend who got his start at GM? He works at Toyota. Can’t say enough good things about Toyota. Loves his job and is thinking about becoming an automotive industry consultant with all the knowledge he gained at, Toyota.
Our politicians need to wake up to globalization. American invented it but the game changes constantly. And to win, you constantly have to stay ahead of the pack. The world is about the survival of the fittest. If you don’t believe that, imagine being Chinese in Nanking in 1937 or Czech in 1967. It always has been. America’s politicians owe it to America to ensure we’re the fittest in the 21st century. Our nation enjoyed huge success from the benefits of “The Greatest Generation.” Hillary’s generation needs to pick up the torch, not torch the house.