How did we get here?

A picture is worth 1,000 words :laugh:

This is how we got here:

Cool now this is going somewhere. In my case as it is now I have only the very basics. I got out when it was srill a good time. I sold every thing includeing my franchise. A number of months ago I had an offer to buy the busines. It was an attempt to use my License to work storms. I was offered a handsome amount. I still maintain control of the business. I do repairs when I'm not traveling. That which is seen and that which is not. The Parable of the broken window. Have you ever witnessed the anger of the good shopkeeper, James B., when his careless son happened to break a square of glass? If you have been present at such a scene, you will most assuredly bear witness to the fact, that every one of the spectators, were there even thirty of them, by common consent apparently, offered the unfortunate owner this invariable consolation—"It is an ill wind that blows nobody good. Everybody must live, and what would become of the glaziers if panes of glass were never broken?" Now, this form of condolence contains an entire theory, which it will be well to show up in this simple case, seeing that it is precisely the same as that which, unhappily, regulates the greater part of our economical institutions. Suppose it cost six francs to repair the damage, and you say that the accident brings six francs to the glazier's trade—that it encourages that trade to the amount of six francs—I grant it; I have not a word to say against it; you reason justly. The glazier comes, performs his task, receives his six francs, rubs his hands, and, in his heart, blesses the careless child. All this is that which is seen. But if, on the other hand, you come to the conclusion, as is too often the case, that it is a good thing to break windows, that it causes money to circulate, and that the encouragement of industry in general will be the result of it, you will oblige me to call out, "Stop there! your theory is confined to that which is seen; it takes no account of that which is not seen." It is not seen that as our shopkeeper has spent six francs upon one thing, he cannot spend them upon another. It is not seen that if he had not had a window to replace, he would, perhaps, have replaced his old shoes, or added another book to his library. In short, he would have employed his six francs in some way, which this accident has prevented.

B) :) :) B) Deep Down In Florida Where The Sun Shines Damn Near Every Day

I made many of the same comments here when I bought the Roofers Buggy.

It is odd to see one of the 1099 Tax Cheats w/ one around here. Guess he had to spend his illicit profits on something...

"Protesant Work Ethic"....Thanks for the lesson twill....Yes, preach'n to the choir, here!

I couldn't get to the article....However, will commnet on roofguy's comment....

Heres's a good one, that backs up what was said somewhat; A couple of years ago I was searching for a concrete finishing machine, (power-trowel)....Couldn't find one anywhere....I was told they were out-dated, as the concrete contractors found it more effecient, (financially), to simply use 4-5 illegal Mexican workers to hand-trowel!

Yes, I have mused about that very fact years ago...That is, we've become lazy...Had we not the illegal labor pool, innovation would take charge....Just think how much further ahead we would be, if not for the cheap labor.

I guess the downside for a nation of workers is that, once industry feels forced to mechanize to overcome an unstable workforce and labor cost, it may never be possible to reverse it.

I think unions and the EPA has done that very thing through outrageously high labor costs, and over-regulation.

Better adjust, it probably isn't going to change.

twill59 Said: http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2011/10/09/what-happened-to-the-american-work-ethic-2/hard-work-is-what-immigrants-do

Interesting article.

I stumbled onto some cool YouTube videos awhile back which showed HUGE pieces of highly-evolved farm equipment. Many of the harvesting machines were much larger than the biggest John Deeres we have in the US.

That got me curious so I poked around and found that many countries do not have cheap immigrant labor right across the border, so they have no choice but to develop/buy specialized harvesting/planting equipment that takes the place of what illegals do on the farms here in the US. Lettuce-picking machines, grape-plucking machines, etc.

The thing is, now that they have invested in mechanization, they have a much more stable, cheaper means of bringing in their crops than we have.

And not to turn everything into a KK plug, but that very concept was the impetus for my dad to create KK in the 1970's. He was running up to 125 laborers on a 1.5 million sq. ft. (35 acres of roof area) warehouse job. As soon as he was about finished, baseball sized hail hit and he got to start all over. He invented the KK rig as a means of using 3 men to do the work of 30.

It was never called the "American" Work Ethic. It was called and so vehemently employed as the Protestant Work Ethic. The Protestants are still around but today's workers were not taught the Protestant work ethic as they were in the past. In the past, the labor was thought to have brought one closer to G-d, and closer to the earth because one had to toil on the land. Today everything is provided for the household from the grocery store and the labor itself has been outsourced and we have grown complacent and fat. Very sad state of affairs because grit can get you much farther than talent when you are just a regular joe trying to feed your family and provide shelter. Protestant Americans who made America the successful productive nation of yesteryear are only left in the generation of the baby boomers -- many of them turning to liberal anti-traditional roles and teaching their children to do ANYTHING BUT what their own parents (and older generations) did as adults. The unskilled young adult was now encouraged to go to college and get a degree even in the most mundane of Art, Music or Psychology or some other talent that in the olden days would've been aside from the regular chores that one had to perform to survive or serve as a teamplayer as a part of a large family and not in the stead or in lieu of it. The certifications received were more for talent than for a practical skill that everyone needed. Society can only use so many artists, comedians, broadcasters and musicians. These were never meant to replace the way to make one's livelihood. You can't replace mass necessary grit with mass unneeded talent and still expect to remain a successful civilization no matter how hard you try

I LOVE THE READERS COMMENTS

http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2011/10/09/what-happened-to-the-american-work-ethic-2/hard-work-is-what-immigrants-do

WEll....There is no concensus....That's clear.

How bout' this; (Realizing all specualtive), Remove the illegal workforce factor....Where would we be today?

"Don't try sugar coating it Chuck. Either cheat like you never have, or wither on the vine." This is the truth I was reflecting on Tom. Reality is what you can get away with.....? The slippery slope.Lowering the bar. What is the end result of this? A future discussion of " How did we get here" In the end connecting the dots for the future all comes down to what we do today.

B) :) :) B) Deep Down In Florida Where The Sun Shines Damn Near Every Day

Agreed, seen-it-all!

It is strange times....Many dynamics at work....people cry not enough jobs, however, I find myself indirectly turning projects down, due to a lack of a qualified labor pool....By indirectly, I'm referring to raising prices, which would be somewhat of the natural order of things, I suppose....Although I will say, that in years past, I would never turn down a viable project, I'd always find a way to git r' done....

Who is going to work for 30 year old wages?

The question should be "Who is going to work period?"

Maybe we should blame it on diet. Too much estrogen in our food has made most males under 40 years old "soft".

Have any of the younger generation got any stamina to get in there and get the job done? Most are bagged after a few hours of hard labour. If they act soft, if they look soft, then they are soft. They will never cut it in roofing. I would have been ashamed at 20 years old to let someone over 50 outwork me.

OH....It's an ah-haa moment....so that's where all more desirable workers are hiding...They're waiting tables! :woohoo:

The illegals were not our work force 30 years ago (at least not in Indiana), it was the farm boys from the country and every other male that wanted to work.

Now the male Americans are waiting tables and calling it a job.

So its the welfare socialist programs and the pussification of American that has killed our work force.