Ford Motors Creating 2,800 New Jobs In Mexico

And so that giant sucking sound Ross Perot warned us about continues

Ford plans plant in Mexico with 2,800 jobs
Chris Isidore | CNN Money

" Ford announced plans Tuesday to build a new plant in Mexico, investing $1.6 billion in the facility that will employ 2,800 workers. Ford insists that there will not be a loss to U.S. jobs."

My Comments About The Article AboveIt remains to be seen if these American workers will see new production models to be introduced where they work. You know what they say about one bird in the hand being worth more then two in the bush. So pardon me if I remain skeptical. What I do know 2,800 new jobs won't be created here in the United States.

Some may point out creating these jobs in Mexico may keep them on their own side of the border... I question how many more jobs have to be bled before this plan finally succeeds?

It Hasn't Worked So FarOne of reasons why is companies (under lax Mexican laws) have paid them so little the only ones benefiting are companies and their investors who've gone there.



Manufactoring.net-- "A worker in Mexico costs car companies an average of $8 an hour, including wages and benefits. That compares with $58 in the U.S. for General Motors and $38 at Volkswagen's factory in Tennessee, the lowest hourly cost in the U.S., according to the Center for Automotive Research, an industry think tank in Ann Arbor, Michigan."

I don't care how hard an American labors there's no way we can compete no matter how hard workers try or what automation is employed

Sorry to tell ya, there will always be some country somewhere who's workers can be exploited as long as politicians allow companies to stack the deck against American workers.

Pick your next candidate wisely.

Fossil Fueled Energy Production Fading

I came across this headline at Bloomberg.com written by Tom Randall--
     Wind and Solar Are Crushing Fossil Fuels
     Record clean energy investment outpaces gas and coal 2 to 1

After reading his article I think I can see why... * Fossil fuel prices are at an all time low. Former investors in energy aren't expecting to see the kind of returns they once enjoyed. Since fossil fuels are heading down while alternative energies are a growth industry it would be a safer bet investing in them.

* Nuclear and all the fossil fueled generators owned by electric companies are more costly to operate. Solar panels need practically no maintenance nor repair parts. Neither wind or solar require expensive pollution emission equipment along with the need to continuously monitor them. Coal and nuclear plants have a problem with how to dispose of the spent fuels as well as the continuous need to purchase more fuel at ever fluctuating market prices.

* Safety is another factor. Before electrical energy comes into homes and businesses the flammable fossil fuels need to be transported by truck, train and pipeline. This after drilling or mining for them. We've seen what can go wrong countless times with extraction of these from our lands and oceans. These are not only quality of life issues, but present very real physical dangers.

* Alternate energy can be made from the sun, wind, left over plant materials, trash and even human waste. In the case of the latter three this would lesson the burden on what to do with them.

* Then there's the cost factor itself to consumers. All the above fossil fuel methods require layer upon layer of expenses before it arrives at the end point. It's simply more cost effective. Even greater savings can be realized by installing supplemental solar or wind generators on site. These not only can save consumers money but in the event of a power outage be relied on for emergency use until full power can be restored.
Naysayers will point out the weakness in being able to store electric. My response would be. There's a huge amount of overhead (extra generators, wire repair crews and alternative wire routes) required of utility companies to keep the current flowing. Current flows nearly at the speed of light. With any breakdown the results are felt down line in a matter of seconds. Generating stations can't store electricity either. Reliability doesn't come cheap.

In order to ally those arguments requires further explanation. For decades the landline telephones continued to operate reliably however long power was out. If one were to visit the central terminals in those days they'd find dozens of batteries nearly identical to those used in today's electric forklifts. They were capable of storing huge amounts of low voltage current. Since telephones operated on direct current they were a perfect solution. One may continue to argue, but they were DC we need AC. Ever hear of an inverter?

Electrical storage batteries have been improving, but for the average homeowner a fork lift battery would be more then adequate. Someday if a homeowner wants to spend more money on something that does a better job that's also a option.

Point Is...
As always money will be the main factor how quickly things come about. Investors seem to be moving on. With it too the fossil fuel industry and electrical suppliers who have the foresight not to be left behind. According to the New York Times even Saudi Arabia is restructuring it's economy away from supplying fuel oil.

I'm hopeful we are starting to see a snowball effect headed in this direction.

This is a good thing all the way around.

Honestly I'm Confused By This News Story

Mother allegedly assaults daughter outside Dieruff
Edward Sieger | WFMZ.com Reporter

"Allentown police said the juvenile victim came to police headquarters.... to report an assault and theft. Police say the girl was walking toward the school... jumping out of the vehicle and screaming at the girl for the keys to her car which was parked in the lot... Authorities allege she proceeded to slap and punch the girl in the head and face and kick her, knocking a wallet and keys from her hand. The mother grabbed a cell phone and the wallet which contained about $75 and drove away... Police charged her with a felony count of robbery and misdemeanor counts of theft and simple assault."

My Comments About The Article AboveI'm not sure I understand this. Yeah sure a mother shouldn't be beating the crap out of her daughter, but I'm not sure the mother should be sent to the hoosegow under $30,000 bail. I'm not sure of all the facts. Was the $75 in the wallet the mothers? Did the car belong to the mother? Was the mother paying for the cell phone? If so how is this a felony of robbery and theft?

We all bitch about parents refusal to take responsibility. Is this what can happen if they do?

So many details are missing from this story. I'm not sure whether it's the daughter or the mother who's the jackass. If it's the daughter, what's a mother to do? In this society laws dictate that parents are held accountable and can't throw their kids out. Does this mean the kid gets to go back and live unsupervised in the home while mom's in jail? If so, who's the real victim?

So many questions. So few answers.

A Bigger Lehigh Valley Isn't Better

When bigger isn't better

For decades we've had it drummed into our heads growth will make the Lehigh Valley a better place to live. This has always defied my reasoning. We construct more buildings. More people come. More people means build more buildings in a never ending circle.

Initially transplants located here to enjoy the rich rural scenery and enjoy a lower paced life style then the one they left behind. Many purchased single homes away from the hustle and bustle. A few years later dozens of homes popped up around them no longer offering the tranquil settings they once enjoyed.


Soon larger highways were needed. Larger highways with better accessibility began to attract larger business. Shortly thereafter industrial parks began to spring up around them. More industrial parks attracted more people. More people needed more homes.

More people meant more stores. More stores meant ever more traffic headaches and yes more people too.

As result the Lehigh Valley has become nearly identical to what many tried to escape from. Five miles outside of town where farm fields once were plowed there are now townhouses, apartments and single homes spread twenty feet apart in ever increasing numbers. One industrial park after another is continuously being built. Accident prone highways are now jammed at rush hours despite the ever continuous expansion of them.

Quality Over Quantity
Allentown once attracted 10,000's to Hamilton Street long before we had these humongous eyesores built downtown. If you look at today's pedestrian traffic on Hamilton Street it should become obvious to everyone no matter how many or how tall you build them new people arriving here are going to fill up more of what's left of former farmers' fields before considering a visit to downtown.

One would think with all this fabulous growth schools and local government funding would benefit. Instead both are faced with ever increasing budget deficits. Despite the figures we've been told, do people feel safer then they did before all this growth no matter the area?

In short all this growth nonsense is a bunch of hooey in my view. All one need do is look at who's promoting and benefiting from it.

We had all we needed. Trains, farm orchards, amusement parks, etc.

It wasn't as though we lived in the dark ages.

Should Heroin Addiction Be Treated As A Crime?

Heroin addiction drove Hellertown man to steal 23 guns from stepfather
By Rudy Miller | For lehighvalleylive.com

"The 36-year-old Hellertown man was to the point where nothing would get in the way of his next heroin fix. He stole the guns worth $17,000 to fuel the addiction and only being caught by police put a stop to his habit."





My Comments About The Article AboveAlthough not legal here in the United States, Canada is trying out a pilot program whereby they provide heroin to users. The program is three fold. (1) It shoots up users who voluntarily come in with a safe amount. (2) They provide free counseling encouraging users to seek help for their addiction. (3) It's cheaper then locking them up.

Heroin use is going up here in the United States despite all attempts. Obviously whatever we're doing so far hasn't been working.Anyone think this may work?
Anyone have a better alternate solution?
Should those addicted be treated as criminals or in need of healthcare (if they haven't committed a crime)?

86 Percent Blow Off Jury Summons In Philadelphia

Philly.com (04/04/2016)--"....blowing off jury duty is a problem in Philadelphia. Last year, only about 14 percent of people summoned for duty showed up when they were supposed to, according to the commissioner's office."
I wonder how many in each of the other counties in Pennsylvania are no shows?



After snooping around about the only information I can come up with this 2002 story published in the Morning Call--"Lehigh County used to have a bigger problem with no-show jurors, and the absentee rate at one time was about 25 percent. Prospective jurors receive summonses eight weeks ahead of their service, and are informed of acceptable reasons for being excused. Now, the county sends a reminder closer to the assigned date, and that has cut absenteeism to 4 percent."I wonder if this still holds true 14 years later?

Lehigh County Court Of Common Pleas,
     "The law provides that such conduct is contempt of court punishable by fine and or imprisonment."


The New York Post (01/04/2015)
The wackiest excuses people use to get out of jury duty

Kind Of Crap I Get In Email

What follows is a copy/paste from the kind of email I've been getting for years from some of my former coworkers. Long ago I've given up replying back time and time again after fact checking what they send. Ten years on and these same people continue to push the forward button having no idea how ignorant it makes them look. At this point I'll assume they, like many others, are hopelessly lost in their beliefs. Apparently facts mean nothing to these people. If there's a cure for ignorance I haven't found it!


A Helpful Tip For Those With Short Attention Spans
Skip Down To My "Final Thoughts"

The real cost of Socialism (you Bernie Sanders fans)

European Tax Rates Current
(Note: The VAT (Value Added Tax) tax in the table is the national sales tax that Europeans pay.)

United Kingdom
Income Tax: 50%
VAT: 17.5% TOTAL: 67.5%

France
Income Tax: 40%
VAT: 19.6% TOTAL: 59.6%

Greece
Income Tax: 40%
VAT: 25% TOTAL: 65%

Spain
Income Tax: 45%
VAT: 16% TOTAL: 61%

Portugal
Income Tax: 42%
VAT: 20% TOTAL: 62%

Sweden
Income Tax: 55%
VAT: 25% TOTAL: 80%

Norway
Income Tax: 54.3%
VAT: 25% TOTAL: 79.3%

Netherlands
Income Tax: 52%
VAT: 19% TOTAL: 71%

Denmark
Income Tax: 58%
VAT: 25% TOTAL: 83%

Finland
Income Tax: 53%
VAT: 22% TOTAL: 75%

If you've started to wonder what the real costs of socialism are going to be - once the full program in these United States hits your wallet, take a look at the table. As you digest these mind-boggling figures, keep in mind that in spite of these astronomical tax rates, these countries are still not financing their social welfare programs exclusively from tax revenues!....

....The United States is now heading right down the same path. Stay tuned because that is exactly what you can expect to see the administration proposing after the fall elections....

... Instead of spreading the wealth around, spread this info around. It might wake up some people.

If you agree with this, forward it, if you do not agree with it, read it again!!!

I'm not going to waste a full day on this nonsense. What I will do is provide a couple of links that speak otherwise. If anyone has further interests I urge them to follow through on their own because this post would become too large going through them all as if it isn't already.

www.gov.uk (Tax Rates)Income Tax rates and Personal Allowances

Taxable income above your Personal Allowance

Basic rate 20% £0 to £31,785
People with the standard Personal Allowance start paying this rate on income over £10,600

Higher rate 40% £31,786 to £150,000
People with the standard Personal Allowance start paying this rate on income over £42,385

Additional rate 45% Over £150,000

Example: You have £35,000 of taxable income and you get the standard Personal Allowance of £10,600. You pay basic rate tax at 20% on £24,400 (£35,000 minus £10,600).

www.gov.uk (VAT)VAT rates for goods and services: What the rate applies to
Standard 20% Most goods and services
Reduced rate 5% Some goods and services, eg children’s car seats and home energy
Zero rate 0% Zero-rated goods and services, eg most food and children’s clothes

The standard rate of VAT increased to 20% on 4 January 2011 (from 17.5%).

Some things are exempt from VAT, eg postage stamps, financial and property transactions. The VAT rate businesses charge depends on their goods and services. You can check the rates of VAT on different goods and services HERE

If you follow through with the link above (like I did) I couldn't find any item that was taxed at the 20% rate to consumers

Therefore I find the average schmuck is paying no where close to the 67.5% income tax rate the email claims they do.

FRANCE: Income Tax Rates (2015)- Up to 9,700 Euros 0% It's 45% on those earning over 152,108 euros before deductions. The VAT is similar to the one in the UK. Currently the euro is worth about $1.14 US. For someone earning between 26,971 and 71,826 euros their income tax rate would be 30% before deductions. Combined these would be nowhere near the 59.6% claim in the email for the average wage earner. In fact someone in the middle of that tax bracket would be paying around 25% in France.

DENMARK: Income tax- "Under the Danish tax system, it is possible for a high-wage earner to pay up to 51.5% of their total income after gross tax, giving a total of 57% of total income." Unlike England or France Denmark's 25% VAT is nearly on everything with several reductions limited to only a few things. While the email's 83% may be correct stating the ultimate maximum taxes it misses the mark entirely

A 2014 politifact article says . "According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average American fast food worker makes about $9 an hour. Compare that to the $20.70 paid in Denmark. According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the average tax burden in Denmark is 38.2 percent, while in America, it is 31.3 percent. So taxes are about a fifth higher. Most people, if given the choice, would accept a 20 percent hike in taxes in exchange for making twice as much."


FINAL THOUGHTSI'm certain I could go down the whole list in the email pointing out what kind of propagandist bullshit this is country by country. I apologize if this post is becoming too wordy, but I need to mention a few more things.(1) As you can see in Denmark it's not how much your paying into taxes. It's what you end up with in your check.

(2) In every one of those countries mentioned in the email they get national healthcare as part of those taxes.

(3) Nearly every single one have paid extended family leave and offer generous retirements.
If even one dare speak of such things in this country they're labeled "socialist" as are those countries. These emails are one way to keep people in line and not speak of such things for fear they will be labeled too. Heaven forbid people should investigate this for themselves.

Heaven forbid the true facts should come out. There sure are a lot of people who think we have something special going above those 400 million others living in 18 Western European nations who have access to such things. Course when people have their heads up their asses there's no way they can see much else beyond the kind of shit they continue to send me in email. Does anyone seriously believe European workers would put up with this? Of course they wouldn't !

We could change things in the incoming elections by electing someone (Bernie Sanders) who wants to bring some of these programs to the United States. However if history is any indicator voters will once again shoot themselves in the foot. Rather then thinking the larger picture or checking these things out, Americans have the tendency to play into the hands of candidates who reach out to shake their hands while reaching into their back pockets.

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Bernie Sanders on Healthcare


Sarah Silverman, "Don't Worry Under Sanders You Can Still Become A Super Rich Asshole"