Comments on: Wired News should stick to tech http://www.jerrybrito.com/2003/07/11/wired-news-should-stick-to-tech/ Sat, 11 Oct 2008 14:07:30 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Lance Jonn Romanoff http://www.jerrybrito.com/2003/07/11/wired-news-should-stick-to-tech/#comment-53 Lance Jonn Romanoff Mon, 11 Aug 2003 19:07:27 +0000 http://www.jerrybrito.com/blog/2003/07/11/wired-news-should-stick-to-tech/#comment-53 <i>"The jobless rate in this country has not been higher then it is now for almost a century. Free us up to do more productive things? Like what draw unemployment?"</i> This claim, while quite hysterical, is false. Here are several years in the 20th century where unemployment exceeded the July 2003 rate of 6.2%, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics: 1993 6.9% 1992 7.5% 1991 6.8% 1986 7.0% 1985 7.2% 1984 7.5% 1983 9.6% 1982 9.7% 1981 7.6% 1980 7.1% 1977 7.1% 1976 7.7% 1975 8.5% 1961 6.7% 1941 9.9% 1940 14.6% 1939 17.2% 1938 19.0% 1937 14.3% 1936 16.9% 1935 20.1% 1934 21.7% 1933 24.9% 1932 23.6% 1931 15.9% 1930 8.7% 1922 6.7% 1921 11.7% 1915 8.5% 1914 7.9% 1911 6.7% “The jobless rate in this country has not been higher then it is now for almost a century. Free us up to do more productive things? Like what draw unemployment?”

This claim, while quite hysterical, is false. Here are several years in the 20th century where unemployment exceeded the July 2003 rate of 6.2%, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics:

1993 6.9%
1992 7.5%
1991 6.8%
1986 7.0%
1985 7.2%
1984 7.5%
1983 9.6%
1982 9.7%
1981 7.6%
1980 7.1%
1977 7.1%
1976 7.7%
1975 8.5%
1961 6.7%
1941 9.9%
1940 14.6%
1939 17.2%
1938 19.0%
1937 14.3%
1936 16.9%
1935 20.1%
1934 21.7%
1933 24.9%
1932 23.6%
1931 15.9%
1930 8.7%
1922 6.7%
1921 11.7%
1915 8.5%
1914 7.9%
1911 6.7%

]]> By: Robert http://www.jerrybrito.com/2003/07/11/wired-news-should-stick-to-tech/#comment-52 Robert Sat, 12 Jul 2003 10:52:48 +0000 http://www.jerrybrito.com/blog/2003/07/11/wired-news-should-stick-to-tech/#comment-52 I think your outlook on outsourcing is a little niave. The jobless rate in this country has not been higher then it is now for almost a century. Free us up to do more productive things? Like what draw unemployment? The American worker(in all industries)is being victimised by the corporations who are out not only to make a profit but to increase that profit each quarter. When I worked for Compaq Computer Corporation cutting employees was always one of the first things looked at to boost quarter profits. When a company makes a decision to outsource it's not based on the savings they can pass on to consumers it is based on the fact that they can make more money.They can make more money because they pick Countries that have an economically challenged work force (who will work for pennies on the dollar in poor surroundings) and Countries that (and this is mostly true) have socialized medicine so the cost of benefits is minimal. I would also like to point out that some companies like Ford and GM have moved plants into countries that have low or 0 controls on emissions because we Americans have demanded cleaner air. And the cost of upgrading production facilities is more then retooling a plant elsewhere, I find that unacceptable because it still hurts Americans and the people in the new local as well. A really good example of how corporate thought process works is the way they now package coffee. Remember when you could buy a pound of Folgers? I do! Then some genius somewhere said hey we can save money if we put it a smaller can and reduce the package to 13 oz. But instead of passing that on to us they hoped noone would notice and continued to charge you the pound price. That is how corporations take care of us. A long time ago when I took economics they taught us that a company has a resposibility to the communty I believe they have dropped that from the syllabus. Anyway dream on we are not in trouble in this country, we are not in need of more ethical practices in the day to day operation of our businesses, and we are definitly not hurt by outsourcing, yea right! I think your outlook on outsourcing is a little niave. The jobless rate in this country has not been higher then it is now for almost a century. Free us up to do more productive things? Like what draw unemployment? The American worker(in all industries)is being victimised by the corporations who are out not only to make a profit but to increase that profit each quarter. When I worked for Compaq Computer Corporation cutting employees was always one of the first things looked at to boost quarter profits. When a company makes a decision to outsource it’s not based on the savings they can pass on to consumers it is based on the fact that they can make more money.They can make more money because they pick Countries that have an economically challenged work force (who will work for pennies on the dollar in poor surroundings) and Countries that (and this is mostly true) have socialized medicine so the cost of benefits is minimal. I would also like to point out that some companies like Ford and GM have moved plants into countries that have low or 0 controls on emissions because we Americans have demanded cleaner air. And the cost of upgrading production facilities is more then retooling a plant elsewhere, I find that unacceptable because it still hurts Americans and the people in the new local as well. A really good example of how corporate thought process works is the way they now package coffee. Remember when you could buy a pound of Folgers? I do! Then some genius somewhere said hey we can save money if we put it a smaller can and reduce the package to 13 oz. But instead of passing that on to us they hoped noone would notice and continued to charge you the pound price. That is how corporations take care of us. A long time ago when I took economics they taught us that a company has a resposibility to the communty I believe they have dropped that from the syllabus. Anyway dream on we are not in trouble in this country, we are not in need of more ethical practices in the day to day operation of our businesses, and we are definitly not hurt by outsourcing, yea right!

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