User Panel
Posted: 4/1/2023 3:58:01 PM EDT
I’m sitting here, smoking a prime rib on the porch and having a cocktail, wondering where we went wrong.
When I started in the paper industry 33 years ago, they were sought after jobs. You might have had to wait 2-3 years just for an interview. Now we hire them on the spot, and they don’t last their training and evaluation period. Had a job fair last fall, 800 people showed up and we hired one electrician and I’m not sure he’s still at the mill. The operations group hired some to shovel bark and wood chips. Might have hired a few mechanics too but overall less than 40 hired. In the ‘80’s I left home, got a degree and never looked back. As did my brother and sister. I’ve told my dad he hit the lotto, but in reality we were raised correctly. Where did the country go wrong? |
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Hard times create strong men. Strong men create good times. Good times create weak men. And, weak men create hard times.
We currently are being led by weak men....we are in the precipice of living in hard times. |
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I often wonder why so many people wanted to leave their home towns, farms, small towns, ect. Leaving behind their family, friends, and community to chase after money instead of being satisfied to just make an honest living and raise their own family in such a place and continue local traditions and support the community.
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Quoted: Hard times create strong men. Strong men create good times. Good times create weak men. And, weak men create hard times. We currently are being led by weak men....we are in the precipice of living in hard times. View Quote Mostly this. There is no consequences in life anymore, it’s simply too easy. So most people are weak and pathetic now. It’s going to take some really hard times and sadly lots of death before we get on the right path again. |
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Quoted: I’m sitting here, smoking a prime rib on the porch and having a cocktail, wondering where we went wrong. When I started in the paper industry 33 years ago, they were sought after jobs. You might have had to wait 2-3 years just for an interview. Now we hire them on the spot, and they don’t last their training and evaluation period. Had a job fair last fall, 800 people showed up and we hired one electrician and I’m not sure he’s still at the mill. The operations group hired some to shovel bark and wood chips. Might have hired a few mechanics too but overall less than 40 hired. In the ‘80’s I left home, got a degree and never looked back. As did my brother and sister. I’ve told my dad he hit the lotto, but in reality we were raised correctly. Where did the country go wrong? View Quote I enjoy these discussions. When you started, what was the pay for the coveted job where people waited 2-3 years for an interview ? What Year was it? What is the starting pay for the job where you “hire them on the spot”? |
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Quoted: Public schools. Dept. of Education. Fatherless homes. View Quote I would add to that massive disparities in worker/CEO pay. Before my grandfather passed, God rest his soul, I asked him if the ratio between lowest/highest paid worker was as high as it was now as when he was in his heyday. He used to run a small oil refinery for Texaco. "Oh, Lord no. Not even close." Used to be a man could sell shoes or vacuum cleaners and raise a family on that salary. Not anymore. This led to the all-familiar attitude of "Boss makes a dollar, I make a dime, thats why I poop on Company Time!" It also was compounded by the addition of women in the workforce which led to a 100% dilution of available jobs. But that's another story. |
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Quoted: I often wonder why so many people wanted to leave their home towns, farms, small towns, ect. Leaving behind their family, friends, and community to chase after money instead of being satisfied to just make an honest living and raise their own family in such a place and continue local traditions and support the community. View Quote Because that sounds like a life of mediocrity. I often envy the people who are satisfied with that sort of existence, but for those of us who left, it’s not so much that we wanted to, but more like, we Needed to. There’s not much upward mobility, in the bucolic utopia you described. |
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Quoted: Public schools. Dept. of Education. Fatherless homes. View Quote I agree with that. When we moved to Louisiana I was 11 yro. My parents stopped by the middle school to see where we would go. A 17 yro bearded basketball player had just won the middle school championship. We all ended up in Catholic school. |
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Quoted: I enjoy these discussions. When you started, what was the pay for the coveted job where people waited 2-3 years for an interview ? What Year was it? What is the starting pay for the job where you “hire them on the spot”? View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: Quoted: I’m sitting here, smoking a prime rib on the porch and having a cocktail, wondering where we went wrong. When I started in the paper industry 33 years ago, they were sought after jobs. You might have had to wait 2-3 years just for an interview. Now we hire them on the spot, and they don’t last their training and evaluation period. Had a job fair last fall, 800 people showed up and we hired one electrician and I’m not sure he’s still at the mill. The operations group hired some to shovel bark and wood chips. Might have hired a few mechanics too but overall less than 40 hired. In the ‘80’s I left home, got a degree and never looked back. As did my brother and sister. I’ve told my dad he hit the lotto, but in reality we were raised correctly. Where did the country go wrong? I enjoy these discussions. When you started, what was the pay for the coveted job where people waited 2-3 years for an interview ? What Year was it? What is the starting pay for the job where you “hire them on the spot”? Aaaaannnnddddd subscribed. I too enjoy having these conversations with the older folks while cross-referencing Zillow and inflation calculators. As it turns out, you can no longer buy a 3/2 starter for 150% of your starting salary at age 22 with a STEM degree. |
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Quoted: I enjoy these discussions. When you started, what was the pay for the coveted job where people waited 2-3 years for an interview ? What Year was it? What is the starting pay for the job where you “hire them on the spot”? View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: Quoted: I’m sitting here, smoking a prime rib on the porch and having a cocktail, wondering where we went wrong. When I started in the paper industry 33 years ago, they were sought after jobs. You might have had to wait 2-3 years just for an interview. Now we hire them on the spot, and they don’t last their training and evaluation period. Had a job fair last fall, 800 people showed up and we hired one electrician and I’m not sure he’s still at the mill. The operations group hired some to shovel bark and wood chips. Might have hired a few mechanics too but overall less than 40 hired. In the ‘80’s I left home, got a degree and never looked back. As did my brother and sister. I’ve told my dad he hit the lotto, but in reality we were raised correctly. Where did the country go wrong? I enjoy these discussions. When you started, what was the pay for the coveted job where people waited 2-3 years for an interview ? What Year was it? What is the starting pay for the job where you “hire them on the spot”? These are some important questions that will yield a lot of answers. |
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Quoted: I often wonder why so many people wanted to leave their home towns, farms, small towns, ect. Leaving behind their family, friends, and community to chase after money instead of being satisfied to just make an honest living and raise their own family in such a place and continue local traditions and support the community. View Quote Everyone I graduated high school with that stayed in the small town I grew up in works at Walmart or one of the various restaurants or gas stations in town. I’d wager all of them qualify for welfare. |
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Quoted: Because that sounds like a life of mediocrity. I often envy the people who are satisfied with that sort of existence, but for those of us who left, it’s not so much that we wanted to, but more like, we Needed to. There’s not much upward mobility, in the bucolic utopia you described. View Quote Are you not mediocre? Will anyone besides your family remember your name in 100 years? |
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So open border immigration isn’t the solution Democrats have been telling me?
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Quoted: Aaaaannnnddddd subscribed. I too enjoy having these conversations with the older folks while cross-referencing Zillow and inflation calculators. As it turns out, you can no longer buy a 3/2 starter for 150% of your starting salary at age 22 with a STEM degree. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: I’m sitting here, smoking a prime rib on the porch and having a cocktail, wondering where we went wrong. When I started in the paper industry 33 years ago, they were sought after jobs. You might have had to wait 2-3 years just for an interview. Now we hire them on the spot, and they don’t last their training and evaluation period. Had a job fair last fall, 800 people showed up and we hired one electrician and I’m not sure he’s still at the mill. The operations group hired some to shovel bark and wood chips. Might have hired a few mechanics too but overall less than 40 hired. In the ‘80’s I left home, got a degree and never looked back. As did my brother and sister. I’ve told my dad he hit the lotto, but in reality we were raised correctly. Where did the country go wrong? I enjoy these discussions. When you started, what was the pay for the coveted job where people waited 2-3 years for an interview ? What Year was it? What is the starting pay for the job where you “hire them on the spot”? Aaaaannnnddddd subscribed. I too enjoy having these conversations with the older folks while cross-referencing Zillow and inflation calculators. As it turns out, you can no longer buy a 3/2 starter for 150% of your starting salary at age 22 with a STEM degree. Doesn’t matter how much you show them, they refuse to believe the numbers. But the answers are there for those who are willing to grapple with hard truths. |
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Jerry Springer and MTV’s The Real World. Those two shows started the downfall of America.
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Quoted: I often wonder why so many people wanted to leave their home towns, farms, small towns, ect. Leaving behind their family, friends, and community to chase after money instead of being satisfied to just make an honest living and raise their own family in such a place and continue local traditions and support the community. View Quote |
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IMO, the internet is the worst thing to happen to humanity in my lifetime. It caters to the worst of human nature.
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“A Conservative starts a business. A Liberal becomes an elementary school teacher.
Thirty years later, the Conservative is rich, but society reflects the Liberal's views.” -runcible 2005. FL. There are some smart folks here. |
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Quoted: Are you not mediocre? Will anyone besides your family remember your name in 100 years? View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: Quoted: Because that sounds like a life of mediocrity. I often envy the people who are satisfied with that sort of existence, but for those of us who left, it’s not so much that we wanted to, but more like, we Needed to. There’s not much upward mobility, in the bucolic utopia you described. Are you not mediocre? Will anyone besides your family remember your name in 100 years? Lolz, Laws No. I have not lived a life of mediocrity. Not in any way shape or form. As for everlasting fame, (or notoriety) That’s a completely different question. I’ve been practicing the Grey man life for so long, I’ve never even considered the question. I suppose I’ll have enough money to leave a Legacy park, or build a giant pyramid or something. Is being “remembered” outside one’s family, important? IDK. Need to give that one a little more thought. |
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Quoted: I enjoy these discussions. When you started, what was the pay for the coveted job where people waited 2-3 years for an interview ? What Year was it? What is the starting pay for the job where you “hire them on the spot”? View Quote Late 80’s $9 -12 to start in maintenance. Now a journeyman can hire in at up to $35 if he’s qualified. Half of them quit or are fired in 6 months. I started out as a degreed salaried engineer at a whopping $16 an hour (annualized) in reality closer to $12 with the required overtime that was not covered in the salary. |
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Quoted: These are some important questions that will yield a lot of answers. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: I’m sitting here, smoking a prime rib on the porch and having a cocktail, wondering where we went wrong. When I started in the paper industry 33 years ago, they were sought after jobs. You might have had to wait 2-3 years just for an interview. Now we hire them on the spot, and they don’t last their training and evaluation period. Had a job fair last fall, 800 people showed up and we hired one electrician and I’m not sure he’s still at the mill. The operations group hired some to shovel bark and wood chips. Might have hired a few mechanics too but overall less than 40 hired. In the ‘80’s I left home, got a degree and never looked back. As did my brother and sister. I’ve told my dad he hit the lotto, but in reality we were raised correctly. Where did the country go wrong? I enjoy these discussions. When you started, what was the pay for the coveted job where people waited 2-3 years for an interview ? What Year was it? What is the starting pay for the job where you “hire them on the spot”? These are some important questions that will yield a lot of answers. Hopefully |
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Ok boomer. When your generation stops "paying their taxes" in iTunes gift cards when called by "IRS Agent Officer John Smith" who happens to have a heavy Indian accent, then we can talk.
Your generation benefitted from some of the best economic times in human history. Remember...it all went to shit on your generations watch. |
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Quoted: I often wonder why so many people wanted to leave their home towns, farms, small towns, ect. Leaving behind their family, friends, and community to chase after money instead of being satisfied to just make an honest living and raise their own family in such a place and continue local traditions and support the community. View Quote Because you are at the mercy of a single corporation and it’s shareholders deciding to move the plant to Mexico or China, and leaving you high and dry with no job, no money, and a dying town where your house becomes worthless. It’s also the exact attitude that didn’t build America. Our history and exceptionalism is rooted in people who weren’t just content to make a living, but wanted to go for opportunity. It’s how America was started and the west was developed. |
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Quoted: Late 80’s $9 -12 to start in maintenance. Now a journeyman can hire in at up to $35 if he’s qualified. Half of them quit or are fired in 6 months. I started out as a degreed salaried engineer at a whopping $16 an hour (annualized) in reality closer to $12 with the required overtime that was not covered in the salary. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: Quoted: I enjoy these discussions. When you started, what was the pay for the coveted job where people waited 2-3 years for an interview ? What Year was it? What is the starting pay for the job where you “hire them on the spot”? Late 80’s $9 -12 to start in maintenance. Now a journeyman can hire in at up to $35 if he’s qualified. Half of them quit or are fired in 6 months. I started out as a degreed salaried engineer at a whopping $16 an hour (annualized) in reality closer to $12 with the required overtime that was not covered in the salary. What makes a journeyman “qualified” ? How much does someone get paid if they aren’t “qualified”. How much is the Actual new hire pay? “Up to $35…”. Isn’t giving us the facts. |
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Quoted: “A Conservative starts a business. A Liberal becomes an elementary school teacher. Thirty years later, the Conservative is rich, but society reflects the Liberal's views.” -runcible 2005. FL. There are some smart folks here. View Quote |
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Quoted: Ok boomer. When your generation stops "paying their taxes" in iTunes gift cards when called by "IRS Agent Officer John Smith" who happens to have a heavy Indian accent, then we can talk. Your generation benefitted from some of the best economic times in human history. Remember...it all went to shit on your generations watch. View Quote We had great economic times because we had a nuclear family and understood what a work ethic is. All that is lost now, everyone wants a gub’mint hand out now. And it went to shit on Bush jr’s watch - all you have to do is look at the national debt. Not technically a “boomer” but appreciate being called one. |
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Quoted: Public schools. Dept. of Education. Fatherless homes. View Quote FPNI, but I will add… Two working parents… while it “can” be done right, the vast majority 99% are just sending signals to their kids that other things are more important than them to their parents, even though they’ll defend the choice. |
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No parenting, no guidance, nobody to teach them right from wrong. Hand them an iPad and sit them in front of the television.
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It’s not your fault but it’s economic. You can’t afford to pay a wage of comparable value to what traditionally was paid.
From the mid seventies to present the value of money has decreased and the cost of homes, education and living expenses have increased. Then there’s the top down indoctrination to not want a family or responsibilities. It’s monetary and heteronomy. I’m just glad to hear you’re still operating. |
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Internet
Broken families Permissiveness Abolition of DRESS CODES IN SCHOOL Me me me No work ethic |
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Quoted: What makes a journeyman “qualified” ? How much does someone get paid if they aren’t “qualified”. How much is the Actual new hire pay? “Up to $35…”. Isn’t giving us the facts. View Quote Qualified if they can pass a “hands on” test administered and proctored by our trainers (since local tech schools pass everyone.) I don’t know the exact numbers, but something like $22, $27, $35 depending on skill level. Unqualified can hire in with our overflow contractor at $12- $15. They change light bulbs in our offices and the occasional outlets. |
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