Are we better off?

[lindy]

My Dad sent me this article (http://hawaiinewsdaily.com/2011/12/getting-worse-40-undeniable-pieces-of-evidence-that-show-that-america-is-in-decline/) and I found it very interesting as well as thought provoking. I figured you all would enjoy it as well.

I always assumed that Hawaii was Pro-Obama.

[Kyobanim]

Where did he get his data for this article? Looks like another nicely worded piece to wind people up. The country is already wound up. How about someone putting up some ideas that will work instead of bitching all the time.

[ChuckG]

The only thing that the response above mine does is intimidate others not to post a response because the poster is a moderator. I find nothing wrong with the Hawaiian newspaper article. Nor do I find anything that is factually incorrect. Yes this county is wound up and will remain so until the mistake that was created on 20 Jan 2009 is corrected. A solution would be to do your homework before you vote in 2012 and vote with your mind and not your emotions. Still hoping for a better future for my grandchildren.

[Buffalobob]

The article was written by an imbecile who never owned a POS American made vehicle back in 1985. That was the year I switched from a Ford 4X4 to a Toyota 4X4. One of the reason there are fewer vehicles sold now is that they now last longer thanks to Japanese introducing the concept of QUALITY into American auto manufacturing. Back in the old days you sold a vehicle once it reached 60K miles and now you sell it once it reaches 120 K miles.

It always amazes me how few people actually think for themselves but rely on others to tell t hem what they should think. Is America truly becoming a Dear Abby nation.

[Penn]

This sobering example may answer you question

http://video.nytimes.com/video/2012/01/18/opinion/100000001292277/dismantling-detroit.html?WT.mc_id=VI-D-I-NYT-MOD-MOD-M237-ROS-0112-HDR&WT.mc_ev=click&WT.mc_c=178358

[SF-TX]

One of the reason there are fewer vehicles sold now is that they now last longer thanks to Japanese introducing the concept of QUALITY into American auto manufacturing. Back in the old days you sold a vehicle once it reached 60K miles and now you sell it once it reaches 120 K miles.



It was actually an American, W. Edwards Deming, who introduced the concept of statistical quality control to the Japanese. They embraced the concept in 1950. American manufacturers didn't 'discover' Mr. Deming's concepts until the 1980's.

[Airbornelawyer]

Just a couple of notes, without addressing the full range of arguments and criticisms.
#3 The average price of a gallon of gasoline in 2011 has been $3.50. That is a new all-time record. The previous record was $3.24 in 2008.

#4 The average American household will have spent an astounding $4,155 on gasoline by the time the year is over.
Adjusted for inflation, it probably is not historically that bad.
Actually, adjusted for inflation, it is the worst it has ever been, except for when both cars and gasoline were luxury items (i.e., 1918, when we were also at war).

In 2011 dollars, gas crossed under the line of $3.50 a gallon in 1919. It fell to about $2.50 in 1931, then climbed during the 1930s, peaking in 1938 at about $3.10. It then began a generally downward trend, falling below $2.00 a gallon in 1972. The oil shocks of the 1970s saw two spikes upward, leading to the previous peak of 3.31 in 1981. Then began a rapid descent in prices, to $1.81 in 1988, and a less rapid descent in the following decade to $1.39 in 1998. Prices began rising again, except for a small drop during the 2000-01 recession, hitting the 1981 high in the summer of 2008. They bottomed out in 2009 at about $2.30, and then began the most recent ascent, crossing the $3.50 line in 2011 for the first time since World War I.


#12 Our economy is not producing nearly enough jobs for our college graduates. The percentage of mail carriers with a college degree is now 4 times higher than it was back in 1970.
True, but that is because it's in a recession right now (maybe not "officially" a recession but still a recession by how an ordinary person thinks about it, as in a bad economy).
Just one minor nit: the US was in a recession in 1970. So that really doesn't address the point.

However, the point itself isn't particularly well stated. Mail carriers, in fact, is a rather odd example, since postal workers went on strike in 1970 over low wages. In 1970, starting salary for a letter carrier was $7,072 per year, and the worker had to pay 50% of his health insurance. This was well below median family income in 1970, making it difficult to support a family. Today, letter carriers have a starting salary of about $42,000 and the USPS pays about 80% of health insurance costs. The mean annual wage is $50,250. The increasing percentage of letter carriers with college degrees, in other words, may simply reflect that letter carrier has become a relatively more attractive job for a college graduate today than it was in 1970.

[GratefulCitizen]

<shrug>
The economy appears to be recovering.
High unemployment levels indicate that people can afford to turn down jobs which pay less than they want.

http://www.calculatedriskblog.com/2012/01/ata-trucking-index-increased-sharply-in.html


There are plenty of jobs in transportation which start in the $14-$20/hr range.
No education required, you just have to pass a drug test.

Too many people would rather smoke pot than earn a living.

[Dozer523]

Since I am bored and have way too much time on my hands right now, I will address each point made as I see it.

#8 American 15-year-olds do not even rank in the top half of all advanced nations when it comes to math or science literacy. "
This has been for years though, and yet we still keep producing Nobel Prize winners and pumping out the largest amount of scientific and technological research.

That is some effort and dedication. (seriously)
I just want to comment on that one though.
All you need is one smartie to get a Nobel Prize but there are a Brazilian 15 YO's out there screwin' up school. AND they sux at geography, too.