(no subject)
So contrary to popular belief and reporting... apparently the US is still the dominant global manufacturer.
At least according to this... http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Investing/CompanyFocus/the-myth-of-us-industrys-demise.aspx ... article.
Says here the US produces 21% ('06) of all manufactured goods globally. We had a peak of 28% in 1985, but a 36 year running average of 23% ('70-'06). We're ahead of China, contrary to what even I had assumed by watching the news and hearing friends and coworkers talk. Especially being in not only a blue state, but a heavily weighted, car manufacturing state, you'd think that virtually nothing is made here in the US anymore and that China and India have taken all of our jobs. This says China makes just 13% of the worlds goods, Japan is 3rd with 11%, and Germany is way back there with 7.4% (The author states he's getting his figures from the UN which keeps track of such figures).
Why you may ask do we seemingly make so much without realising it? What happened to everything going to Mexico, China, and India? Well (again according to the author) it seems that US workers are among the best skilled and are (defacto) the most productive on the planet. It's easier to pay a bit more for the labor because the quality of your product is higher, turned out more efficiently, and turned out in higher numbers than foreign factories could make.
WOW! Now that gives me a warm tingly feeling, you don't hear that very much anymore about the US or the US workforce. It seems all we've heard the past several years is how awful the economy is, how no one is able to find work in the US, how all the jobs are going overseas. But it would seem, that in fact, we're still number one, contrary to what most politicians and media outlets would have you believe.
As a deeper aside, here's 10 companies the guy points out that are still big US manufacturers (yeah I know any company termed "big" also = evil and needs to be destroyed, and as a side effect all their employees kicked out on their ass but we won't mention that part, so humor me by looking at them, purchasing from them, or using companies who purchase from them just so you get a tingly feeling too hmm?).
Big manufacturing companies in the US to support: GE one of the largest makers in the world of locomotives, wind and gas turbines, jet engines and water-purification equipment. They also do or used to make appliances but it doesn't mention if those plants are in the US. Boeing (hey you can fly on their planes!). Hershey's, yeah maybe their dark chocolate. Brunswick makes boats (sealiner, bayliner, mercury outboards) & exercise equipment (Life Fitness & Hammer Strength),& pool tables too. Harley motorcycles. Dow, chemicals, plastics, foams, latex, adhesives, pest/herb-icides. Caterpillar. Pfizer, while I won't go through their whole list of drugs they market (they also make stuff for pets) here's a couple well known ones: Accupril (blood pressure), Aricept (alzheimers), Ben-Gay, Chantix (tobacco cessasion), Depo/Solu-medrol (steroids, common for asthma and inflammatory conditions), Lipitor (cholesterol), Viagra, Viracept (AIDS), and on and on, go drugs for a better life! US Steel. Fender, guitar maker, one of the best apparently, Springsteen gets his from them, for all those guitar lovers.
The US still kicks ass. So why don't we ever hear that? Why does it seem the government and the media in general are working in concert to depress us, make us feel helpless, and scared that our preeminence as world leader is over (and why is the solution always bigger government and us sacrificing everything so as to punish and prostrate ourselves to the planet and the world)? I have purposely not been watching the news for the past six months for these very reasons.
Well, anyway... the article made me feel good. Good about myself, good about my country, and renewed my already held belief that we are the best and we will continue to be. I firmly believe our only downfall will be of our own making, not from without, but within. Losing faith in ourselves and allowing buffoons we elect to "save" us... by destroying us. -- "Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be affraid."
At least according to this... http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Investing/CompanyFocus/the-myth-of-us-industrys-demise.aspx ... article.
Says here the US produces 21% ('06) of all manufactured goods globally. We had a peak of 28% in 1985, but a 36 year running average of 23% ('70-'06). We're ahead of China, contrary to what even I had assumed by watching the news and hearing friends and coworkers talk. Especially being in not only a blue state, but a heavily weighted, car manufacturing state, you'd think that virtually nothing is made here in the US anymore and that China and India have taken all of our jobs. This says China makes just 13% of the worlds goods, Japan is 3rd with 11%, and Germany is way back there with 7.4% (The author states he's getting his figures from the UN which keeps track of such figures).
Why you may ask do we seemingly make so much without realising it? What happened to everything going to Mexico, China, and India? Well (again according to the author) it seems that US workers are among the best skilled and are (defacto) the most productive on the planet. It's easier to pay a bit more for the labor because the quality of your product is higher, turned out more efficiently, and turned out in higher numbers than foreign factories could make.
WOW! Now that gives me a warm tingly feeling, you don't hear that very much anymore about the US or the US workforce. It seems all we've heard the past several years is how awful the economy is, how no one is able to find work in the US, how all the jobs are going overseas. But it would seem, that in fact, we're still number one, contrary to what most politicians and media outlets would have you believe.
As a deeper aside, here's 10 companies the guy points out that are still big US manufacturers (yeah I know any company termed "big" also = evil and needs to be destroyed, and as a side effect all their employees kicked out on their ass but we won't mention that part, so humor me by looking at them, purchasing from them, or using companies who purchase from them just so you get a tingly feeling too hmm?).
Big manufacturing companies in the US to support: GE one of the largest makers in the world of locomotives, wind and gas turbines, jet engines and water-purification equipment. They also do or used to make appliances but it doesn't mention if those plants are in the US. Boeing (hey you can fly on their planes!). Hershey's, yeah maybe their dark chocolate. Brunswick makes boats (sealiner, bayliner, mercury outboards) & exercise equipment (Life Fitness & Hammer Strength),& pool tables too. Harley motorcycles. Dow, chemicals, plastics, foams, latex, adhesives, pest/herb-icides. Caterpillar. Pfizer, while I won't go through their whole list of drugs they market (they also make stuff for pets) here's a couple well known ones: Accupril (blood pressure), Aricept (alzheimers), Ben-Gay, Chantix (tobacco cessasion), Depo/Solu-medrol (steroids, common for asthma and inflammatory conditions), Lipitor (cholesterol), Viagra, Viracept (AIDS), and on and on, go drugs for a better life! US Steel. Fender, guitar maker, one of the best apparently, Springsteen gets his from them, for all those guitar lovers.
The US still kicks ass. So why don't we ever hear that? Why does it seem the government and the media in general are working in concert to depress us, make us feel helpless, and scared that our preeminence as world leader is over (and why is the solution always bigger government and us sacrificing everything so as to punish and prostrate ourselves to the planet and the world)? I have purposely not been watching the news for the past six months for these very reasons.
Well, anyway... the article made me feel good. Good about myself, good about my country, and renewed my already held belief that we are the best and we will continue to be. I firmly believe our only downfall will be of our own making, not from without, but within. Losing faith in ourselves and allowing buffoons we elect to "save" us... by destroying us. -- "Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be affraid."