Empty Tracks ..last Two Races

[PJ]

Old threads should be a different color

George while I agree that the economy is often quickly and wrongly blamed, several big time universities have been complaining recently about having difficulty selling all of their seats. Alabama had many empty seats at their last home game. MSU/Nebraska did as well. I know there are others.

 

[Toejam]

People keep saying its not the economy, I'm still down around 20% from 2009, and about 2 weeks worth of Vaca!

 

[vegasnitro]

People keep saying its not the economy, I'm still down around 20% from 2009, and about 2 weeks worth of Vaca!

I am down more than that Joe.

 

[George.]

Well, the economy isn't booming for the blue collar sector, that's for sure. A local company in my town is shutting down after Con Agra bought them to eliminate competition. 425 jobs gone, plus all of the collateral damage to come. Drag racing fans tend to be blue collar.

Things change. Automation reduces the need for employees. Huge tax breaks and corporate hard asses do not care what and who they ruin as long as it's good for the stockholders. They are investing in automation that doesn't take vacations and do not need health care insurance.

One thing is for sure, big ticket items like cars are selling, and the malls seem full. Looks like the money is still being made, but by professional people..and young people tend to be professional rather than blue collar which also explains the possible reason why young people are disinterested in racing in general.

 

[Paul]

Well, the economy isn't booming for the blue collar sector, that's for sure. A local company in my town is shutting down after Con Agra bought them to eliminate competition. 425 jobs gone, plus all of the collateral damage to come. Drag racing fans tend to be blue collar.

Things change. Automation reduces the need for employees. Huge tax breaks and corporate hard asses do not care what and who they ruin as long as it's good for the stockholders. They are investing in automation that doesn't take vacations and do not need health care insurance.

One thing is for sure, big ticket items like cars are selling, and the malls seem full. Looks like the money is still being made, but by professional people..and young people tend to be professional rather than blue collar which also explains the possible reason why young people are disinterested in racing in general.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Bingo, someone who gets it. The days of people only having a high school diploma and being able to live comfortable are over for the most part. If you don't have a 4yr degree at a minimum you are fighting an uphill battle. I am fortunate to work in the oil and gas industry and have a 4 yr degree and my compensation has been booming the last 5 years. Companies are fighting for good people in Houston and it's driving up the wages, which is a good thing. My advice to all kids these days is GET A DEGREE in a relevant field and life will be a lot easier.

 

[ScojoDak]

Things change. Automation reduces the need for employees. Huge tax breaks and corporate hard asses do not care what and who they ruin as long as it's good for the stockholders. They are investing in automation that doesn't take vacations and do not need health care insurance.

As a machinist for 40 years, I have seen automation kill the need for bodies to turn handles and pull levers. There are bar feed lathes that can auto load bar stock and run through the night with lights out. Warehouses now have robots pull product and load it on a truck. The need for skilled workers is dwindling fast. No wonder people no longer have "discretionary income" to buy a $140 ticket.

 

[Toejam]

Well, the economy isn't booming for the blue collar sector, that's for sure. A local company in my town is shutting down after Con Agra bought them to eliminate competition. 425 jobs gone, plus all of the collateral damage to come. Drag racing fans tend to be blue collar.

Things change. Automation reduces the need for employees. Huge tax breaks and corporate hard asses do not care what and who they ruin as long as it's good for the stockholders. They are investing in automation that doesn't take vacations and do not need health care insurance.

One thing is for sure, big ticket items like cars are selling, and the malls seem full. Looks like the money is still being made, but by professional people..and young people tend to be professional rather than blue collar which also explains the possible reason why young people are disinterested in racing in general.

If even half of what you say is true, this Country is F**ked! This Country will become a total Welfare state!

 

[George.]

Welfare?
Do you know how many Americans pay income taxes today? Just a tad over half..
It doesn't take a genius to see that as technology marches forward, the importance of human labor reduces.
It won't be long before you walk in to a burger joint and there will only be a few people working.
You will enter your order yourself, get your own drink, and soon enough, a machine will dispense it all to you in a cute bag. That's going to happen because at some point, people won't be able to afford a meal for their family at Micky D's and said burger joint will have to reduce production costs further..

Want to know why Microsoft isn't challenging Apple right now? Because they are currently devoting most of their developmental budget on robots. MS feels robots for home use (Like Alice on the Jetsons) will be as common as the family computer in 2025. They are clearly looking ahead, as we all should be if we are to survive.

My bank teller now processes my entire commercial deposit as I wait. They closed an entire department which used to process the checks. 150 jobs gone. As mentiond above, our local food processing plant that has been in existence for 65 years is boarding up (425 jobs) because its purchaser has a brand new, highly automated plant in Kentucky that can produce the products there 24 x 365.
Think it's bad now, wait.
I thank God I was born during the times where people mattered 100%.

 

[Huge]

Welfare?
Do you know how many Americans pay income taxes today? Just a tad over half..
It doesn't take a genius to see that as technology marches forward, the importance of human labor reduces.
It won't be long before you walk in to a burger joint and there will only be a few people working.
You will enter your order yourself, get your own drink, and soon enough, a machine will dispense it all to you in a cute bag. That's going to happen because at some point, people won't be able to afford a meal for their family at Micky D's and said burger joint will have to reduce production costs further..

Want to know why Microsoft isn't challenging Apple right now? Because they are currently devoting most of their developmental budget on robots. MS feels robots for home use (Like Alice on the Jetsons) will be as common as the family computer in 2025. They are clearly looking ahead, as we all should be if we are to survive.

My bank teller now processes my entire commercial deposit as I wait. They closed an entire department which used to process the checks. 150 jobs gone. As mentiond above, our local food processing plant that has been in existence for 65 years is boarding up (425 jobs) because its purchaser has a brand new, highly automated plant in Kentucky that can produce the products there 24 x 365.
Think it's bad now, wait.
I thank God I was born during the times where people mattered 100%.

I knew if i waited long enough you would put a post on here that i could agree with...and today is that day.

 

[Muddy]

As technology eliminates jobs and starts to perform services once done by humans I wonder who will need those services, Those whose jobs have been eliminated will no longer have the cash to support the new technology. Have you ever heard the term "Don't shoot yourself in the foot just because you shoe is bothering you when you walk"?

 

[Toejam]

Welfare?
Do you know how many Americans pay income taxes today? Just a tad over half..
It doesn't take a genius to see that as technology marches forward, the importance of human labor reduces.
It won't be long before you walk in to a burger joint and there will only be a few people working.
You will enter your order yourself, get your own drink, and soon enough, a machine will dispense it all to you in a cute bag. That's going to happen because at some point, people won't be able to afford a meal for their family at Micky D's and said burger joint will have to reduce production costs further..

Want to know why Microsoft isn't challenging Apple right now? Because they are currently devoting most of their developmental budget on robots. MS feels robots for home use (Like Alice on the Jetsons) will be as common as the family computer in 2025. They are clearly looking ahead, as we all should be if we are to survive.

My bank teller now processes my entire commercial deposit as I wait. They closed an entire department which used to process the checks. 150 jobs gone. As mentiond above, our local food processing plant that has been in existence for 65 years is boarding up (425 jobs) because its purchaser has a brand new, highly automated plant in Kentucky that can produce the products there 24 x 365.
Think it's bad now, wait.
I thank God I was born during the times where people mattered 100%.

You don't have to lecture me about who is and isn't paying taxes, I'm all about that! But if what you say about needing a College degree to even get a job in the future holds true, it won't be 50% paying taxes, it will be 20-25%, and the tax burden on them will be so high a lot will leave the Country! We are truly F'd!

 

[Nick Name]

It is not so much about a degree, but talent. There is virtually no talent walking the streets looking for a job. If you have an in demand talent, it doesn't matter what kind of paper you have hanging on the wall.

A lot of people have degrees and no talent and are unemployed.

The government is still paying people not to work. This is for votes, but it doesn't help the job numbers.

As for the "economy", around here you can't get into any restaurant without an hours wait. Entire families running up $200 + tabs eating out. They either have not heard about the bad economy, or they are just running up credit card debt.

 

[vegasnitro]

It is not so much about a degree, but talent. There is virtually no talent walking the streets looking for a job. If you have an in demand talent, it doesn't matter what kind of paper you have hanging on the wall.

A lot of people have degrees and no talent and are unemployed.

I agree with a large amount of what you say, but the absolute lynch pin is still knowing someone on the inside. Most companies have a website you submit your application through, and either via an algorithm or a simple points system tabulated by a computer it is tough for talent to get in front of paper, unless you know the hiring manager or something similar to get that face to face interview. Particularly since it is cheaper to hire recently graduated paper than it is to hire someone who has practical experience in most instances.

 

[FABMAN]

Well I am almost 61 and have had a few jobs in automotive industry as mechanic then management. I graduated HS and have been through alot of individual courses in communication and sales even Dale Carnegie which was money well spent. I went into business for myself at age 25 and have never looked back. What really deterred me from college was watching my brother spending 3-1/2 yrs at KU then leaving because his interest changed. We both are basically self taught and have had a good life. Meaning of this is I think people go to College before they even know what they want to do. When you decide there are many ways to get there, keep a positive thought.

 

[robslob]

'Round here, in farm country, there is a saying---Even "D" means degree.
Translation: Just because someone graduated from college, does not mean they are intelligent.
Still, in some places, a person's worth is judged by thier work ethic...

 

[George.]

Well today, the judging doesn't start until you get in the door, and you don't get in without a degree.
I don't have a degree. I just started out in small business and grew by surviving every mistake imaginable and somehow figuring it out. I'm just a guy who knew I couldn't work for anybody. Heck, if I worked for me, I would fire me today..
Unless you can beat 1000 to 1 odds in today's world, those days are gone,
Problem is that in order to get a job above sweeping streets of driving as bus, you need that piece of paper to get an interview.

 

[Jimbo]

George your story sounds very similar to what I did.

Jim Hill

 

[Muddy]

All a degree does is open the door. Ability wins out but you have to have the degree to open the door to show the ability. In prior years, experience could be used to offset the lack of a degree but not so much today. Since the HR dept was taken over by college graduates they have eliminated most any exception. I managed a staff of 600 IT people. From system analysts all the way to the receving clerk most of my really outstanding staff had no degree and many no college. When we hired a programmer with an IT degree it normally took about 15 months for us to untrain and retrain them before they became productive. Actually music majors usually made the best analysts and programmers.

 

[FABMAN]

George, you shouldn't be so negative it doesn't do you or anyone. else any good. I don't think getting a job is much different than 35yrs ago, I think there's a lot more today because of the advance in computer and technology. They have been talking about robots taking a lot jobs well they need people to program and maintain these machines. There's s shortage of operator's to run cad, the advancement of mill and lathes there's plenty of good paying jobs all you have to do is figure out what field you want and look for it

 

[Jeff]

I employ a lot of young people, and I counsel a number of even younger people wondering what to do with their lives. Many people in college think that the concepts and facts they learned in college make them smart and valuable. I think college mainly teaches you how to learn things you don't know. I've got to hire people with the skill of learning, what they know now is not that important. It is the ability to learn and do something for me that gives them value. High school sets a foundation, but for many they need a college education to give them the flexibility to have value to an employer. Work ethic and the ability to write/communicate are equally important, but unfortunately not taught or not engrained all too often.

We are also looking for the person with desire and the capability to achieve. Some aspects of how we as a country are dealing with people with shortcomings in this area is counterproductive to what we need them to turn into.

I have to laugh at fear of automation (an earlier subthread). Automation is something that should be reveared, no feared. It is going to further our economy, not put people out of jobs long term. If you are not moving forward, you are heading backwards.