Re: OT: Inflation in the US

John Smith wrote:
radiosrfun wrote:

[...]

I don't know, I just don't know ... but, looks as if we are going to need smarter politicians than we have now. Krist, in California we gave up looking for them--we have just been hiring actors to play the part of governors! <LOL>

However, when a young man, I lost a job--over-extended myself--yanno, the standard story of "The BIG Mistake." I was too proud to let the family know (brought it on myself--I was to be the one to get me out of the mess.) As everything began to "shake out", spent three weeks at a salvation army and got a job in construction (engineering degree at the time too.) First paycheck was enough to get into an apt., a few new clothes and eat well. Took my time, turned down "easier jobs" and got on with a well established, well paying company which had been stable for decades with excellent services/products--worked there with excellent benefits (paid doctor, hospital, prescriptions, even psychiatric!) and wages until they were purchased by a foreign interest and CHANGED! Met my wife, bought the house and moved on to greener pastures. Point is, today would that be so easy? I mean with laborers on every corner willing to work for wages I'd/most would laugh at?

Even my kids, I had to help them much more than I needed. Not because they are lazy, not because they would not work, not because they were not educated. I was at their sides and seen the reality--the opportunities had "dried up", compared to my time--lucky I had contacts which could assist in the industry--became not what-you-know but who-you-know. This new generation, in my humble opinion, faces even more severe "hills to climb."


Part of that is to blame on ourselves, part on the kids. We give them cars when they are 16. I didn't have a car until 21 and only because I took a basket case off of someone who had tried to restore the engine and messed it up. Almost everything I owned was either home-built or salvaged, and I liked that. Because that way I learned.

Look at engineers today: How many young grads just throw their hands into the air when the toaster croaks and just buy a new one? "Oh, it's just $24.99". I repaired our toaster last weekend. Took five minutes and those $24.99 are still in the bank.

The consequence is that most of the new EEs are not able to whip up a circuit on their own. Universities don't teach that, mine didn't either. You've got to do that yourself and you need mentors. And don't expect mentors to miraculously fall from the sky. I had to look for mine as well because they did not fall from the sky.


Example:

Down in the LA area, showed up to work and the foreman was just "on my b*tt!" Told him off and walked off ... several blocks later that same day, had a new job which paid a little bit more.

The money, ten/twenty bucks to someone on the street which strikes my heart?--I only have the power to give it, or not. What they do with it is on them--I lost all desire to be a control freak decades ago ... my kids have all been raised, don't wish to be a pseudo-parent to any others.

Others mileage may vary ...

Regards,
JS



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Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/
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