Hi Lyle, What state was this 365x12 job in? I thought that every US state had laws that would prevent such a thing from being legal. Of course, I suppose it might not always be enforced.... >From the perspective of companies - manufacturing overseas is not always just about more profit. Sometimes it is about staying in business at all. Some types of equipment can be made economically in the US because of shipping costs or the need to locate engineers and manufacturing in the same location (for especially demanding quality requirements) or if the cost delta is small enough that you can charge a small premium for a "Made in the USA" sticker on the box and still make money. However, often your competitors will just take over the market completely if they are willing to go overseas and you are not. Now, lest I sound like an advocate of overseas manufacturing: I have real problems with the status of human rights and religious freedom in China. To some degree it has gotten better but it has a long way to go and it is far from proven that simply giving them more business will cause them to "open up" more. I am concerned that China, as it grows into a world power comparable to the US, will extend their influence around the world to actually spread their ideas about how to "fix" problems (like population issues) by coercive means. All of the above concerns apply EVEN IF the individual Chinese worker benefits economically by my business. Of course, I am ALSO concerned about supporting companies which employ unnecessarily-harsh working conditions - but that is not my only concern with doing business in China. With regard to countries other than China (or other oppressive places) - I still have a tendency to prefer to make things here both for the sake of jobs and for the sake of keeping a certain level of manufacturing ability here at home so we do not lose the ability to do that kind of work. However, I am not as definite about it as I am about China. I do think, though, that there is indeed such a thing as pressing the "make it here at home" attitude too far which can end up causing LESS economic prosperity all around, even here at home, because of refusing to specialize (i.e., some places may just be able to make something cheaper and should do so - IF there is then something else that can be made or provided by our people here that we do more efficiently). OK, off my soapbox! I just wanted to mention the human rights angle since most of the time these discussions focus ONLY on the economic/job impacts and working conditions of individual workers. Sean On Tue, Jan 29, 2013 at 12:43 PM, Lyle Hazelwood wrote= : > Not offended, but certainly a bit sensitive. > > Perspective: I am an unemployed American with diverse technical credentia= ls. > > Regarding employment, I never had any problem finding good work in the > past 30-odd years, except the past five.. > > Regarding that odd comment about running faster than the robots, I am > well credentialed in the programming, repair, and integration of robotic > workcells. I also have related experience with general controls work. > > Regarding the harsh working schedule in China, The only job that I held > in the past five years was as a maintenance man in a steel processing pla= nt. > My work schedule was 12 hours a day, seven days a week _REQUIRED_. > There was an "effort" to get everyone one weekend off a month, but that > usually disappeared for one reason or another. > > After almost two years, I quit the job. Have been unemployed for almost > two more years since then. > > Most recent employment discovery? I applied for a job as a bag-boy at the > local grocery store, and was turned down as "unqualified". > > It is interesting to hear other perspectives on the subject. If I find so= mething > completely offensive, I'll just "unsubscribble". > > Now back to my lurking place.. > > Lyle > -- > http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive > View/change your membership options at > http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist --=20 http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive View/change your membership options at http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist .