I'm sorry but I had to pick this thread to vent . I too think it's time to protect our own kind. Close down the borders so to speak. I know it seems harsh but think about what is really going on. It's been a bad few months. This reply could go on for some time. Let me site just the things that are bothering me just today.
1.)
http://www.detnews.com/article/2009...arrested-for-stealing-trade-secrets-for-China
2.) A friend of mine calls and tells me "You know YYYY the guy who not to long ago had 2 5-axis machines installed ($6Million I think) to do a government contract (turbines I believe) Well the bank came in today and closed his doors. You see after the machines were delivered and installed somehow the contract was lost. Where the Hell did it go ??
outsourced is my guess like the rest of the BOEING crap. This guy was well established for years and employed many workers in the area. This is plain wrong.
3.) I quoted out a small mold for a friend to use with pourable urethane for about $750.00 bucks knowing that he has a limited budget. He emails me back and says hey our budget is between $50 and $100. So I say WTF go jump in the f'ing fox river.
Ok so for the last 3 months I've been furloughed with no return date. First time in 23 years. Never layed off or fired. I am actually a BSEE with 23 years of Embedded real time electronics experience. I also have an automotive service degree so my mechanical skills are very good also. I worked in a machine shop while earning my degrees and bought my own Haas mill, tooling software etc in 2003. I think I've gotten pretty decent at it since then. I was hoping that someday this would all gel and I could quit the full time/contract corporate gigs and work for myself. Well it seems that due to the new world economy, outsourcing or whatever the hell you want to blame it on that this isn't happening any time soon. Many of my friends in the electronics and machining field are also out of work, can't find jobs, and have been out of work much longer. Not to mention the fact that the salaries they are competing for are about 1/3 of what we all where making before. Ask anybody who actually knows what's going on, isn't afraid to speak up, or cares. Outsourcing and importing cheap labor using stuff like H1B work visas has eroded pretty much all of the high tech stuff to near zero levels.
Right now the only money I'm making besides unemployment are some custom parts I have been making. Like somebody else said in this thread, I too am waiting to see the stuff I'm custom making be copied (STBC = Soon to be copied) So I'll continue to come up with new ideas everyday just in case.
Which leads me to my latest bumper sticker/t-shirt ideas.
which I'm sure are also STBC.
"We've given away our technology, our jobs, and soon the entire country. Don't you think it's time we take it back ??"
"You can give the country back to the American Indians, but PLEASE don't give it to India"
"Fire a communist, Hire an American !"
"Guns aren't killing Americans, outsourcing is !"
I hope this all isn't to cynical. I'm sure I won't win a Nobel prize with this but hey, I may loose everthing I've worked for, for 23 years. I've seen it happen to people who worked much harder than I ever have. Take the guy in #2 above for instance.
Is it me ? Am I crazy ? Please let me know ?
I don't think our government or most non-tech type people even see what's happening, and frankly I don't think they give a Chinese rats behind.
Well there's alot more but I gotta get back to work and fill some orders.
I'll get off my chip box now.
I feel better now. Well maybe......