Sep-14-2018 12:06 PM
Sep-14-2018 07:59 PM
Sep-14-2018 07:51 PM
MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
I used to buy Snap On and Mac tools because they were in fact superior to anything made overseas. The strength and durability made a joke out of Japanese and Chinese hand tools. When HARBOR FREIGHT SALVAGE had a picture of a tugboat on the cover of a newsprint ad, socket sets cost three dollars and were worth half that. Almost 40-years ago.
Price a Snap On 3/8" flex ratchet today ($150.00). Is it 10x superior to Harbor Freight's best flex ratchet? Maybe the feel in my hands has badly degraded.
My business, PATECO, had to offer compelling service for the price charged for testing batteries. My big challenge was Southern California Edison. By working 16 hours a day and automating testing using data acquisition boards, home made equipment and rebuilding alternators while tests were being conducted I made good money.
But today's execs, even small business, want to sit on their ass and charge Monte Carlo prices. Most of them get away with it. Thank god I used my remaining income to rathole it in a bus and equipment.
That Hippie of BFL13's cloudy skies, could grow superior tasting beautiful carrots and justify organic high prices. On the other hand I have long lost the financial ability to pay five dollars for a cup of coffee that to me needs to be hot watered down 50% in order to be drinkable.
Americans have utterly lost perspective. Especially the 25-40 year olds. A thousand dollars for a play screen telephone? Sixty grand for a sedan? The dividing line is education. If I lost 40 years off my age, I probably could earn 90 - 130 thousand a year working my way to senior engineer.
What are we in, some kind of a dystopian movie where class divisions mean luxury or the slums? This is a bubble and it isn't a sustainable bubble. Too many years of business schooling allow me to see the great stretching between the two opposites. In itself not a worry. Projecting it causes the worry -- the stretch is accelerating.
It well may be it is impossible for the USA to regain the ability to mine coal, make steel, and affordable automobiles. Hell, Westinghouse seems to be the only company with the ability to manufacture large electric grid transformers. Can we build ships? No. We couldn't even keep Transamerica De La Valle. But Germany has Pielstik. What happened?
Gimmee gimmee. Mine Not yours! If I can't make a squatzillion dollars on my investment then screw it. It's really scary.
All I want are some solar panels. Geezo.
Sep-14-2018 07:14 PM
ppine wrote:
We can't out compete every other country on every product. We have a world economy and should export what we are good at. Let the market decide. We have never been competitive in solar panel manufacturing compared to the Chinese.
Once you start tariff wars, it just guarantees that costs to consumers are going up.
Sep-14-2018 06:32 PM
Sep-14-2018 06:28 PM
Sep-14-2018 06:06 PM
2edgesword wrote:
This question is asked by someone that knows nothing about solar panels. Does the 25% tariff bring the price of Chinese made solar panels anywhere near the pricing of solar panels made in the US?
My understanding is that the purpose of tariffs is to make domestic solar panels more price competitive which in theory is suppose to decrease the demand for solar panels made in China and in effect punishes the Chinese for unfair trade practices. A secondary affect is increasing cost of solar panels to U.S. consumers but that cost gets offset in the general economy via keeping dollars (labor) previously going to China in the U.S.
How anyone can actually calculate the net impact of tariffs to demonstrate that they are a net benefit to the country is way above my paygrade. The easier argument is the tariff went into affect and my price for solar panels went up, tariffs are not good.
Sep-14-2018 05:44 PM
Sep-14-2018 05:30 PM
BFL13 wrote:
... some hippy who can't grow carrots at the "global price" for carrots, and make money. He can go find something else to do that does make money.
Sep-14-2018 05:07 PM
MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
Comments about the Solar Blvd Kit, below? Price includes shipping...
https://www.solarblvd.com/products/12-volt-360-watt-mono-solar-panel-kit-with-free-shipping/
Sep-14-2018 04:57 PM
BFL13 wrote:
Yep, they have your number. That big M painted on your forehead they see when you walk in the store (for "Mark") is a giveaway. 🙂
The trouble is, everybody is doing that. "Buy Local" is the mantra. You are supposed to pay extra for some carrots at the local market instead of buying carrots at WalMart. This is because some hippy decided to take up growing carrots in his back yard, and sell them in the market.
Sorry, I am not working for some hippy who can't grow carrots at the "global price" for carrots, and make money. He can go find something else to do that does make money.
Sep-14-2018 04:51 PM
timmac wrote:BFL13 wrote:timmac wrote:ppine wrote:
This is an example of the worst kind of government intervention. Making desirable products that produce clean energy more expensive. Beyond stupid.
No the whole idea is to make it in America and keep it American made..
:B
AFAIK, it is about "Congress Critters" getting money from American factory owners. Congress then passes laws that let those factory owners charge crazy high prices to American consumers.
For instance, a few years back, a Canadian company broke into the American peanut butter market and was making money at it. Suddenly, the US government stepped in and shut that down with big tariffs.
Turned out that American peanut butter makers are required by American law to use American peanuts, which were going for $10/unit.
The Canadian company was buying Argentine peanuts at the "world price" of $4/unit, so it easily was able to charge less in the American grocery stores for their peanut butter.
Result was that Americans, thanks to their Congress Critters, had to keep paying $10 instead of $4 (relatively). Of course Congress didn't care what Joe Voter had to pay at the store. They wanted that money from that American peanut farmer's organization.
Then the Congress Critters whip up Americans to be patriotic and "Buy American". So they go out and fork over $10 for a $4 item, and think they are being good citizens, when actually they are being ripped off. (by other Americans) 😞
Well your price there is way off the chart and besides I would pay more for it to be AMERICAN made anyways like it should be...
Sep-14-2018 04:49 PM
Sep-14-2018 04:32 PM
BFL13 wrote:timmac wrote:ppine wrote:
This is an example of the worst kind of government intervention. Making desirable products that produce clean energy more expensive. Beyond stupid.
No the whole idea is to make it in America and keep it American made..
:B
AFAIK, it is about "Congress Critters" getting money from American factory owners. Congress then passes laws that let those factory owners charge crazy high prices to American consumers.
For instance, a few years back, a Canadian company broke into the American peanut butter market and was making money at it. Suddenly, the US government stepped in and shut that down with big tariffs.
Turned out that American peanut butter makers are required by American law to use American peanuts, which were going for $10/unit.
The Canadian company was buying Argentine peanuts at the "world price" of $4/unit, so it easily was able to charge less in the American grocery stores for their peanut butter.
Result was that Americans, thanks to their Congress Critters, had to keep paying $10 instead of $4 (relatively). Of course Congress didn't care what Joe Voter had to pay at the store. They wanted that money from that American peanut farmer's organization.
Then the Congress Critters whip up Americans to be patriotic and "Buy American". So they go out and fork over $10 for a $4 item, and think they are being good citizens, when actually they are being ripped off. (by other Americans) 😞
Sep-14-2018 04:26 PM
timmac wrote:ppine wrote:
This is an example of the worst kind of government intervention. Making desirable products that produce clean energy more expensive. Beyond stupid.
No the whole idea is to make it in America and keep it American made..
:B
Sep-14-2018 03:53 PM