Manufacture Productivity Costs Jobs

Manufacturing productivity has been increasing over the past half century in the U.S., especially in recent years, so much so that manufacturing total jobs numbers have been relatively flat.

That is good for the U.S. economy in relation to the rest of the world’s economic activity. After all, America is primarily an export nation that depends on free trade and must be competitive to survive.

But such productivity also makes it tougher to add to the employment roles unless the labor force can accommodate business’ expansion requirements.

That requires an educational system that helps students prepare to make a good living, not sit around for four years with social niceties. (See the Earl J Weinreb NewsHole® comments.)

Health Care Differences

In a U.N. World Health Organization WHO ranking of countries, the U.S. did poorly. The report has been used as an argument for a massive overhaul of the U.S. health insurance industry.

Look at the report closely at the terms used. The latter represents what has become a typical U.N. report; an anti-American bias whenever possible.

Read carefully and you note the study points up only the difference between universal coverage and actual care.

It’s easy to see the difference the terms signify. Look at health care in Canada, Great Britain and France with universal coverage. A law on the books or government promise to cover a citizen with health benefits does not mean everyone will get timely or sufficient personal attention.

The U. S. still has the best health care in the world, though it can be tweaked. (See the Earl J Weinreb NewsHole® comments.)

Corporate Directors Sit on a Powder Keg

Many corporations, even the smallest, are guilty of using friends, relations and acquaintances to fill open spots on their director boards. But ability is strongly needed.

The board of directors has the actual legal responsibility for the proper function of any corporate business. And each director has joint and several liability for any sins of omission or commission in his actions.

That means he can be sued individually for neglect of responsibility of the entire board, in the event of any board errors or conceived fraud by board members. Simply, the board member with the deepest pockets or most to lose may get the brunt of a lawsuit.

Most important, business experience ought to be the number one requirement for board membership. However, that too often gets short shrift. (See the Earl J Weinreb NewsHole® comments.)

Why Hide Public Employee Salaries and Benefits?

Government over-market wages and pensions to public employees, are bankrupting government budgets and taxpayers alike.

One solution: Publish wage and pension scales, along with fringe benefits of all government workers. List only job description for the public to see. Let voters see how private earnings and pensions compare to public earnings and benefits, that they, the tax-paying voters earn for comparable work.

If there is to be open government, why hide a major cost of government? Yet, this part of the budget is always hidden from voters. (See the Earl J Weinreb NewsHole® comments.)

Acidic Oceans or Not?

Acidic oceans are now a concern taking the place of global warming. Another over-blown idea for professional environmentalists to make a career of.

However, once independent study is made of normal seasonal and annual periodic Ph changes it becomes evident that ocean acidity or Ph remains relatively flat over time.

Unfortunately, the real scientific evidence is getting little publicity. (See the Earl J Weinreb NewsHole® comments.)

A Corporate State Definition

A major current-events lesson not being taught in our schools.

It has to do with the corporate state. A study of Benito Mussolini’s Italy is essential. Starting in the 1920s. Mussolini was a Socialist who advocated what we know as the corporate state.

The U.S. government has now taken over General Motors, GMAC and Chrysler. It also controls banks to a greater extent than they have ever been, having dictated salaries, and thus hiring policy.

The government already controls the giant Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, whose collapse really were one of the bases of our financial meltdown.

Then you have the takeover of AIG, a completely unnecessary step for several reasons I have discussed before.

Banking industry bailouts and resultant government influence are yet another example of the government’s meddling in the underpinnings of our economy.

The attempt to control the entire health care industry, over one sixth of the economy, is yet another flagrant example of a parallel picture of what happened at another, not so distant time. (See the Earl J Weinreb NewsHole® comments.)

Estimating Risk Odds

Risk numbers cover too many areas to be covered easily. I would suggest you go to an internet search engine just to get a hint of the vast range of risk possibilities in all your areas of interest.

List a subject in which you may be interested. Add the word or a phrase with the questioned risk.

Google the phrase health risk odds and you get over 7 million web pages to search. Google the phrase risk odds calculations and you get the same approximate number to browse.

Most people no idea of risk, as they apply to business, or finance, or health. The results of a search can be enlightening. (See the Earl J Weinreb NewsHole® comments.)