Torb's Bits

Outsourcing / Offshoring / Raping of America

torbtidbits — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 03:34:21 +0000

Whatever you want to call it. As some of you know, I’m at a crossroads of my professional livelihood. In a few days I find out if I have a job or not. My beautiful wife tells me to blog my feelings about it, but in a lighthearted way. Sorry babe. It’s difficult to put a humorous spin on this. (And I am so sorry about being crabby lately). When old friends and even immediate family members have already been affected by this economy, there really is no way to put a positive spin on this dilemma. In my case, I watch a multi-billion dollar company toss their hard-working, faithful employees aside while making a quick buck on some Hindi in India or in the Phillipines doing the job for $10 an hour. It’s not racist, it’s the truth. I don’t mind losing my job to someone who is a better worker than me. I DO mind when the only reason he/she takes my job is because they make less money than me and don’t know shit. It’s a bitch, but it’s the hard truth in big companies these days. If they spin it in another way, they are full of crap. They just want to fatten their wallets.

So, anyway, enough of my rant. What do we do? As a country? In my opinion, this “stimulus” money is really nothing to you and me. Will it really trickle down and help the average Joe? I doubt it. It’ll just be absorbed by upper management to maintain their status quo (bonuses, paid retreats, limo service, private planes, etc.). I ain’t no econ expert, nor tend to pretend to be (although I will try to spend a night at a Holiday Inn Express to see if it helps). But I believe an entire revamp of economic philosophy and procedures needs to be slapped into Obama’s and the Congress’ face. This country is in dire straits. Our technical, medical, manufacturing skills/fields are being “plundered” by countries such as India and China. When Wal-Mart (remember when they ran adds that they were proud to sell US made products?) decides to sell Bratz dolls made for $10 in China versus selling the same dolls made in the US for $35, that tells you something. Of course they are going to sell the Chinese-made product, the profit on the mark-up is a no-brainer. Now transfer that example to the Information Technology profession, Medical profession, Manufacturing profession, etc…….Now you know why we are in this sinking boat. I know that is one of many problems, but it’s the example that affects me the most. Something has to happen besides this “stimulus package” (sounds like an adult toy if you ask me), and it needs to happen soon or this country will implode even further. Since the 80′s, US companies traded it’s physical resources for “fake” resources (mortgage based securities, internet driven sales, junk bonds, offshoring etc.) in order to inflate their bottom line and Wall Street. No one thought it would burst this soon. But it has. This great country will just be a retail and service industry.

So what to do? I don’t know, but I have dozens of ideas running in my head. Do they make sense? Will they even be heard by Congress? Or even the President? Will it even make a difference? By the time someone tries to make a difference, it’ll probably be too late anyway.

Larry Conners’ Hair (Or non-Hair)

torbtidbits — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 04:58:49 +0000

ENOUGH ALREADY! Why is it considered big news? First we have KMOV-TV in “4 Warn Storm Mode” whenever there is a snowflake in the sky, now we have “4 Warn Larry’s Hair Mode” because he shaved his own hair. He probably made the TV station air those stupid ads because he is so self-conscious about it. Get over it Larry! Enough with the self-serving commercials to stroke the ego.

(I have to admit though, he does look better without the comb-over tuff ‘o hair)

100-0

torbtidbits — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 04:43:54 +0000

Story at www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/012209dnsposhutout.40d72ee.html

What? 70-0 was not good enough Coach? Dude, let those girls have some dignity. At least put your 3rd stringers in, or even take one of your players off the court and go 5 on 4. What more do you have to prove?

Instead of rubbing it in till the end, let up and just have some fun with the other team. Let them try to shoot some baskets on their own. Give them the ball and let them shoot. Such nice sportsmanship.

Coaching Football

torbtidbits — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 20:41:12 +0000

How does a 32 year old guy coach professional football players? How does a 32 year old yell at some 315 lb black man who can in turn squash him with one hand? Seriously. A 32 year old coach? How does a 32 year old tell some guy older and bigger than him how to do this or how do that? Hell, I still ask my mom how to do laundry, and I’m 40.

Think I Dig Sports?

torbtidbits — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 21:15:53 +0000

As you’ll all find out, I kind of like sports. Sports has been part of my life as long as I can remember. Playing catch with my brothers (especially burn-out), playing neighborhood baseball, football or hockey games, playing high school baseball and soccer, seeing my father watch me get my first little league hit (he fulfilled his promise of $1 for every hit), etc. Now, sports permeates through my adult life too, either by attending or watching sports events. Maybe soon I can pass this “obsession” to my kids. Such as how to properly grip and throw a curveball, or how to kick a soccer ball or even how to hold a baseball bat.

Anyway, in the days ahead, I’ll be blogging about it, ranging from the mundane (if my kids will ever grasp sports) to the well-known (local and national sports stories).

Talk to you soon.

Hey, My First Blog…..

torbtidbits — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 01:36:47 +0000

Ever! Why? Well, my wife has been bugging me about it (just kidding). And it is about time men are represented in the blogging world instead of being represented by the Foggy Monocle (check it out, funny stuff).

First topic? I guess you talk about what is on your mind at that time. In this case, I just finished watching ‘Hoosiers’ on Encore for the 176th time. What a great sports movie. Has to be on every sports fan’s list of top 10 sports movies. One of those many movies where you have to stop and watch it when you scroll thru the channels….even if its 10 minutes from ending.

But isn’t it always the case that when you watch the same movie over and over (especially sports movies) you end up pointing out fallacies or question certain parts of the movie? Like towards the ending of the championship game between our beloved Hickory Huskers and the intimidating South Bend Central Bears….why doesn’t South Bend go into the 4 corners offense (so prevalent at that time without the shot clock) and force Hickory to foul? What the hell are you putting up a 17 footer with less than 40 seconds left in the game and with a 3 point lead? WTF?

One thing I’ve always thought about when watching the film, that Jimmy Chitwood is one helluva shooter. Was the actor a real b-ball player? The dude looks like the long lost son of Willem Dafoe, plus he had a sweet shot. Anyway, afer looking him up, his name is Maris Valainis. Guy never played high school basketball….instead he was a golfer.

Anyhow, one of the better sports movies ever.