rubic

It's terrible in a multitude of ways that the shuttle program is ending, not to mention the cut backs
in space exploration in general. Of course a return of meaningful manufacturing to our country would certainly mitigate the upcoming lay offs.

surfrider

1. Also saw an SR-71 take off at Edwards AFB (So. California desert). Very impressive how fast it accelerates and lifts into the sky, even for a jet.
2. Witnessed a Delta V rocket take off from Vandenburg AFB (Coastal So Calif). It took off just as the last of the sun was disappearing in the west, so pretty dramatic. And its loud, even from a few mile away.
3. Got to run around on the field at the Rose Bowl in 2008(?). Went to a one-day conference there in a meeting room, and after it was over the City of PAsadena rep ws able to get permission of us to go down on the field. It was only a few weeks after USC/Michigan game, so the end zones and the 'rose' at the 50 yd line were still there.
4. Landers Earthquake in So. Calif in 1992 on a Sunday morning. Was backpacking and stayed the night on top of Mt. San Gorgonio. The 7.5 quake happened about 4:30AM, followed by a 6.5 @ 5:00AM, only about 20 miles away. Scared the crap out of us, but the more impressive thing was looking down the sides of the mtn after the sun started rising and seeing all the dust rising out of the gullys from the rockfall.
5. Watching a car go across the Bonneville Salt Flats 'speedway' at 355mph during a ametuer 'speedweek'. Sure, you can see cars go 200mph at a ractrack, but 350mph takes it to a totally different level.
6. Last February I was at the track at Cal State Long Beach. It right under final approach to the Long Beach Airport, slightly hidden by trees until they're almost over the track. Most planes coming over have the typical 'whine' of a jet, or a single high rumble of a small piston engine. However, there was a LOUD rumble coming in. When it cleared the trees we all looked up at a flying B-29 (the same type plane that dropped the A-bombs on Japan in 1945). Considering there are only a few of these still flying, this had to be a once-in-a-lifetime sighting. Cool

Hillbasher

Do everyone on here a favor and take this sh-- somewhere else. Thanks.

JohnJ80

I make my living in manufacturing. For what it's worth, the US is the largest manufacturer in the world. Not doing as badly as some presume, not by a long shot. Sure, some mature technology and labor intensive stuff has gone to Asia but there is a lot that goes on in this country - there is plenty of meaningful manufacturing.

J.

rubic

Well good for you, JohnJ80. However, when I shop at Target, Costco, JCP or most other places the "made in" usually says China, Vietnam, Mexico or some other third world cheap labor country. Where was your bike and its components made, your last purchase of socks and underwear, electronics, etc. JohnJ80, you are bucking the trend but, considering the balance of trade, we need more.

bobthib

Reserve a bike now and head over to Clermont, about 30 mi from the park area. It's not the Alps or Rocky's but it will give you a bit of fun. Here's a route I did a few months back...

Clermont

JohnJ80

That's right. cheap labor country. Bring those jobs back into the US and try and find someone to take them. They would go largely unfilled. Heck, kids working at Target for the summer are getting $8/hour. My son has a summer job at $11/hr. You can't make (and would be foolish to try) underwear and socks with labor at that price.

My bike was frame was completely designed and built in WI by 100% US labor, the components drive train are shimano (Japan). It was assembled at my LBS also in WI by 100% US labor. More than 2/3 of the cost content of it was American. Not that any of that matters but it does illustrate my point well about the vitality of US manufacturing.

The balance of trade is heavily, HEAVILY driven by energy (oil) sales. Most of that other stuff - sure make it in Asia. So what? If the airlines got healthy and Boeing starts shipping planes in a big way again (that's on the way, BTW), you'll see some big changes in those trade surpluses. As well with a weak dollar, exports are already up. If you factor out US companies who have operations in both places (domestic and foreign) and oil, you see a very different picture.

Here's the issue too - if, for example, a US corporation has a branch in another country, and that US company has stuff made and brought back to sell in the US, that is counted as an "import" even though all the design, development, prototype manufacturing, process development, supply chain managemetn, sales, and every other corporate function was done in the US. And, most importantly, the retained earnings (profit) are in the US.

There is so MUCH manufacturing in the US, it's really impressive. Drive around the industrial parks of any city. There's all these companies that have name that you don't know what they are. Many of them are small and medium sized manufacturing companies. Here in the US, for example, the precision manufacturers association is sponsoring robotics competition nationwide so that they can encourage more kids to go into manufacturing disciplines because they have and foresee a shortage in those critical fields for them.

The issue is that the labor intensive manufacturing is going offshore. There are no more highly paid jobs for wrenching parts together. That is being done by robots not by hiring some kid out of high school who is going to get eventually get paid $70K per year with no further training. And you know what? The same thing is happening in Japan, Korea, Taiwan etc.... Some of the factories I've been in in Asia are incredible for the level of automation. What is really over are the days of low educated, low skilled jobs turning into middle class jobs with early retirement and a house in the 'burbs. That's no different a process than when it used to be that a high school education was an advantage over someone who had an 8th grade education (a few generations ago).

It is a shame that politics and poor fiscal management by our leaders are taking out space exploration as a priority.

J.

stringbreaker

John J80 I Boeing is at its highest production rate ever.

jdon

Reading is optional.

JohnJ80

Correct. And it's going to really start showing up in the balance of trade numbers pretty soon especially when they bring new production (manufacturing) facilities on line. There's a lag from when the device is being produced to when it's shipped and invoiced (numbers).

J.

stringbreaker

30 years and counting seen lots of stuff come and go including CEO's and supervisors. I'm still here.

xizangstan

I missed the election. The one where you apparently were elected to speak for everyone.

Actually politics does affect us and everything we do. It affects not only NASA but everyone's job security, the financial health of the nation and world, and yes, even bike lanes and MUPs. If you're offended by the words "Hope" and "Change", I have to ask, were you using those words liberally a couple years ago?

blt

Thanks for the suggestion. Not quite the hills around where I live in the SF Bay Area, but not flat, either. If I can persuade my wife to take the kids to a park for a day without me. . . .