Mike Rowe Senate Testimony

[Mike_Rupp]

close, but wine is the answer.

It's used in winemaking to help understand the nature of a buffered solution. Winemakers that add acid to a wine sometimes can't quite understand why the pH isn't affected after the acid addition. Since it is a buffered solution, the acid disassociates to equilibrium and the concentration of H+ ions doesn't change (obviously within the range of buffering).

 

[sideview]

There's no "craft" left, no pride in the tangible. It's all about writing code and running simulation on the computer.

Oh I'd have to disagree JB, great craftsmanship still exists, it just isn't affordable any more for most of us! Personally I feel that computers, robotics and all that jazz are also art forms, or can be with the right perspective, but I'm biased lol.

 

[knewsom]

I think part of what we're seeing is a supply/demand pendulum effect... Trade jobs were good-paying and many people had the desire to go into them, so the educational supply met the demand. When tech jobs and management were highly in demand, the pay was great, and so lots of people tried for that instead of going into the traditional trades. This meant more college, etc. Now that demand in tech jobs is low and there are lots of people trying for them, the pay is dwindling, and eventually more people are going to look to the traditional trades for work, because the pay will go up as qualified individuals become harder to find.

Now if you REALLY want to make money, you'll recognize this trend, stay ahead of it, and alternate starting businesses catering to people trying to go into one thing or the other.

 

[Leslie]

I taught freshman geology labs while an upper-level undergrad; then when I went to grad school, I taught freshman geology labs and lectures.

I can honestly say, at least half of the students I had in class had no business being in college.

One of the problems I see, is that it's become such that a bachelor's degree has become today's high-school diploma. Unfortunately, colleges don't teach common-sense. Even those who have learned a lot of 'book learning', don't pick up a lot of practical skills needed to go along with the learned things. (And, this is coming from someone w/ a BS and an MS.)

Similarly... I originally started working on a PhD; realized I'd rack up a LOT of debt before I ever started earning anything; and the only thing the PhD would do in my field was make it possible to teach at a university (or, work for USGS). I enjoy teaching, but, you can make more working elsewhere, w/ the MS.
(Along these lines: http://www.miller-mccune.com/science/the-real-science-gap-16191/ and an earlier article of similar ilk: http://harvardmagazine.com/2009/11/professionalization-in-academy )

We really do need more trade jobs, apprenticeships, etc.

 

[ptschram]

close, but wine is the answer.

It's used in winemaking to help understand the nature of a buffered solution. Winemakers that add acid to a wine sometimes can't quite understand why the pH isn't affected after the acid addition. Since it is a buffered solution, the acid disassociates to equilibrium and the concentration of H+ ions doesn't change (obviously within the range of buffering).

Sounds like they don't understand titration curves either. That point of inflection is important!

I love to watch a good skilled tradesperson, or professional practice their craft. I've worked with some ironworkers and mechanics who were the BEST engineers I'd ever been around. The best engineers I've know had GEDs, high school degrees, or at best a two year vocational education.

I know that in my personal experience, I'm sure I would have done much better in life with a vocational education than an academic education.

 

[emmodg]

Oh I'd have to disagree JB, great craftsmanship still exists, it just isn't affordable any more for most of us! Personally I feel that computers, robotics and all that jazz are also art forms, or can be with the right perspective, but I'm biased lol.

Certainly there's craftsmanship left - just not very much anymore and under-appreciated at that.

Computers aren't art forms in and of themselves - very subjective comment granted - but what can be created with them can be art. There's waaaaaaay too much un-inspired design out their, both web based, print, and 3D. The days of Helmet Krone(AD for VW print advertising in 60's and 70's) and Paul Rand are over I'm afraid....

There are a lot of incredible creatives making incredible stuff: http://www.thyholyghost.com/

 

[Mike_Rupp]

Sounds like they don't understand titration curves either. That point of inflection is important!

Yeah, it goes hand in hand. Apparently, when people first perform a titratable acidity test, they overshoot because it's common for the brain to think in a linear fashion and the pH is on a curve.

 

[ptschram]

Yeah, it goes hand in hand. Apparently, when people first perform a titratable acidity test, they overshoot because it's common for the brain to think in a linear fashion and the pH is on a curve.

The first experiment is always to find the ballpark. Subsequent titrations can be conducted more carefully as one nears the inflection point.

I had that beaten into me so many times, in so many situations.

Chemistry is a good example of an academic field that often leads to college-educated blue collar work. Biology can be much worse and pays less.

 

[jim-00-4.6]

A lot of "trades" have also become "part swapping".
Does the HVAC guy REALLY understand how your microprocessor-controlled furnace works, or does he do a car-dealer "technician" style board swap?

Our former neighbor was a "technician" for an electronics company.
Turns out, all he did was swap circuit boards until the device started working again.

My wife & I have started to look at some new furniture; we've decided we're too old to be buying chain-store, made in china crap.
Not that the stuff we have now is junk, we just want to "upgrade" a bit.

So we found a little place that does all hand-made, mountain lodge-style furniture.
OMG. This shit is EXPENSIVE.
Really nice, though.
We figure it'll be the last furniture we buy.
Which is good, since a single piece of the hand-made stuff is more than what we paid for an entire room of furniture from a Denver-based chain.

 

[nosivad_bor]

We don't make anything in the USA any more:

http://www.nam.org/Statistics-And-Data/Facts-About-Manufacturing/Landing.aspx

Did You Know...


The United States is the world's largest manufacturing economy, producing 21 percent of global manufactured products. China is second at 15 percent and Japan is third at 12 percent. 1

U.S. manufacturing produces $1.6 trillion of value each year, or 11.2 percent of U.S. GDP. 2

Manufacturing supports an estimated 18.6 million jobs in the U.S.?about one in six private sector jobs. 3 Nearly 12 million Americans (or 9 percent of the workforce) are employed directly in manufacturing. 4

In 2009, the average U.S. manufacturing worker earned $74,447 annually, including pay and benefits. The average non-manufacturing worker earned $63,122 annually. 5

U.S. manufacturers are the most productive workers in the world?twice as productive as workers in the next 10 leading manufacturing economies.

U.S. manufacturers perform two-thirds of all R&D in the nation, driving more innovation than any other sector. 6

Taken alone, U.S. Manufacturing would be the 9th largest economy in the world. 7

 

[ptschram]

We don't make anything in the USA any more:

http://www.nam.org/Statistics-And-Data/Facts-About-Manufacturing/Landing.aspx

Did You Know...


The United States is the world's largest manufacturing economy, producing 21 percent of global manufactured products. China is second at 15 percent and Japan is third at 12 percent. 1

U.S. manufacturing produces $1.6 trillion of value each year, or 11.2 percent of U.S. GDP. 2

Manufacturing supports an estimated 18.6 million jobs in the U.S.?about one in six private sector jobs. 3 Nearly 12 million Americans (or 9 percent of the workforce) are employed directly in manufacturing. 4

In 2009, the average U.S. manufacturing worker earned $74,447 annually, including pay and benefits. The average non-manufacturing worker earned $63,122 annually. 5

U.S. manufacturers are the most productive workers in the world?twice as productive as workers in the next 10 leading manufacturing economies.

U.S. manufacturers perform two-thirds of all R&D in the nation, driving more innovation than any other sector. 6

Taken alone, U.S. Manufacturing would be the 9th largest economy in the world. 7

Golf clap!

 

[p m]

We don't make anything in the USA any more:

http://www.nam.org/Statistics-And-Data/Facts-About-Manufacturing/Landing.aspx

Did You Know...


The United States is the world's largest manufacturing economy, producing 21 percent of global manufactured products. China is second at 15 percent and Japan is third at 12 percent. 1

U.S. manufacturing produces $1.6 trillion of value each year, or 11.2 percent of U.S. GDP. 2

Manufacturing supports an estimated 18.6 million jobs in the U.S.—about one in six private sector jobs. 3 Nearly 12 million Americans (or 9 percent of the workforce) are employed directly in manufacturing. 4

In 2009, the average U.S. manufacturing worker earned $74,447 annually, including pay and benefits. The average non-manufacturing worker earned $63,122 annually. 5

U.S. manufacturers are the most productive workers in the world—twice as productive as workers in the next 10 leading manufacturing economies.

U.S. manufacturers perform two-thirds of all R&D in the nation, driving more innovation than any other sector. 6

Taken alone, U.S. Manufacturing would be the 9th largest economy in the world. 7

While it sounds cool, Rob, the important figure would be - what do we, as a manufacturer, sell to the other nations.
How much of this manufacturing is paid by the DoD?

 

[nosivad_bor]

I'm sure that's a big share Peter, as it is for China too, but the point is the US still manufactures a lot. The vast majority is B2B (including gov). This idea that we don't make anything anymore is a myth. y

 

[p m]

I'm sure that's a big share Peter, as it is for China too, but the point is the US still manufactures a lot. The vast majority is B2B (including gov). This idea that we don't make anything anymore is a myth. y

Let's rephrase it, Rob: "we don't make much that we can sell to the others."
Of the U.S.-based manufacturing, that leaves automobiles, airplanes, a few ships, and defense-manufacturing leftovers that don't fall under export restrictions.
Where that plays into is sustainability of the economy.

 

[Mike_Rupp]

One side to the whole easy money policy is that the weak dollar makes the US manufactured products more attractive. Robbing Peter to pay Paul.

 

[ptschram]

What we don't see made in America are small non-durable consumer goods.

When's the last time you saw a toaster made in America, or a television?

 

[Mike_Rupp]

Paul, a toaster or TV would be considered a durable good. A non-durable good is a consumable type product, like aluminum foil or plastic film. Just consider most of the durable goods made today. They are made with massive amounts of unskilled labor, which is perfect for China or India.

We still have plenty of non-durable goods made in the US today. Plastic film is a perfect example. It is an extremely inexpensive non-durable good, yet it can be made in the US since it has relatively little labor in the cost of the product.

When I first started selling plastics in 91, the Chicagoland area was chock full of small plastics molders that supported the Motorola cell phone business. Since a cell phone is relatively high in labor costs vs. materials, it was a natural to move production off-shore. As a result, most of the components was sourced in Asia, since it didn't make sense to ship a small plastic part from IL to Asia.

On the other hand, large continuous process manufacturing operations in the US are still competitive. It still amazes me how many millions of pounds of plastic can be processed by only a few workers. These types of companies are still doing well.

 

[GotRovr]

PT has it right, a toaster and TV wouldn't last very long

 

[ptschram]

Non-durable good, three years of less.

Yeah, a TV should last longer than that, a toaster?

 

[sideview]

Non-durable good, three years of less.

Yeah, a TV should last longer than that, a toaster?

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