oldlib2

oldlib2's Journal

April 22, 2015

Rachel Maddow

The only consistent news from her is in the first 20 minutes of the broadcast. 19 minutes of the last half hour is selling soap, with 11 minutes of actual news. Who does she think she is deceiving?

February 9, 2015

Downsizing

Corporation downsizing can have a cruel impact on some small communities. I am retired and live in the small Northern California town of Lodi. The major industry, in the community is a plant owned by General Mills. Cheerios were primarily manufactured, giving the town a daily, pleasant, favorable, scent.

They are currently closing that plant, where about 500 people were employed. This is a farming community, primarily wine grapes at this time. Other then farm labor, which is imported, the only jobs are service related, and young people can see no future here.

The climate and soil in this area makes farming readily available, to grow a variety of crops, including citrus, nuts, watermelon, strawberries, cherries. and about anything else. Farm labor, unfortunately comes from Mexico and that wage scale would not support living here full time.

Corporations should consider the impact of downsizing, other then the bottom line. I am confident that the labor unions would have supported wage negotiations. This in contrast to full plant closure.

Profile Information

Name: Ken Evanger
Gender: Male
Hometown: Port Angeles, Washington
Home country: USA
Current location: Lodi, CA
Member since: Tue Dec 30, 2014, 10:30 AM
Number of posts: 39

About oldlib2

I was born in Arnegard, North Dakota, June 24, 1933. Dad lost the farm in the Great Depression, and we migrated to the North West in 1937. A cousin of my mother was a mining Engineer, and found employment for my father as a blacksmith in the Howe Sound copper mine in Holden, WA. Dad started working in 1937, and the rest of the family followed in 1939. We lived in a tent that summer while Dad completed the house he was building from lumber supplied by the mine. Holden was a beautiful place located near the end of 50 mile long Lake Chelan. We stayed there until the WW2 war broke out and we left for Port Angeles in 1942. I lived in Port Angeles until the Korean War draft caught me and I joined the USAF. Following discharge in 1956 I have remained in California.