On 1/24/06, Gruss Gott <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Larry wrote: > > I have a deeply > > skeptical view of large scale businesses. Ever live for a while in a > > company town and you would too. I have less skepticism of certain > > forms of government > > Thanks for sharing that. While I think I'm opposite of you it's nice > to have you lay it on the table. I have, BTW, lived in a company town > - for 8 years - and would've agreed with you then. > > What I've learned since has changed my opinion forever and that's that > corporations are infinitely predictable: in a plodding and slightly > incompetent way they will seek profits, with each employee seeking to > gain from the company and/or its customers in their own way. > > The best part here is that you can choose to have nothing to do with > the company or use this knowledge to profit from them. You could, for > example, start a honey farm. People like honey. Or you could start a > B&B. While company employees will be your customers, you needn't talk > about that. >
So how do you set up a honey farm or B&B in a lumber, mill or mining town in northwestern Ontario. That's being unrealistic. > If you're worried about the company going under, you can choose > another profession that's not dependant on disposable income like > nursing. > > The main complaint I've heard (and had) is that the company didn't do > enough to give me <fill in the blank. The most common complaint I heard was that whenever the employees in the town started agitating for better health care or a more reasonable wage, given the area, there'd be layoffs. Frequently targeted layoffs. > > Once you accept that fact that the company doesn't owe you a living, > or health care, or a minimum wage, and that your security is *solely* > your responsiblity, you're free! > > The pain comes from people not anticipating market changes and making > timely changes. The airline and automotive industry are excellent > recent examples. I know a guy who's worked for an airline for 20+ > years, but he's been going to school to become an X-ray technician. > The rest of his union buddies are whining about jobs. When/if the > company tanks, he'll land on his feet. > > > > Rather than use the heavy handed and blunt manner as > > has been done (ie., laws, regulations and nationalization), how about > > the government as a socially responsible venture capitalist. > > It'll never work because there's no profit in it and there are already > HUNDREDS of "green" VCs, PEGs, and non-profit consulting specialists. Look up the concept of crown corporations. They are similar to what I'm talking about. As for there not being any profit in it, look at the Calvert Corporation, one of the more profitable investment firms. They have a very strong socially responsible investment policy and they consistently do far better than the market. In fact on the average socially responsible funds do far better than general mutual funds. -- Your representative owes you, not his industry only, but his judgment; and he betrays instead of serving you if he sacrifices it to your opinion. Edmond Burke ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:5:193966 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/5 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:5 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=89.70.5 Donations & Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
