More Thoughts

I wonder if anyone else thinks that all these mergers in the '80s and '90s are behind the economic collapse of today. Economies of scale, efficiency, etc. were all supposed to be improved with the acquisition of this by that and that by this. Doesn't seem to have worked, does it?

Try to get the service out of the big chains that we once got out of the mom and pop store, the local hardware. And, "Old Italian Joe" made his own home-made sausage!

Another interesting article in today's paper. A guy talking about his factory in Detroit where, on any given day, at least 1 of 3 workers isn't there. They call in sick--or don't call in. He has other factories in the US, union-workers, where almost all days have nobody missing. What is it about Detroit? It's no wonder he has opened several other plants--outside of Michigan--plants that are thriving. I know in the schools, to be absent isn't a big deal any more. All work can be made up--even weeks and months later. What's the local district that is now giving Hs instead of Es/Fs, to allow students to make up the work they didn't do, to retake the tests they fail, etc.? Now that's a good way to teach students that attendance matters--you know, like showing up at work.