[QUOTE=Steve Jordan;484846]Ask Desertgrandma. She knows. (I think she's related to the Shadow.)
Seriously: I recently found out the last time I visited The Men's Wearhouse that they've kept my purchases on file for years. I wanted a longer size of a shirt I'd bought from them a year previously, and they were able to find the info on that exact shirt style and color in their computers in 5 minutes. I bought my suit and three sportcoats from them, over the years. They've got all of 'em.
Sears knows what brand of underwear I buy.
Giant (and whatever foreign grocery conglomerate owns them this year) can tell you what cereal I prefer.
Carefirst Blue Cross Blue Shield has my entire medical history.
Wachovia could tell you exactly what I use my credit card to buy.
Starbucks can tell you what flavor frapps I prefer.
Amazon.com can tell you what kind of music I prefer.
The state of Maryland knows the last time I drove through the toll booth on my way to Rehoboth.
Every item I listed is being stored by somebody, right now... retailers... government agencies... telemarketers. To be retrieved, by somebody (besides me), on demand.
Right. Now.
So, am I afraid of someone going through my trash?
Ha! Bring it, Sunshine.
(Hmm... ramble much, Stevie?)
[\QUOTE]
Yikes!
I really hadn't considered all of that. Other than the medical and banking information, they are welcome to clog up their systems with my insignificant data.
Maybe I should go and make some really strange purchases just to throw them off track!
Quote:
Originally Posted by HarryT
I don't follow your argument there, I'm afraid. If incandescent lightbulbs are manufactured in your country, why can't fluorescent lightbulbs also be? Is there something inherent in the manufacturing process which prevents it?
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There really IS no logic to why things cannot be manufactured here in the US other than what Steve has already stated. It's all about the work force. Labor here is expensive thanks to the Unions. Don't get me wrong, Unions have a purpose and I was a member of the teachers' union when I was working as were both my parents. They were great advocates for teachers' rights, although, the main reason I joined was the malpractice insurance that came with my membership (thankfully I never had to use it
). However, some unions have a strangle hold on the manufacturing industries and refuse to make necessary compromises to keep companies solvent. The American auto industry comes to mind, although, I do think a lot of their problems came about because they refused to look toward the future.
Sorry. . .now I'm rambling.
