August jobs numbers

[Tagger]

Boston/Cambridge is booming .. Our area was the last to go down (filenes) and looks like the 1st to recover .. Streets filled with suits again who are working .. You don't see this ? Just look in the sky and count the cranes ,, and that's only the jobs that require cranes .. GM is #1 again ,, back from the dead ,, sorry ,, things are looking up in my eyes . and I did spend time on unenjoyement post Bush ..

[RIJIMMY]

This increase in the numbers of recently unemployed and the concerted drive by the Patrick Administration to get the poor and elderly who qualify to participate in the program have elevated the numbers of those on food stamps in Massachusetts to the highest levels in history.The upward trend, which is particularly distinct in Dorchester, is reflected state-wide – in the past four years, Massachusetts has seen a 74 percent spike in program participation, with about 11 percent of the state’s population receiving assistance for food.

Julia Kehoe, the state official in charge of administering the federally funded program in her role as commissioner of the Department of Transitional Assistance, says the cause of the rise in the numbers goes beyond the hike in unemployment figures.

“The reason for the increase statewide is twofold: one is the economy, but the other is that we’re simplifying the program, improving access,” she said.In its effort to increase the impact of the food stamps program, now referred to as SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), Kehoe said the department reached out specifically to groups who had been under-represented in past years: the elderly, those who were unaware of their eligibility, and people who viewed the program as too burdensome to apply for.

In Massachusetts, some 750,000 people are currently enrolled in the program and Kehoe’s department anticipates the numbers of names on the rolls will continue to increase.

so we make it easier and now more people apply and received aid and it viewed as a sucesss. Crazy but I thought success would be to get as many people as possible OFF aid?

[Raider Ronnie]

Originally Posted by Tagger

Boston/Cambridge is booming .. Our area was the last to go down (filenes) and looks like the 1st to recover .. Streets filled with suits again who are working .. You don't see this ? Just look in the sky and count the cranes ,, and that's only the jobs that require cranes .. GM is #1 again ,, back from the dead ,, sorry ,, things are looking up in my eyes . and I did spend time on unenjoyement post Bush ..

GM is at 40% products outsourced to China.
You probably don't see that but sure do on my end every time we order parts. Made in China.
Word Is GMS goal is to get that 40% up to 90%.
Those same union slugs that think Obama saved them will be unemployed and on his welfare program eventually.
GM is a piece of #^&#^&#^&#^& product !
We used to laugh not that long ago at Hyundai & Kia.
Not laughing now.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

[spence]

Originally Posted by Raider Ronnie

GM is at 40% products outsourced to China. You probably don't see that but sure do on my end every time we order parts. Made in China. Word Is GMS goal is to get that 40% up to 90%.

I'd doubt that 40% of parts are from China. Average is probably about 50% from outside the US...a lot of these come from Mexico and a lot of higher end components are still Europe.

There also may be differences in OEM parts vs replacement, even if it's through GM.

Aftermarket is increasingly moving to Asia. First it was to Mexico (thanks NAFTA) and now China. They're usually made to a more general spec and are cheaper to produce as a result.

With how global the automotive industry is, GM may be sourcing components from China...but then the Chinese companies will source from Delphi, Visteon etc... here in the states.

The point being, the % of foreign parts in your GM probably doesn't reflect on the health of the domestic auto supply chain.

-spence

[Raider Ronnie]

Originally Posted by spence

I'd doubt that 40% of parts are from China. Average is probably about 50% from outside the US...a lot of these come from Mexico and a lot of higher end components are still Europe.

There also may be differences in OEM parts vs replacement, even if it's through GM.

Aftermarket is increasingly moving to Asia. First it was to Mexico (thanks NAFTA) and now China. They're usually made to a more general spec and are cheaper to produce as a result.

With how global the automotive industry is, GM may be sourcing components from China...but then the Chinese companies will source from Delphi, Visteon etc... here in the states.

The point being, the % of foreign parts in your GM probably doesn't reflect on the health of the domestic auto supply chain.

-spence

OEM parts are more & more from China. Used to be Mexico and some from Canada.
I see it every week.
As for aftermarket. Most of that stuff we see (body not mechanical) is out of Japan. And to be honest, compare an OEM GM fender, hood, ect... The aftermarket more times than not is better now.