[firehawkclone]

I took a ride down to the dealer in my buddy's new car to get the Lojack installed (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/2thumbs.gif) and i ended up buying a(new to me) Tahoe for the wife (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/nutkick.gif) My buddy and me took the Tahoe down to Santa Monica pier for lunch while they installed the lojack (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/cool2.gif) And yes the mod's have started on both! Pic's....

This is what happens when they can't put out the new rules for next year (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/banghead.gif)

(IMG:http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v635/firehawkclone/Morecarpics034.jpg)
(IMG:http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v635/firehawkclone/Morecarpics032.jpg)

(IMG:http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v635/firehawkclone/Morecarpics036.jpg)
(IMG:http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v635/firehawkclone/Morecarpics042.jpg)


Yes im bored (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/rotf.gif)

[cozog]

<SERIOUS RANT ON>
I grew up on GM. Most of my family was Buick or Olds. We were Pontiac. My dad bought a 69 Bird (350/2bbl) new and then later another 69 bird (400) used. My first car was a POS 75 Regal (3.8 V6, ugghh!). First bird was a 92 Formula (305). In those times, you could decide between "foreign" and "domestic"... "Made in USA" meant just that. And the companies used USA parts and provided USA service.

Later in life, I now have a 99 BMW M Coupe, a 01 BMW 750 and an 05 Denali, plus the track car. Funny thing is, my M coupe was made in SC, employing US workers with parts supplied from all over, including the US. I do some remote programming work for Hitachi Auto Parts in KY. They supply throttle bodies for LSx engines, Toyota engines and BMW engines. But it's in KY, so 1,000's of KY people have jobs, homes and families because Hitachi put a plant there.

I also work in the furniture industry. If you want an example of what has happened to American manufacturing companies, just look at furniture. Just 10 years ago, 30%-40% of furniture was imported into the US. Today, it's like 90%. And almost all comes from Asia, mostly China. US manufacturing companies can not compete with <$1/hr labor costs. Almost no one makes furniture in the US anymore. If they do, it costs 4-5 times as much. And even some that qualify as made in US use foreign made frames, structures and materials. They just glue it all together.

And what do you call, Microsoft, IBM, Bank of America and Chase who are true US companies, but outsource almost all of their customer service to call centers in India?? For me, that's the worst abuse of all. Not only do they move jobs to another country, but their customers suffer as well.

The point of my rant is that there is no such thing as Made in USA anymore. Any company that has more than 5000 workers or $100M in sales MUST consider the global outlook to survive. They are all comingled and intermixed, especially manufacturing. I don't think it's a bad thing that Toyota, BMW and Honda build cars here. They employ US citizens who pay taxes and buy stuff, but it doesn't do much to help US-owned companies grow and survive either. But US companies are learning. Buick sells the Regal in China. The Chinese are the fastest growing car market on the planet at about 20% annual growth.

Any way you look at it, the world is moving to a true global economy. since we used to be at the top, we are being brought to a lower level by everyone else, who are all stepping up a little, or a lot.

<SERIOUS RANT OFF>