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:lol: :lol: :lol:Quote:
Originally Posted by szlamany
It's funny how people hate illegal immigrant workers until they realize the savings they can make!
Wow - in business for yourself since 1986. Is it just you? It's impressive any time a business can stay open for 5+ years! Much less nearly 20!
Too Shay!! : :afrog: :afrog: :afrog: :bigyello:Quote:
Originally Posted by szlamany
I had a partner in 1986 - he split in 1997 (best thing that could have happened - we had different work ethics).Quote:
Originally Posted by Malim
So, now it's just me - I've got some HS student help (3 or so people) - trying to convert 20+ years of mainframe software to VB/MS SQL.
New clients see me as just a "small single person shop" - existing customers see the "business" value I add to their operations - hard to compete against the slick sales jobs given by the "big boys".
Plenty if the're in the military (Status of Forces Agreements)Quote:
Originally Posted by System_Error
What are you saying, you take advantage of them?Quote:
Originally Posted by Malim
Quote:
Originally Posted by szlamany
lol sarcasm is a sign of frustration.
By the way, what attitude?
I wouldn't call that sarcasm, as much as I would call it mocking!Quote:
Originally Posted by System_Error
Apparently there was lots of sarcasm being tossed about in all our threads!
I believe she was pointing out the economic reality of immigration. No one said they like it here from what I can tell.Quote:
Originally Posted by System_Error
Quote:
Originally Posted by System_Error
Did you see how much we pay our immigrant workers? Trust me, they don't feel taken advantage of. We treat them with utmost respect, and they treat us with utmost respect. We recently moved, and my husband sold his business, but is still bound to be involved for a period of time. He insisted that the new business owner maintain their pay scale, and about a month after we sold the business the new owner began to cut pay. My husband is now helping his foreman set up his own landscaping business since the new owner is not sticking with the terms of the agreement. Does that sound like taking advantage of them?
What I was saying, like Szlamany pointed out, is that generally people say they oppose immigrant workers until they realize that they can get better work done for a cheaper wage, and then they close their eyes to whether it is right or wrong.
Wow. This thread blew up nice :wave:
System_Error, I'm not sure where you live and I'm too lazy to look up your profile. I'm in Seattle. Everyone here is either Asian or Mexican unless you run a 7-11 then you are Indian. Then there are a few white people scattered around near Microsoft and Boeing. I have a small story. There was a Burger King down the street that got busted for hiring Illegal Mexicans. The state gave the owner(A friend of a friend) a second shot and sent someone to oversee all of the new hiring they did. In 2 months they had to close down because they couldn't find enough people to cover the shifts. They Pay $11 an hour $15 for managers. not to shabby for scraping grease vats and wiping down tables. The shop was 1/2 a mile from the local High School and a Technical College. You'd think someone would need a job. The big problem is too many young people are too busy living off their parents or the state. The scenario you and Fox News put out is valid and does happen in some instances but it is not the norm. I thougt I heard you say you had to work. Congrats, It's good to hear a young person who has some self respect. You're in the minority these days.
To me it's a very complex problem with no clear solution. With the addition of illegal workers there is an environment created where there is an absence of competitive wages being offered by companies. Without the illegal workers companies would be force to up wages to bring in new hires thus probably passing on the increased monies paid into their products prices.
No it doesn't, but in all seriousness, what areas are they employed in?Quote:
Originally Posted by Malim
I think I might ask my uncle what he thinks about this, because he owns a biomedical engineering company, and I might get some good feedback from that..But I never see him.
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Originally Posted by szlamany
sarcasm is mocking...
Sarcasm: the use of irony to mock or convey contempt.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dilenger4
This is true, but the main purpose of this thread was to see if people thought immigration is getting out of control..but oh well.
This thread isn't as hostile as it seems, we are just having some fun :wave:Quote:
Originally Posted by MasterBlaster
Anyway, thank you for the nice input. Personally, I think 11$ an hour is ridiculous, and 15$ an hour for a manager is ridiculous also. I mean, that is of course if the standard of living is much higher than anywhere else. Around here, I think they pay about 7$ an hour, and maybe 9-10$ and hour for a manager. So I'm guessing the standard of living/the general level of prices are way beyond what they are here.
It is true that some people refuse to work at such a place. I don't know why though, it's like impossible to start out making 50k a year.
System error: Do you know where Mexico is? You've twice indicated that you thought Mexicans had to travel overseas to get here. As for the attitude, most of us were 16 once. Most of us were brilliant at that age. Most of us have realized that we were full of excrement at that age. You will, too. It isn't that you aren't smart when you are young, but everybodies world view starts to change pretty radically when they start paying their own bills....or maybe there is some other reason, but I have never met anybody from post-college on who thought they were much of anything as a teenager. Sucks, though.
I live in an area with a large Mexican community (and Bosnian/Croat, too). We hired a fair number of low-skilled manual labor sorts. I was always unhappy with what we were paying people, but I had no input, nor did my boss. One thing I found was that the immigrants (either group) were excellent workers. Older Americans were excellent as well, but hard to find. All the troubles we had were with Americans, and generally young to middle-aged Americans. It was hard to keep the younger folks sober enough to show up, while the older ones that we had trouble with tended to be trying to take advantage of the system. Since we were really scraping the grime off the bottom of the barrel, we didn't expect much, but the Mexicans were always pleasant and hard-working. We couldn't give them much but respect, food, and low-pay, but they sure appreciated that first item, which may have made up for the last item somewhat.
Ok - I've got some information on legal methods of entering the country...Quote:
Originally Posted by System_Error
We have had an au-pair (actually two now) for the past couple of years.
They get a special visa - can stay for 13 months in the country. 12 months they work and live with you. They can only be paid $145 a week (for 45 hours work) - State Department rules. It's supposed to be a cultural exchange program - but it's really inexpensive child care.
The last month they can travel the country.
Our first attempt at getting one we actually got three that got visa-rejections by the US embassies in their home countries. One was 27 - too old in the opinion of the embassy to want to return to their country. One was too poor, with no father - also no good reason to return. Rejected from Brazil and Russia...
We ended up with one from Sweden (first one) - she got a boy friend here - did return to Sweden a few months ago, but I don't doubt she will marry him and return to the US as a citizen.
Another example - had a high school kid working for me last year - born in China - father came here to work for a large aerospace company (helicopter that is!). Father becomes citizen no problem - family as well. Not sure how that works (?)
If you work around Gatlinburg, you are doomed!
That area has the strongest, most distinctive, and most addictive accent in the US. I doubt a person could spend a year in that environment without being permanently imprinted with a strong southern drawl.
Some awesome caving not far north of there, though, and pretty good hiking, too.
Now wait a minute! You have a pair au-pairs? A pair of pairs....so....there's like four of them....right? Is that like....an au-quad or something?Quote:
Originally Posted by szlamany
Any where on the West Coast is generally more expensive than the rest of the country not including NY/NJ. Cost of living here is pretty high. A 600 to 800sq ft apartment generally runs around 13-15 K a year to rent without utilities. $11 an hour roughly works out to 22K a year pre tax. That's most of your cash going to a roof over your head with just enough left over to eat.Quote:
Originally Posted by System_Error
Actually not at the same time :bigyello:Quote:
Originally Posted by Shaggy Hiker
And having someone live in your house is no easy experience - trust me!
What do you mean, what areas are they employed in?Quote:
Originally Posted by System_Error
If you ask your uncle what he thinks about this issue from the perspective of owning a biomedical engineering company, you won't get an apples to apples comparison. Biomedical engineering companies employ people with very specialized skills and aren't going to be likely to hire illegal immigrants.
Ok, I just now realized I said that..It was an accident, so please don't kill me.Quote:
Originally Posted by Shaggy Hiker
:blush:
Don't forget little CT - we live in Fairfield country - perpetually judged to be one of the most expensive locations in the country!Quote:
Originally Posted by MasterBlaster
And cold and snowy - why don't I just move to San Diego!
Special fry cook, dish washer, what ever? What are they employed in?Quote:
Originally Posted by Malim
Yeah, even if they pay rent. I have a friend who rents out a room or two in his house. He's only rented to friends so far, but it still seems like it would suck.Quote:
Originally Posted by szlamany
They cut grass. Ride lawn mowers, blow leaves, edge curbs, and trim hedges, etc.Quote:
Originally Posted by System_Error
Yeah Forgot about there. I couldn't see that there were actually people there under the 60 ft of snow. I grew up in the North East. I'm proud to say I haven't had to shovel snow for 8 years :thumb:Quote:
Originally Posted by szlamany
Bla haha. Don't move to San Diego Unless your fluent in Spanish :)
At least it's overseas from Mexico...Quote:
Originally Posted by MasterBlaster
Oops - there goes my sarcasm again - sorry System_Error...
(I grew up in Queens NY - sarcasm is a way of life for me...) :bigyello:
:lol: :lol: :lol:
We just moved to Knoxville from Atlanta, and we are having a hard time getting used to the accents.Quote:
Originally Posted by Shaggy Hiker
My husband was wearing an 84 Lumber shirt and this lady asked him "What time do youins open?" My husband said "Maam - I don't know where Ewings is." She gave him an ESAD look. But, he literally did not know what she meant!
:lol: :lol: :lol:Quote:
Originally Posted by szlamany
Now y'all stop making me laugh! I'm gonna get in trouble!
Your not a very nice person.Quote:
Originally Posted by Malim
I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings! :cry: You were the one who said we were just having fun! :)Quote:
Originally Posted by System_Error
I never said being a mean person wasn't a bad thing, I know I am.Quote:
Originally Posted by Malim
Yeah by me calling it mocking - that was being even more sarcastic!Quote:
Originally Posted by System_Error
Kind of the satirical form of sarcasm - I have all flavors available at my beck and call :rolleyes:
I stopped in there (actually in Dollywood...shudder...) to get some groceries while on a spring break trip to the Smokies. My roommate was running around the aisles of the store laughing his ass off at what people were saying. Very friendly folks, but boy is that accent thick!Quote:
Originally Posted by Malim
My way to combat the southern drawl is to watch GoodFellas every night after i get home from work.
Again, :lol: :lol: :lol: Especially, the part about Dollywood .... shudder...!!!!Quote:
Originally Posted by Shaggy Hiker
We moved up here about two months ago and my five year old is picking the accent up! !!!!!!!!!!!SCREAM!!!!!!!!!
She has started calling me MaMa. But, not just MaMa. I mean MAaaAaaMaaaAaa. How many syllables can a two syllable word have????
I swear sometimes I feel like I'm in a remake of the movie Deliverance!
(I work in Knoxville, and it's not like that, but we live on a lake west of Knoxville.) It's absolutely gorgeous, and not that country on the lake, but the surrounding area is sooooo Southern! I never thought I'd move North and find more Southern people than in Georgia!
Dollywood that's funny. My girlfriend is itching to take me there. Im looking forward to hitting up that ski place they have over in Gattlinburg. www.obergatlinburg.com We took the lift up in the summertime. What a view!
Great view, but you're from NJ, right? Skiing will not live up to your expectations if you ski in that area, or out westQuote:
Originally Posted by Dilenger4
However, if you are a good skier you can show everyone esle up! Bonus!
The water skiing is great! You should try that too! There are so many beautiful lakes, it's serenity!!!! Except for that Deliverance part!