Taxes and Ability to Buy Kits

Actually, my home stompin' grounds are in Del Valle, Bastrop, and Smithville...  The influx of Yankees (and other undesireables from Colorado and California) into Austin made it a nice place to visit, but that was about it... It's gone too far towards San Francisco for me...

Yeah, I'm sick of all the spending too.

Police, fire fighters, roads, bridges, schools, water treatment facilities. 

What a boondoggle.

Can't we just give it to Blackwater?

We got A TON of snow here in DFW in December, the most recorded since like 1924. I actually had the first white Christmas of my life.

eeegad- snow seen there recently.

Well, it is a big state and we have a wide range of weather here in Texas.  It actually snows all the time up in the panhandle; this year has been quite a bit out of the norm though with all the snow DFW got recently.  Here in Houston we typically get some snow roughly every 8 years or so, or at least that's been my experience (and I'm a native Houstonian).

As for Austin, well, it's a beautiful area with the lake and the Hill Country and all, but there is this blight right in the center of town that emanates arrogance, what I typically refer to as the Evil Empire but what is more commonly known as the University of Texas.  I prefer Heaven in Texas (College Station, or more specifically, Aggieland) to Austin.  The typical Longhorn will tell you that Texas is A&M's "older brother" so to speak; well if that is the case, then perhaps the local Longhorn can explain how the so-called "older brother" opened its doors to teach the first Longhorns in 1883, which just so happens to be 7 years AFTER Texas A&M began teaching in 1876.

Sprue-ce Goose

I must take your word about the maquiladoras.

http://www1.american.edu/TED/maquila.htm

"A 1995 study that attempted to correlate 12 years of industrial activity in Matamoros, Mexico with the anencephalyrates in Brownsville, found that the prevalence of anencephaly is strongly correlated to the level of activity found in the nearby Matamoris maquila zone. The report states: "As maquila activity has waxed and waned, so has the anencephaly rate increased and decreased in Cameron, but not in Hidalgo or Nueces [two other counties studied -- but farther from Matamoros.]"

For those of you unfamiliar with anencephaly it is "A lethal birth defect in which most of the brain and parts of the skull are missing."

Brought to you courtesy of NAFTA...what a great idea.

Hans von Hammer

Ditto Texas...

Being native-born may make me a bit biased.. ah... It's the best place on Earth.. Really..

Especially after living in Iowa all these years..

IOWA= I Oughta Went to Austin

Ahh Austin...hometown. Wish I were back there.

Ditto Texas...

Being native-born may make me a bit biased.. ah... It's the best place on Earth.. Really..

Especially after living in Iowa all these years..

IOWA= I Oughta Went to Austin

Aggieman

 

 

Does a fiscally responsible state still exist?

 

Texas.  And the weather is better.

I've heard some good things about the great and sovereign  state of Texas.

Also saw posts of -----eeegad- snow seen there recently.

Does a fiscally responsible state still exist?

Texas.  And the weather is better.

batai37

 

 

I'm more immediately concerned about the polluted products they're exporting into our country, such as lead-contaminated toys as just one example.

As for polluting the environment, well we do plenty of that ourselves, not just here but in other people's countries by American companies operating there (including China) because environmental laws are more lax (and have cheaper labor); the maquiladoras along the Mexican border come to mind as I live in a border state. What they've done to the Rio Grande River is horrible.

Not just lead contaminated toys; contaminated FOOD.I seem to recall hearing news reports about imported dog food killing dogs in USA.

As for our companies operating there ; yes, along with companies of many other countries who are supplying what consumers want to buy. The trade situation really isn't going to adjust naturally because the Chinese gov't is keeping currency values and wages low to keep their huge workforce employed and thoughts away from revolution. Even then, not everyone in China is getting work, otherwise desperate people wouldn't be found dead in goods containers.

Unfortunately, I really don't see many environmentalists doing without those products any more than anyone else. Know any environmentalists who refrain from buying the latest iphone, ipod, etc.?

I know folks who say they oppose pollution caused by industry and all for protecting the environment but don't do without their own toys ( don't walk the walk) .

OTOH...industrial pollution would be reduced by another great depression........less consumption, you see....

Won't do much for our hobby.

Very sorry to hear about the condition of the Rio Grande.

I must take your word about the maquiladoras.

Sprue-ce Goose

Well, the environmentalists are now angry at the Chinese for polluting the environment.

I doubt the Chinese gov't gives a fig about it. They've noted the problems we have because of our EPA.

I'm more immediately concerned about the polluted products they're exporting into our country, such as lead-contaminated toys as just one example.

As for polluting the environment, well we do plenty of that ourselves, not just here but in other people's countries by American companies operating there (including China) because environmental laws are more lax (and have cheaper labor); the maquiladoras along the Mexican border come to mind as I live in a border state. What they've done to the Rio Grande River is horrible.

batai37

 

VanceCrozier:

Are there any model manufacturers who actually produce everything (design, molds & production) in North America?

 

Or for that matter, manufacturers of much of anything else. They've just about destroyed our manufacturing base, and have shifted to a service-oriented economy.

Well, the environmentalists are now angry at the Chinese for polluting the environment.

I doubt the Chinese gov't gives a fig about it. They've noted the problems we have because of our EPA.

I wonder how many carbon credits I need in order to obtain permission to visit OZ?

The only decent LHS here, HobbyTown, has salespeople but like you they seem mostly focused on RC stuff. And they aren't particularly helpful, i.e. when you're wandering around looking in different sections not one of them will approach you and ask if you need any help finding something.

They have a help wanted sign on the window, but when I asked about what kind of experience they were looking for, I was told they want someone who knows guess what...RC stuff, oh and model knowledge would be "helpful".

As for OZ, I'd like to visit sometime.

batai37

Given that, you'd think that getting good service wouldn't be so much of a challenge these days. The best customer service I get tends to be from online vendors...the brick and mortars retailers for the most part have cut staff back so much that you're lucky if you can find a salesperson anywhere in the building that isn't manning a cash register, with a few exceptions.

Finding an availible salesman (person?) at my LHS's normally isnt an issue. The problem is finding one that knows something other than RC stuff or Chu Chu Twains.

As for economy and taxes, come live in OZ we didnt have a recession , were fine(kinda)

Andrew

Manstein's revenge

That was before the Labour camps and re-education...

What, the UK Labour party set up re-education camps for you and your kameraden ( "mates" ) in 1945?

VanceCrozier

Are there any model manufacturers who actually produce everything (design, molds & production) in North America?

Or for that matter, manufacturers of much of anything else. They've just about destroyed our manufacturing base, and have shifted to a service-oriented economy.

Given that, you'd think that getting good service wouldn't be so much of a challenge these days. The best customer service I get tends to be from online vendors...the brick and mortars retailers for the most part have cut staff back so much that you're lucky if you can find a salesperson anywhere in the building that isn't manning a cash register, with a few exceptions.

In a down economy, it's one more reason not to shop in those stores IMO. Oh, and those online vendors don't charge me a tax unless they're located in my state.

Riiight - the "Labour Camp"... also known as the I-16 group build. I knew glue fumes could do damage after awhile,

That was before the Labour camps and re-education...

Manstein's revenge

Maybe communism isn't so bad---I mean aren't DML and Trumpeter both based and/or manufactured in China...? Change we can believe in...

Wait a minute Manny - didn't you, uhh, have a small disagreement with the Communists once upon a time?! Remember, you wished you had cat to eat in the trenches...

Maybe communism isn't so bad---I mean aren't DML and Trumpeter both based and/or manufactured in China...? Change we can believe in...

I'd love to buy local. I have a serious problem with the "buy tonnes of cheap stuff from overseas so we can sell it cheap to people who no longer have good jobs because we buy our stuff from overseas" mentality. Are there any model manufacturers who actually produce everything (design, molds & production) in North America?

Vance

The Feds are looking at imposing tariffs on products produced in China to equal out the trade imbalance. Think what that will do for plastic models if they pick them for such taxes.  There is also chat about implementing a VAT!!!!

I believe you're looking for the state of Utopia, right next door to Nirvana... somewhere north of Spamelot!!

On this side of the border, the financial crown jewel in recent years has been Alberta - at least in the public eye. All kinds of money (or so they say) and all kinds of demand for everything. And all the crime & various other issues that pop up when there is a rich vs poor situation.  Meanwhile, much of the $ is coming from oil projects & supporting industries... how long can that last? And what happens to them when it is gone?!

bbrowniii

A state with no financial issues??  Good luck...

However, I hear the Chinese economy is booming... cheap kits too.... 

That's what I thought.......

The Chinese?

They own too many U.S. Treasury notes.....................HAHAHA !!!!

A state with no financial issues??  Good luck...

However, I hear the Chinese economy is booming... cheap kits too....