First time since I do not know how long


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I deal a lot with what is sometimes called less skilled or semi-skilled workers.  I have a small number of real estate investments and hire a lot of labor (companies) to assist me.  I am sure that many will call my observation racists but for the last few decades most of the labor force speak very little English - and if they do it is not their first language.  I have often suspected that some of the workers may not be in this country legally.  This particular demographic is quite different from my youth.  In my youth most of what we call "common labor" were young boys working at summer jobs.  I started my adventure into the common labor market as a boy at the age of eight.

Over the years two things have happened.  One is child labor laws - the other is the use of foreign nationals.  Some may wish to argue the point - but I believe children are lazy and it is not all that much the fault of kids.  A growing number of parents are fearful of even letting their kids walk to school - especially young girls.  And it is not just walking to school - it is to the point that children are not allowed to play unattended at a unsupervised playground,  many consider such as child abuse.  But I will leave this issue for another thread - what I want to bring the the forefront is that children send far to many hours (especially during the summer) with leisure time learning to dred and avoid labor.

I have felt that we have created a society that looks down on someone doing hard labor.  The term "Hard Labor" carries a lot of bad connotations.    For example our justice system reference to hard labor as punishment for crimes.  I hate that - I believe we should look at hard labor as a necessary part of education and justice in a free society - certainly not something evil, bad or something to be avoided.

Anyway, at one of my properties I hired some landscaping work.  This property is exceptionally difficult because the soil is unusually rocky - not little pebbles but rocks up to a foot or more in diameter.  The hardest part is installing new lawn and sprinklers.  Because 90% of the work required manual labor - in other words hard work.  I have done this before but this spring I was very surprised because all the workers spoke english as a first language - they were local high school kids (16 and 17).  I talked to the foreman (whom I know) and he said that for the first time ever it is almost impossible to get foreign workers and he has had to hire kids  I honestly do not know what is going on to change this - but I think it is good.  I believe that if we utilize our own kids for labor it will be of great benefit - both the the youth and the country.  I believe we should be putting anyone capable to doing labor to work to earn their own money.  BTW there were a few days the crew worked 12 hour days.  I think working long days is necessary in a free society.

I have started a number of businesses during my lifetime - had a business when I attended college that paid for mine and several other's college education.  There were 100 hour weeks between semesters and during the summer but both myself and my fellow workers were glad for it.  And I would add one more interesting observation - the young workers at my property brought their own lunches (at least one I talked to made his own lunch) rather than purchasing fast food.  My father was big on making a sack lunch despite his wealth - he would say that he saved $500 a year making his own lunch.  I remember well - in my youth I thought we were poor because we did not have bread and stuff for our lunches - Mostly I had leftover meatloaf and waffle sandwiches.   It was not until much later in life that I learned that there are people picky about what they will eat. (and I am not talking about a diet to lose weight).

 

The Traveler

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  • 3 weeks later...
Guest Mores
On 6/2/2019 at 5:47 PM, Traveler said:

I honestly do not know what is going on to change this - but I think it is good. 

I'd say it is Trump.  Not joking.  When there is so much work and everyone's employed, and he's doing his best to reduce illegal immigration... it stands to reason.

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4 hours ago, bytebear said:

I have a yard with a lot of trees, and as such I need leaf raking a lot. It is impossible to find a neighborhood kid to do the job.  Everyone is a tree service, which is a shame because I would much rather give my money to a neighborhood kid than some company.

You could do like my SIL does and go over the leaves with her gas mower w/the grass catcher attached. It sucks the leaves right up and then she dumps it into her composter all chopped up. 😁

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8 minutes ago, Iggy said:

You could do like my SIL does and go over the leaves with her gas mower w/the grass catcher attached. It sucks the leaves right up and then she dumps it into her composter all chopped up. 😁

That would work if I had a lawn.  And the extent of the debris is substantial.  This is a week of eucalyptus bark.  I have 6 eucalyptus trees and several other trees.  The back yard is basically a forest.

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Edited by bytebear
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Our subdivision (big sized - it’s 2 miles from one end to the other) has a Facebook group.  The group has a list of residents with businesses - e.g. need a plumber? There are 2 of them on the list, massage therapist - there’s one, notary - there’s 2, tennis instructor, police officers, bouncy house rental, etc etc.  In that same list are a bunch of teens posting their availability and skillset.  Both my kids are on it - piano instructor and babysitter - there’s a dog sitter/walker, handyman, several lawn service, pressure washing service, several tutors, kid party entertainment, and even a bible summer camp and lego robotics camp run by a bunch of neighborhood teens.

Anyway, in my neck of the woods, I haven’t noticed the phenomena of foreign nationals taking teen jobs.  Where they are common is in construction contracting companies - several of them went belly up during the housing crisis.  Hurricane damage repair wasn’t enough to keep several of them afloat.

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On 6/2/2019 at 5:47 PM, Traveler said:

My father was big on making a sack lunch despite his wealth - he would say that he saved $500 a year making his own lunch.

What, in the 1940s?  Even at $5/day, 5 days/week, with a week off, you're looking at $625 a year, and I haven't seen $5 lunches other than McD's dollar menu in a long time.

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On 6/29/2019 at 8:32 AM, NightSG said:

What, in the 1940s?  Even at $5/day, 5 days/week, with a week off, you're looking at $625 a year, and I haven't seen $5 lunches other than McD's dollar menu in a long time.

How things have changed?  I use to purchase a hamburger and fries for 25 cents - but that was in the early 60's.  I remember 5 hamburgers for a dollar on my mission in the late 60's.  But in all honesty, I no longer track such things - my wife handles all the spending.  I do not like money.  So if a lunch cannot be bought for $5.00 - then it has been a while - My father passed about 10 years ago.  So my question is - why would anyone eat lunch out now?

 

The Traveler

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1 hour ago, Traveler said:

How things have changed?  I use to purchase a hamburger and fries for 25 cents - but that was in the early 60's.  I remember 5 hamburgers for a dollar on my mission in the late 60's.  But in all honesty, I no longer track such things - my wife handles all the spending.  I do not like money.  So if a lunch cannot be bought for $5.00 - then it has been a while - My father passed about 10 years ago.  So my question is - why would anyone eat lunch out now?

 

The Traveler

Well, there are two reasons I can think of: 

1. It’s not always possible to bring food you make at home.

2. Sometimes, you’re just in the mood for a greasy cheeseburger.

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Guest Mores
14 hours ago, Traveler said:

So my question is - why would anyone eat lunch out now?

There are some foods that just taste better from a professional than when you make it at home.  Other things taste the same either way.  And some taste better home-cooked.

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