Huge Texas Wind Farm's Turbines Will Be Made in China

[Chubminnow]

http://www.popsci.com/technology/art...-be-made-china

I mentioned something about this on another post I made yesterday to a thread that got deleted...not sure if I'm the guy who caused the moderators to delete the thread or not. At any rate...I figured some of you might like to know that the pouring of mine and your money ("stimulous money") being sent to other countries didn't or hasn't stopped at the Cash for Clunkers program. Check out the link above...what they didn't mention in this arcticle is that a contractor located outside of the United States was awarded the project to construct the farm. The only reason I knew anything about this is because I caught it on the national news one night this week. Sooo...not only do we have other countries producing for us, but they're also doing the dirty for us here at home...or at least the main companie is doing the dirty work, hopefully they'll hire some home boys to do the actual installation...being in Texas there'll probably be a lot of Mexicans on site I would guess, but what else is new.

[DJD]

Where was the T.Boone Pickens plan? Thought he was gonna build a wind farm??

[zx150]

I'm sure it is cheaper for them to do it than for us to build it. Sad but true.

[DJD]

It's sad when you consider that fact huh? The problem we have and experience everyday at work is that the Unions have inflated the labor costs for all people to bid projects. So instead of being competitive they got with Gov Patton and got this silly "wage scale" law passed....man politicians and special interest groups can sure mess up alot!

[Chubminnow]

Yea..you're probably right...it probably is less expensive for them to build it. It seems to me like everything is less expensive to build in China, Japan, Taiwan or anywhere else for that matter than it is to build anything here on U.S. soil. But that doesn't make it right...I may be alone in my way of thinking, but man it just ticks me off to no end to think that MY money (and YOUR'S) is going over seas to help support those folks when I have relatives, friends, business associates and acquaintances who are out of work, or haven't had a raise in a few years, etc.

I'm not sure about all the laws in regards to all that so called stimulous money and how/where it gets spent, but I know the way the law is wrote there's nothing says our tax money CAN'T go over seas to create jobs for China and Japan. But I do know one thing for sure...who ever wrote the law, whether it be one person or several people it doesn't matter, they wouldn't last very long in Valley Station!

[Chubminnow]

Don...yea speaking of wage scale...in Kentucky any projects over $250,000.00 dollars is considered prevailing wage, but in Indiana anything over $100,000.00 dollars is a wage job. Didn't know if you knew this or not.

[DJD]

Tim,
I never looked at it from that point....I know it's something we look at on any job and especially if it's State money on the job.

You know I had to bid a recent project this week and pay a technician $39 if we got the job! $39 to turn some screws sure I bid it to cover costs but if it wasn't state money we would bid (as well as other trades) at a resonable rate . The guy makes $18 per hour does anyone think the guy will try and save time? When he is making double to do the same job?

I don't know I'm just against this form of bully tactics by the gubment. If unions can't get work then lower your costs reduce your own expenses don't make me and you cover your greed. Hmmm sounds kinda like another business practice huh?

It's crazy...we are slammed with bids. Healthcare is off the charts busy.. Hope you guys are picking up as well...

[mhall]

Most anything and everything we get to do commercial anymore here at work has something to do with healthcare. It's the only Booming part of this crappy economy. At least my daughter was smart enough to go to school in the medical profession. Maybe she can take care of me and let me fish my old age away.

I'll call myself and my little operation,,,,,''Team Samantha'', Get-R-Done. Gotta nice ring to it doesn't it??

[Chubminnow]

Don...we're holding our own...for now. You guys say healthcare is off the charts busy...I'm not sure what you all are working on in regards to healthcare but for us...I haven't been this slow for a very VERY long time. All we do is healthcare, well 85% to 90% of our work is healthcare anyway. We do any/all construction work in healthcare, anything from small doctors office suites, to E.R. additions and renovations, vertical expansions to 250M+ dollar replacement hospitals, you name it. But right now slow is the word!

Maybe you all are busy with stuff that has already bid? I wouldn't think you all are seeing a lot out on the street. Even talking with the various vendors who call on us, same story from them, slim pickens.

On a more brighter note, I don't think we'll have any lay offs this year and we are getting a few small things come our way here and there, but not the cash cow we'd like to see. However...we do have a couple of projects in our sights that we have good connections on, IF the owner(s) decide to move forward then the party is back on! But for now...it's wait and see, take what we can get, etc.

[DJD]

Tim,
Yeah renovations in existing hospitals is big for us. A few new Hospitals with CHI and Lifepoint Hospital renovations. VA business is going very nice as well.
Our other divisions are holding steady with the exception of our A/V division...it has dropped off 80% but thats expected with that side.
If not for those big hospitals we would be hurting...