<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">Geeze...thats alot of questions for
only 20 million people....I will try to answer, but I must warn you that
my answers may be tainted by my "unbiased" opinion.</font>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">Before I continue, I must say that I
am convinced that if an Aussie were to be suddenly awoken in the middle
of the night, and asked a question, he would speak in an accent similar
to that of an American from KANSAS.......Is this true?</font>
<br>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">We have a "miminum" wage..that
I think is about $5.50/hour. Very few earn this because you really cannot
survive on it. Even full time McDonalds employees and illegal aliens make
more, but part time kids etc. make it. In 1977 I washed dishes in High
School at $2.10/hour and fuel cost $7.50/gallon. Today fuel cost $12/gallon
(sport)-I can now better afford fuel!</font>
<br>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">Reality is most low income jobs are
filled by non Americans because Americans do not want those jobs. Clothes,
shoes, and RC radios cannot be assembled in the USA because companies cannot
compete paying a unionized high school graduate with 15 years experience
$18/hr plus medical benefits, when they can ship it to (INSERT COUNTRY
OF PREFERENCE HERE) for $5 day plus a tube of toothpaste.</font>
<br>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">There is a "welfare" program
(no job = government money) that has been notoriously screwed up for years,
and has undergone significant changes of which I am not sure of other than
it is probably still screwed up.</font>
<br>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">If you get layed off (sacked) then you
can collect "unemployment benefits" which is a limited insurance
program, which I think is maxed at at $250/week.</font>
<br>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">Speaking of screwed up, we have a "Social
Security" program to allow people to retire, but only a fool my age
would depend on this as it is about to go inverted when you have 5 retired
people supported by 1 active worker. So to "fix" this problem
they made the retirement age 67 in hopes all those Baby-Boomer Hippies
will succumb to an early LSD induced death to reduce pay-outs. </font>
<br>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">Good wage in the US??? Depends
on who you ask. Many make it on $35,000/year but I do not know how. I would
guess good to be $50-60,000/year.</font>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">Taxes, social security etc eats of about
25-28% of your income...some states more due to state tax (not in Texas).
</font>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">People who make $80-100,000 can live
very comfortably, but in the American way...it is never enough as is evident
by the USA ridiculous credit card debt. Those who make $100K/year have
the HIGHEST Credit card debt, many times $20-30K at 18% interest.</font>
<br>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">BUT....Life in the USA is good.....and
I can say with impunity that we have the best SMART WEAPONS in the world
so I advise you guys to remain our friends....</font>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif"><br>
<br>
<br>
Gray Fowler<br>
Principal Chemical Engineer<br>
Composites Engineering</font>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<table width=100%>
<tr valign=top>
<td width=40%><font size=1 face="sans-serif"><b>"Koenig, Tom"
<Tom.Koenig@actewagl.com.au></b> </font>
<br><font size=1 face="sans-serif">Sent by: nsrca-discussion-bounces@lists.nsrca.org</font>
<p><font size=1 face="sans-serif">01/10/2006 04:45 PM</font>
<table border>
<tr valign=top>
<td bgcolor=white>
<div align=center><font size=1 face="sans-serif">Please respond to<br>
NSRCA Mailing List <nsrca-discussion@lists.nsrca.org></font></div></table>
<br>
<td width=59%>
<table width=100%>
<tr valign=top>
<td>
<div align=right><font size=1 face="sans-serif">To</font></div>
<td><font size=1 face="sans-serif">"NSRCA Mailing List" <nsrca-discussion@lists.nsrca.org></font>
<tr valign=top>
<td>
<div align=right><font size=1 face="sans-serif">cc</font></div>
<td>
<tr valign=top>
<td>
<div align=right><font size=1 face="sans-serif">Subject</font></div>
<td><font size=1 face="sans-serif">RE: [NSRCA-discussion] glow plug wages???</font></table>
<br>
<table>
<tr valign=top>
<td>
<td></table>
<br></table>
<br>
<br>
<br><font size=3 color=blue face="Comic Sans MS">Not being an economist,
I'm not sure how all this works. But in Australia, I believe we have quite
a reasonable standard of living. We have ( in comparison) a tiny manufacturing
base. But I think our economy is largely resource driven ( mining, agriculture
etc).</font>
<br><font size=3 color=blue face="Comic Sans MS">There are only 20 million
of us-so that's not a huge economy! There are more of you guys in one city!!!!!!</font>
<br><font size=3> </font>
<br><font size=3 color=blue face="Comic Sans MS">Nearly everything here
is imported-from wherever we can get it. We usually export the raw materials
and then buy back the product...()&*(&*&^%^%$@!!@#</font>
<br><font size=3> </font>
<br><font size=3 color=blue face="Comic Sans MS">We wood chip the trees
so that the Japanese can turn it into paper for us-crazy!</font>
<br><font size=3> </font>
<br><font size=3 color=blue face="Comic Sans MS">As far as the modelling
goes we pay premium dollar for everything. A lot of the local hobby shops
are simply held to ransom by some importers/distributors- but everyone
needs to make a buck I guess. You want it-you pay!</font>
<br><font size=3> </font>
<br><font size=3 color=blue face="Comic Sans MS">Which leads me to a question
I have had for a long time ( and one the boys here in my workshop often
ponder about). What is considered a good average wage in the U.S these
days?? Are there minimum conditions for you guys?</font>
<br><font size=3> </font>
<br><font size=3 color=blue face="Comic Sans MS">We have a reasonable welfare
system too, which I guess costs us taxpayers - but here in Australia I
think culturally- there is a minimum ( with everything) that we are prepared
to put up with.</font>
<br><font size=3> </font>
<br><font size=3 color=blue face="Comic Sans MS">We call it a 'Fair Go
far all' whereas our impression of life in the US is 'Dog eat Dog where
the Dollar rules all'?? Maybe we have been watching too much Hollywood????</font>
<br><font size=3> </font>
<br><font size=3 color=blue face="Comic Sans MS">Tom</font>
<br><font size=3> </font>
<br><font size=2 face="Tahoma">-----Original Message-----<b><br>
From:</b> nsrca-discussion-bounces@lists.nsrca.org [mailto:nsrca-discussion-bounces@lists.nsrca.org]<b>On
Behalf Of </b>Gray E Fowler<b><br>
Sent:</b> Wednesday, 11 January 2006 8:43 AM<b><br>
To:</b> NSRCA Mailing List<b><br>
Subject:</b> [NSRCA-discussion] glow plug wages???<br>
</font>
<br><font size=3 color=blue face="Comic Sans MS"><br>
"Wow...we pay about $15 per OS F....</font><font size=3> <br>
</font><font size=3 color=blue face="Comic Sans MS"><br>
You're on fairly good money Gray!!! Not sure how much per kW/H we pay though
<BG></font><font size=3> <br>
</font><font size=3 color=blue face="Comic Sans MS"><br>
Tom"</font><font size=3> <br>
</font><font size=3 color=blue face="Comic Sans MS"><br>
Tom-you are closer to Japan than we are! Why the high cost of glow
plugs?-almost makes one wanna go electric-just kidding.</font><font size=3>
<br>
</font><font size=2 face="sans-serif"><br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Gray Fowler<br>
Principal Chemical Engineer<br>
Composites Engineering</font>
<table width=100%>
<tr>
<td width=100% bgcolor=white><font size=3>************************************************************************<br>
*PLEASE NOTE* This email and any attachments may<br>
be confidential. If received in error, please delete all <br>
copies and advise the sender. The reproduction or <br>
dissemination of this email or its attachments is <br>
prohibited without the consent of the sender.<br>
<br>
WARNING RE VIRUSES: Our computer systems sweep<br>
outgoing email to guard against viruses, but no warranty <br>
is given that this email or its attachments are virus free. <br>
Before opening or using attachments, please check for <br>
viruses. Our liability is limited to the re-supply of any <br>
affected attachments.<br>
<br>
Any views expressed in this message are those of the <br>
individual sender, except where the sender expressly,<br>
and with authority, states them to be the views of the <br>
organisation.<br>
************************************************************************</font></table>
<br><font size=2><tt>_______________________________________________<br>
NSRCA-discussion mailing list<br>
NSRCA-discussion@lists.nsrca.org<br>
http://lists.nsrca.org/mailman/listinfo/nsrca-discussion</tt></font>
<br>