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I used to get them in NY as a child, had not seen them in MANY years, then found them at QT gas stations and Mast Country Store in Hendersonville, NC...
I wish they made them in dark chocolate, but if I am forced to go off the "chocolate cliff" then I can live with milk chocolate...:):):)
Usually, not always, I prefer dark now. I like dark Snickers, dark Milky Way, and dark Reese's when I can find them.
For milk chocolate 'cheapo' bars, I'm sold on the Hershey "Air Delight" bar. I probably eat one a day (sadly). I know I'm paying for air to be injected into the bar, but I like the texture and can't stop looking at those bubbles inside the bar.
I worked with a woman who's husband worked in the tool and die department at a now closed Ohio GM plant. He always bragged about having a flask of whisky on the job and how he was more worried about getting a DUI on his way home than getting canned. When the weather was nice, he often called off to go golfing. This was 10 years ago, so I'd hope things have changed. I only remember that because his wife would mention when she'd get a call from him to tell her he decided to go golfing with his buddies instead of going to work.
I've heard similar type of activities with those I know who worked at the steel mills in the 80's and 90's. A HS buddy of mine was a foreman at Bethlehem Steel in northern Indiana. The mill was a client of mine at the time and I'd occasionally see my friend when I would visit. He showed me a print out of his employee attendance records. The list of workers who had missed 100 days of work over a 12 month period was shocking. I don't remember the exact numbers now as that was in the mid '90s. IIRC out of 100 or so employees on his list, 20 or so averaged 2 or more call offs per week and he couldn't fire them. No wonder Bethlehem went bankrupt.
My dad used to be a grocery store manager and he's told me stories about the early 80's when the steel mills had huge layoffs he learned quickly not to hire those guys. He called them unreliable loafs. They called off a lot and when they did make it to thier shift, they were more concerned about their next smoke break than doing any work.
Having a flask of whiskey...well, one might see a lot of that too, and while it's certainly not a wonderful thing, there's areas where it's bad, and there's areas where it's REALLY bad, and there's areas where it's really REALLY bad.
I'd say alcohol in any sort of machine shop or assembly line building precision equipment should be shocking and appalling. On the other hand, I'm not going to quake in my boots if the CEO of a local accounting firm ends up blowing a 1.0 at the end of the day (his accountants are another story, especially if they're doing my taxes, heh).
We know there's cultural issues just from witnessing all the trouble Chrysler got in. I wonder if there are similar problems at the non-UAW southern factories?
I know and I hate it. I despise golfing and if it isn't related to meeting with customers I do my best to avoid going. I guarantee if many of us called off an hour prior to having to be at work few times a month to go golfing or whatever we wouldn't be employed for very long.
BP and the other oil companies in Alaska have ZERO tolerance for drugs or alcohol. That includes on or off the job. As they are living on company premises. A friend tossed one of the wine bottles off the plane coming to work in his carry on. The BP security spotted it and he was put back on the flight home. Fired instantly. They packed up his stuff and sent it to him. When you go to work up their for one of the oil companies you sign an agreement. They also did random drug testing. Any residual from your time off work could get you fired.
That is why Chryslers built in the USA would be off my list with all the drugged out employees they have. As long as the UAW protects that sort of employee, buying a Union made vehicle in the USA is shaky at best.
I've worked with quite a few small manufacturers union and non-union. Generally if it relates to safety they don't mess around. A small employer just can't afford to have employees hurt on the job. Workmans comp is no-fault so a having a drunk lose his arm in a press will end up costing the employer big time with increased premiums. Not to mention other potential liability costs.
Another friend of mine who's a Teamster crane operator has told me some job sites screen every employee as soon as they punch in for drugs or alcohol at random intervals. Last year he was working at a power plant construction site and IIRC each shift had over 1,000 employees. He said it wasn't unusual for 10-20 guys to get fired from the job due to not passing a breathalyzer test upon entering the job site.
Actually, using pictograms to communicate procedures in assembly plants is a hallmark of the Toyota Production System. The idea is to keep things as simple as possible.
Maybe such tactics are acceptable for those who are used to doing business with China, etc, where is all about costs first, quality later.
One beer with lunch is unlikely to cause any impairment. Maybe Germans are less likely to get drunk and out of control and maybe they don't have as many ambulance chasers (no offense Marsha). My wife has a form in her company car that requires a blood test in the event of an accident whether her fault or not. That's one reason we don't take her car when we go out want to have a drink.
I'd be curious to see DUI stats and laws in Germany vs. the US. I have a feeling Germany doesn't deal with drunk driving lightly.
And yeah, DUI carries harsher real penalties there than here, as it does in virtually every other developed nation. We'd rather use our justice system to fight potheads.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport; 2020 C43; 2021 Sahara 4xe 1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i Son's: 2009 328i; 2018 330i xDrive
I guess that's why so many are leaving the rust belt and moving southward.
And folks wonder what Southerners dislike "Yankees" so much.
I had an uncle that ran a gas station along I-75 back in the 1960-80's. He used to say "A Yankee is like a bale of cotton... Worth about as much, but much easier to pick!".
LOL!!!
Jobs sometimes move south because of low costs, no other reasons. People move for jobs. These low costs are usually in part because of subsidies, subsidies given while the states themselves are net recipients of federal funds (receiving much more than they pay into the system).
Doesn't look like the pinnacle of human or societal development to me, but it has to be getting better, with a northern influence and all :shades:
When I was in school, I had a management prof who used to tell us stories about someone he knew who worked in a GM plant, and some of the sabotage they would see. Didn't know whether or not to believe him, but the "cricket" in the dash of the Ciera in my family when I was a kid might have been that.
Are there stupid folks here?
Yes, just like anywhere else.
My comments weren't defensive, but just a commentary on how people's perceptions often don't have much relation to the truth, especially when they haven't spent any time in the place they're opining about.
You're right about the MB plant having quality issues, but less than 200 miles away there are Korean based car manufacturing plants. What is their quality perception?
Do yourself a favor and take a tour of the BMW plant or the many Michelin tire plants in SC and see for yourself.
This all reminds me of the bozos that think Berlin and Tokyo still have rubble left in the streets from WW II bombing.
Arguing with people's perceptions is useless.
Just for the record...
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2011/11/states-federal-taxes-spending-charts- -maps
Don't get me started.....I know I would tick some people here off.
Maybe the other newbies learned from the issues had by MB, who was a bit of a pioneer? I don't know. I don't follow Kia. One can also argue how much of any of this is imported vs local. Lots of transplants in the region now. But really, doesn't matter either way. Anyone can point out the issues of where I live - I will join in. Usually smoke and fire are related.
Yes, just like anywhere else.
I've lived in Indiana, Florida, Ohio, Missouri, Kansas, and Illinois and that line pretty much applies everywhere I've been.
There is a world class university 10 miles to east of me or I can drive 20 miles south and have banjo's playing in my head;)
A northern White Castle trumps a southern Krystal burger, but a western In and Out Burger blows them both away.
Absolute truth. When I bought my farm in Minnesota, we got a kick out of them calling a burger with lettuce and tomato a California burger. As chains go I like Fuddruckers also.
I dunno, the roads pretty much suck around here, due to lack of maintenance. We seem to have caught up with the legendary bad roads up north.
While lots of people like to think southern states bought industry, getting them to locate by giving tax breaks/incentives (and, they did... No question), the real driving force was union avoidance. All the incentives did were to entice companies to locate in one southern state .vs. another southern state. The companies just shopped each state for the best payday.
Indiana and Michigan have figured that out by recently passing RTW legislation.
Just don't get me started on southern state governments, especially SC. Yes, our state couldn't afford the roughly $40 K needed to secure government websites (amount quoted per the local newspaper), but it evidently can afford the $12 million (and counting) to give every taxpayer ID protection after a hacker got in and stole all the taxpayer's SSN's that have paid taxes in any year since the 1990's.
On the bright side, our governor blamed the entire incident on the federal government by saying it wasn't a federal requirement to encrypt SSN's.
Go figure...
It's so frustrating...
Gotta laugh at the Toureg TDI embarrassing a HD Silverado in a tug of war. "If I were a redneck"........
They must have been drinking the stout beer before one of the geniuses came up with that idea;)
My previous-generation Malibu seemed superior to both my wife and I than a newer Jetta.
Did you guys notice the axle wrap on the Chevy. I'm sure "Cletus" used the cheapest route to lift the suspension on his truck.
Have you test driven the Passat or is your allegiance blind?
Sounds like a blind allegiance to VW, to me. Quality issues there are OK to buffs, it seems though.
No need to get testy because someone has a different opinion than you...and that's all it is, an opinion, not stated as fact.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport; 2020 C43; 2021 Sahara 4xe 1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i Son's: 2009 328i; 2018 330i xDrive
I was going to take a test drive while in for routine maintenance, in a new Malibu for a pair of some-designer sunglasses, but I talked the salesman into just letting me have the glasses (they were mailed to me at a later date).
They didn't fit my big head very well so I gave them to my much younger brother-in-law ('03 Cavalier and newer Saturn Ion owner).
If you have two categories, the INDEPENDENT THINKERS and the BLIND FOLLOWERS, I think I can guess which category applies here.
Not a very well planned fight, but the truck driver agreed to it....
Surely you can admit that VW has had quality issues and lately.
My definition of blind follower is somebody who will ALWAYS choose the home team even when they're not as good. I don't see that as an insult, but a statement of fact.
My definition of an independent thinker is somebody who will criticize everybody, and also praise everybody, as warranted. And will actually choose those products based upon merit. When somebody is 5 for 5 or 10 for 10 in products purchased, all from the same brand, well, do we REALLY think that in every case the purchased product was the best? I find that hard to believe.
VW hasn't just had quality issues lately, VW has had quality issues for decades. But they still were really nice driving cars, especially before the most recent "redesigns" to make the Passat and Jetta more "Americanized".
I think that person is a domestic-industry bigot.
You did not see me say "The Passat is a POS".
Therein lies a very, very distinct difference.
LOL,
I have a feeling it started with something like "My bad [non-permissible content removed] Silverado will pull the farfegnugen right out of your peace of crap import" while he was sucking down Budweiser;)
Yes, what a great idea, restyle and re-engineer the Jetta and Passat for so-called "American" tastes. Exactly what I DON'T want...
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport; 2020 C43; 2021 Sahara 4xe 1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i Son's: 2009 328i; 2018 330i xDrive