O/T After 20 years...plant closing

The rest of the country doesn't seem to have a problem recycling their water...I heard California considers it unsafe? Is that true? They filter the waste water, then discharge it out into the ocean, rather than put it back into the public drinking system?
The biggest problem with politicians (of one party) is that unless the fix is NOW, they don't to do it. Look at oil drilling and new refineries--how often have these idiots said that it will be 10 years before the first drop hits our gas tanks? So their plan is to not build refineries or drill, because it doesn't solve the problem NOW. Same with water desalination plants in Florida. They depend on water pumped from Georgia. Guess what? Georgia is in a drought. We couldn't wash our cars, water new landscaping (which put several landscapers and suppliers out of business) or flush after every whiz, but Florida didn't modify their behavior because the law was Georgia had to let X-amount flow down the river regardless. They claim it was to protect and endangered species of muscle and a sturgeon, but those animals lived LONG before Georgia built their dam and lake system. It doesn't get any more short-sighted. They've been talking about building De-Sal plants in Florida for 20 years. If they'd have started 20 years ago, they'd be drinking sea water now.

For your situation, I'd think again about moving to Memphis--if they let you keep the same salary, you'll live like a king. The South is a great place to live. Cost of living is low, property is cheap, people are great, taxes aren't even close to what they are in California, and gas is a buck a gallon cheaper, at least.

My final thought is this, and I'll write this because I think a lot of guys reading all this can use it.
A man has one job. Only one: Protect his woman and children.
Protect them from hunger, protect them from the elements, protect them from bad guys.
The last requires your fists and a gun, and the willingness to use them at a moment's notice.
The first two require a job to buy shelter and food. That requires having a Plan A, a Plan B, and the framework for Plan C at all times. Because there's a good chance, at some point in your life, Plan A is going to fail, and if you don't have a Plan B you can transition into, you're in trouble. It doesn't have to be a smooth transition, but the day after you find out Plan A is gone, you should be setting Plan B into motion. We all know guys who lose their job and say "I have no idea what I'm going to do." They've never thought about it before. They've never planned for it. They've never realized that their existence depends on the whim of someone else, a big company or the government. Don't ever expect the government is going to take care of you. They'll help, and that's what they're there for, but don't expect them to take care of you. That's on you. So you must have a Plan B, and Plan C.

I got fired from my last job: had the monthly swap meet in play (Plan B1), which has helped. Got unemployment, which is very small, but helps. It runs out this month. Plan B2 was to start freelance writing. I'm in full swing with that. Once I've got it established enough, I'll start back on developing a new Plan B...which is probably going back to school and getting a Masters. But I'll be doing that while living Plan A...so that when Plan A goes away, I can transition into Plan B.
And the beat goes on.

-Brad

 

thats fuckin sucks man , i also work for cargill in a round about way , we haul seed , grain and other products for them ...


wishing the very best of luck in your job search..

 

I would be all over moving to Memphis if I were you, if you own your house in Ca, you could probably sell it and buy a huge spread in TN for the same $$$. It is also within a days drive of some of the best hot rod shows in the country. It is far enough south that you don't really have to worry about a lot of snow either. I wouldn't want to move out of the midwest for anything. I couldn't afford half of the shit I've got if I lived anywhere else.

We deal with Cargill on a regular basis on the fertilizer and grain side, they seem like they would be a decent company to work for. Shit, just having a retirement plan and Health insurange is a huge thing these days.

I am going to Cali for the first time since 8th grade this week. I know I'll have a good time out there but I am sure I'll be glad to get home.

 

In the same boat, hope things work out for you.

Jon

 

know how you feel, lost my job in 96 after 26 yrs with a company, just turned 55.............as it turned out, ended up being the best thing that ever happen to me..



I hope the bud folks get to keep their jobs, just heard they were sold out to Inbev............Belgium/Brazilian.........something like 52 billion.........guess the bud is now for them..

good luck with your job hunt........

 

Sorry to hear about your Job and whats going on with American companys. Best of luck !!

 

we're easier to control when completely dependent...plus, then everyone has an equal opportunity at life...no matter if you're a crackwhore, lazy retard thug or honest hard worker...

surprised no one's mentioned WHY this recent water shortage happened. the damn hippies and politicians decided several years ago that we can't build anymore water reservoirs/dams, because the 'environmental impact' is too detrimental.

and now that we've begun to realize the water consumption increase with the population growth, they put another monumental nail in the coffin with the Sac Delta water districts. We now have to keep a lot of the Delta canals/waterways that exit to the ocean at full capacity 100% of the time to allow the Delta Smelt Fish enough water for breeding grounds.

yes, we're pumping, pissing and throwing water away from our farmers and city water supplies as fast as we can to keep some bullshit, trash feeder fish alive.

the Sacramento Delta is 4 hours away from me and this water shortage is nearly shutting down the entire 'West Side' of the central San Joaquin Valley. Tree farmers have taken such a cut in water that they barely have enough water to keep their trees alive and not nearly enough water to actually produce any crop. Cotton and Corn fields have been disappearing for several years now. These are not small mom 'n' pop farmers going under, these fields are thousands of acres each.

at this rate, California will be in a State of Emergency within a few years. guess what happens when the farmers can't produce anything and they're the main economical income for an area!?!?!?

 

Cotton is still king in the Mid-South and Memphis is the capital city. I would not live in Memphis proper, but North, South, East and West of the City you can find good, affordable living. I am 70 miles NW of Memphis. Have three acres, nice house, shop and pool for about the price of a 2 bedroom California condo.

Lots of hot rodding here.

Will Caregill fly you and your wife out for an orientation visit? Or can you take some vacation time and do it on your own? You might be surprised.

 

I know this all sounds like something from the "Prophet of Doom" but unfortunately it's all too true.

 

I'm with the guys that say move the hell out of California. You'll live better in the mid west, Memphis area. Housing prices, taxes and life in general has got to be much better than CA. Everyone I've ever talked to that moved from CA to TX loved it and couldn't believe how inexpensive it is to live here. Just the taxes on your vehicle must be about $200 a year. Here in Tx you're talking about $50. And...no state sales tax and that money stays in your pocket. Maybe you should think about moving a little more.

 

Mark I saw the hand writing on the wall years ago in cal.When I worked for the canning
ind.It was family owned and keept people working .Then the computer ind.came along promising more jobs bla ,bla ,bla,.Well the rest is history,Don`t get me wrong computers
are great ,but unless they come out with a computer to grow produce were screwded...
Endsville Franco.......If you need any help you know you can call anytime........
Did you know Austin has a lot of hot rods lol...Oh isn`t 10:00 am the right time to wake up??????

 

Skipper, sorry to hear that, maybe it's a sign and you need to get your Hot Rod business started, I more or less started my own thing when Union work started getting slow.
If you need anything let me know.
Are there any Hot Rod shops in Fresno???

 

Sorry to hear about your job.... The Best Of Luck to You and Yours. I too will remember you in prayers.
Born and raised in California moved to Ohio in 2003 got a bigger house and yard for allot less money. Don't care all that much for the humidity but most everything else is OK.

 

Royal you ever get my PM??
Greasel you working out at the base as DOD, or L3??

 

Hang in there Royalshifter, you'll land on your feet running.

The LEFT and the RIGHT are packed full of SCARIES and IDOTS, make your own way.

 

I feel your pain. I'm a driver for a parts manufacturer in the RV industry. With these high fuel prices, people aren't buying RVs anymore. The company I work for has already laid off about 1/3 of their workforce. And, they cut the hours for everyone else. There used to be four of us drivers working 60-70hrs and we were still falling behind on orders. Now, we're working about 40-45 hours and we're spending alot of time just sitting around or doing BS work. Also, we get a daily bonus based on company profits. With the high fuel prices cutting into profits, my bonuses have been cut in half. I used to be making about $700/week (not a whole lot but for a 20 year old in my area, it ain't bad) and last week I only got about $300!

But, chin up. After you hit bottom, there's nowhere to go but up!

 

Damn, that sucks. My brother has lived, and worked in the San Joaquin valley for almost 30 years. He had the good fortune to hire in at Sequoia Beverage, in Visalia when he moved up there. They are the largest Bud distributor west of the Rocky Mountains. His job is secure because the migrant workers in the valley love Budweiser! But I've heard him tell how depressed the economy in the valley is, and how when large plants like yours close, how many locals are hurt. The economy is perpetually depressed, and yet the govenment saw fit to deposit 1000's of refugees from Laos in the valley where the welfare system was already over burdened with illegal ailiens that can't get work in the fields. And the bastards making those mornonic decisions are paid by our taxes! Did you hear McCains top adviser last week say the American people need to quit whining about $4.00 a gallon gas, and get over it?!!! Yep, now I really want to vote for an idiot getting advice like that.

OK, I'm done. Hope you come up with something soon.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTW0y6kazWM

James sang about it over 5 years ago ..

My grandpa used to say .."if plan "b" was worth a shit, it would be plan "a"

 

that sucks , my pop worked for a cotton bleachery for 32 yrs they moved south , i worked for 3 paper mills they are gone , nafta big help ? i doubt it , they want consumers to buy stuff yet if a consumer has no good paying job wheres the money supposed to come from ??

 

The illegal aliens will go home?

I had to shake my head the other night about a TV article about the explosion in bicyclists in places like Seattle. This guy they interviewed had the sanctimony to claim he was riding a bike to work for the environment. 20 years ago the Chinese rode so many bicycles you couldn't get a car down a street, now they're driving Buicks and "Chery"s and we're switching to the damned bicycles, this is progress?

It's going to get worse before it gets better. If you have a guaranteed shot to keep working, like moving to Memphis, I'd take that before I'd go with an uncertain future in a state with questionable leadership at best, that gets shut down in the courts even when they let the people decide what they want or some leader does have the right idea.

 

Thanks everyone I have alot of options so I will weigh them all out. For now I have to finish the Teixeira Willys.

 

You didn't say if you were supervisor of meat production or maintenance or what. I have a lot of contacts in the industrial refrigeration field. If you were part of that side of the plant I may have some leads for you. PM me. -Jim

 

Man that sucks....and after 20 years of your lifes dedication. I feel for you.


One clarification though....the "dumbass thinking politicians in Sacramento" had zero to do with reducing water diversions from Northern California to the central valley and south. Much more to do with the ESA, the delta and a little fish called smelt.....but none of that is interesting here....

 

Nope, not true. It is done throughout California. In the south, parts of San Diego actually take the outflow from the waste water treatment plants (that is where the water goes when you flush the toilet) and pump it directly back into drinking water reservoirs (I'm not kidding).

In the north, El Dorado County is on the cutting edge when it comes to "purple" pipe. The higher density new housing is required by county ordinance to provide dual water pipe systems. Fresh water pipelines inside the house and reclaimed water (identified by purple pipe) to all outside faucets. Note that houses use more water outside than inside.

Although it has never been vogue to praise California, our state is much advanced in many areas………not to say we don’t have lots of room for improvement!

 

Bingo! greasel, you are dead right. I only hope that it is not too late to ward off the emergency you see possible.

 

Good Call, I have worked right next door to the Memphis Cargill facility and it is in the armpit of the world!

 

Best wishes for all of us.I can't help but think things are going to get rough.

After reading these posts it's fascinating to learn how different our sameness is.
Geography,climates and migrants impact us all differently,but the same as a whole.