70sSanO

To push it a bit farther, it is beyond just executives, for publicly traded companies it is really how the stock performs.

In some ways it makes no difference what a company does as long as its stocks continue to perform. And the irony is not just executives, and major shareholders, but many workers have their ability to retire tied up in how well their 401’s perform. We have dug that hole so deep, I don’t think we can ever get out of it.

John

VegasJen

And part of that is the willingness of government to fund people who won't work for a certain wage. I get nobody here is going to work for $5/hr. But there's no excuse for someone who is unemployed not to take a $10-12/hr job. I've worked for a crap-ton less than that. Hell, minimum wage when I first started working was $3.15/hr. Guess what I did. I earned $3.15/hr. But I went to work and did the job. Today you have people that are completely content to sit on their asses and collect taxpayer dollars and do not one g******d thing to earn it. Makes me livid.
Legit question? Or are you baiting me?
Not taking any economics classes. Not my first rodeo. I may not be able to go toe-to-toe with economics majors, but I've been around the block a few dozen times.

And I know exactly what I said in post 18, and I said what I meant. If you didn't get the meaning, then we have a communication barrier so I'll make it plain and simple. If my option is a Chinese product for $50, or a product made elsewhere for $60-80, I'll choose the other product. If my option is a Chinese product for $50 or a product made elsewhere that is $200-300, you're not really giving me an option. It's dismissive simplicity on the part of people who have discretionary income that can't acknowledge that distinction.

Just a quick example. I tend to puncture a lot of tubes because where I ride is a rural area and the roads are not as well maintained as many urban streets. I actively look for tubes made in Korea or Taiwan over Chinese, but they are exceptionally hard to find. Most of the time, the country of origin is not advertised. I've bought Continentals and some Italian brand I don't recall in the hopes they were made elsewhere, but nope. Get the box, "Made in China". If I have it, I'll spend the money. But for people on a budget, our options are simply limited.

I will look into Thule.

drlogik 

Kask. All made in Italy. I absolutely love mine. Best helmet I ever owned.

Chandne

They must be making the newer ones here though they have seriously raised the prices. The T2 Pro XTR is around $800 now, I think, while the old T2 was $299. I have seen a lot of the T2s rust (except my old ones...I had two) but I kept mine carefully and cleaned it carefully. I do find that many of my clothes are made in Vietnam, Thailand, Lithuania, and other countries. This globalization thing in kinda cool.

Koyote

This is a common belief, but there is virtually no evidence to support it. In fact, there is copious evidence in support of the opposite: that higher unemployment benefits actually INCREASE labor supply. Here is an example in the form of an academic paper (you can get the essence from the abstract), here is an explanation geared more toward a layperson.

The belief that unemployment insurance and other government benefits (which are lower in the US than in virtually all other developed economies) significantly diminishes labor force participation has long ago been dismissed by professionals who study labor markets; the only people still clinging to this superstition are opportunistic politicians and the people who fall for their nonsense.

I understand the distinction; it means that you will act on your principles as long as it's not too expensive...Which means that they are not really principles.

Koyote

Here you go. And note that it will (right out of the box) accept wider-tired bikes than Kuat and OneUp USA racks which are comparably priced.

Chandne

I have worked for minimum wage in the $3s and $4s too, but it was not a livable wage and I often went hungry and ate awful processed foods for a few years, even though I worked diff jobs and over 50-55 hours each week. People need to make a livable wage in any country...that should be the aspiration. Okay, let's get back to helmets....

Chandne

The newer racks are getting better,. I have the fat spindles already by default- holds up to 5..5 tires plus road bikes. One of them goes down to ONE rack which is amazing since I can open the hatch without lowering the rack and it is very light. The Thule, while a decent rack, also does not adjust since it has fixed spots for the tires. I can move mine around on the 1UP in case two bikes are touching when on and I cannot lower the seats enough etc.. My 1Ups are far better that way too. The Kuats are decent but also very similar in design to the T2. I owned the NV 2.0 and sold it. Now, the NEW fancy Kuat is around $1,300 and quite a contraption. My first 1Up is over 10 years old ($299+$199) and still looks new. The second is a heavy version (maybe $750) and can hold 75 lbs on each tray. I have also owned the Yakima Holdup and Saris tray rack...sold both. These don't rust so I leave them all for my fatbike all winter.

Koyote

I agree that the 1up is a good rack, but you really don't seem to know much about the Thules. Along with NOT being made in China, the tire trays (and straps for the rear tires) are NOT fixed -- they are movable anywhere along the beams, which are quite long.

Rolla

Since when are principles defined by being necessarily unwavering?

indyfabz

The chin strap is like butter.

Koyote

Principles aren't subject to convenience, at least in my book. Oh, and in this book by Merriam-Webster: "a rule of conduct based on beliefs of what is right and wrong."

Chandne

Pretty sure they are not, The wheel tray on the XT Pro is fixed and I do not see how you can move the beams since they are also bolted, unlike the regular T2. The original T2 is movable since the actual beams could be moved to a certain degree since they were just clamped. I liked that about the T2, though the clamps were suspect. LOL. Are you sure about the T2 Pro?

Koyote

You're right, sort of: the entire beam (each one, actually) is movable, which allows the trays to be moved quite substantially relative to one another (the bolts are loosened and the beam moves along the vertical portion of the rack); the rear wheel straps are easily moved anywhere along the rack to accommodate the position of the front wheel and the bike's wheelbase. End result is the same, which is that the rack is easily adjustable for bikes of different wheelbases and for carrying different types and sizes of bikes alongside each other.

Chandne

That's good they the newest ones can be moved side to side, though the sliding wheel tray is prob a thing on all the new racks. Glad you pointed that out. The first T2 XT seemed just bolted on like the Kuat NV. Do you have to unbolt some bolts or just slide them by loosening a T bolt type of thing? The original T2 did that (but you had to loosed 4 bolts) but also could be slid in and out a bit (away or towards the vehicle) if needed though I kept them far apart as possible. With the 1Up, I just move the bike along the tray. with no loosening needed The NV 2.0 seems to be so the new T2 is easier to adjust than the NV. My NV was fixed by bolts into holes so not sure if that has changed. That was my pet peeve.

VegasJen

OK, I literally no longer believe anything you say. I have neighbors that are living proof that you are FOS.
I don't buy into this living wage BS. Not every job deserves $15 or $20 an hour. First job was a burger flipper at Wendy's. I got paid $3.15/hr because that was minimum wage. Not sure the job was even worth that. That's not to say I'm not worth that, and a whole lot more. Everybody is. But we don't pay people for what they're worth, we pay people for what they do. Want to make more money? Do something of value.
It's not a principle, at least for me. It's a strong desire. But it seems that the more principled among us would believe I should spend $200 on a helmet rather than something as trivial as FOOD.

Koyote

I think there are four hex bolts on each horizontal beam. The guys at my shop have a lot of experience with this rack, and assembled it for me; the set the tray positions where (by their experience) they knew there would be no clashing of handlebars and saddles when I'm carrying two bikes. It works very well.

The 1up rack is built like a brick house, but Thule is better for me since I occasionally carry a fendered bike. Not worth going into it in this thread, but Thule works for that, while 1up would be more problematic.

Chandne

I have to move mine around almost every time when carrying diff friend's bikes (always if Large or XL frames) but easy to do on the fly. Fenders is an issue since my wife has an ebike with a fender. I just told her I'd take the darn fender off.

Chandne

There are some who don't "buy into a living wage BS" but I suspect that comes from TV talking heads. I don't watch opinion TV so I am not sure.

boozergut

My first Kask saved my bacon, great helmet.

Koyote

I'm just passing on the findings of a whole lot of extraordinarily well-trained and well-regarded people who publish their research in peer-reviewed journals. But yeah, your individual observation (n=1) certainly trumps all of that.

Koyote

Yep. That's where the rear tire strap is a little easier. Also, the Thule's swingarm for the front tire is plastic -- so I just clamp it over the fender and all is well so far. The 1up has metal where it contacts the tire, I believe, which wouldn't be quite as good.

1989Pre 

Uvex, in Germany. For a long time, you couldn't get one in the U.S. because they were not CPSC-approved, but now, Uvex has a CPSC test facility in their plant.

philbob57

Minimum wage workers in 1962 paid $1 - $1.25 an hour could buy a good deal more than minimum wage workers today. Tuition at Brown was $1600 for 2 semesters of education (for students who did the assigned work). A car like a Falcon, or Corvair cost $2,000. A fast food hamburger cost $0.15. Comparing a $3.10 wage in 1980 to a $7.25 wage today is comparing apples to ...um... helmets. Minimum wage has not kept up with inflation, and that doesn't include today's inflation.

I understand the hate for 'socialism'. After all, state-sponsored health insurance originated by that noted Red, Otto von Bismarck. And it's a crime that we have public schools in the US, roads and airports built with money from ...gulp... taxpayers....

VegasJen

You do what you want and believe what you want. But when you ask me to reject common sense, I'm not going to play along.