| Author | Message | ||
     Strokizator |
I've alluded to it on a couple of threads but this will make it official. I told my partner back in Sept that if Obama won re-election then I'm calling it a career. I turned 60 this last summer and I’ve been around long enough to know that the next four years will be worse than these last four. Obama has no more elections to campaign for so he’ll spend the rest of his time in office trying to push his whacky agenda. He won’t be happy until American exceptionalism is a thing of the past. I’ll be 64 when the next presidential election cycle comes around and I don’t have any faith that the results will be different. Even if it does improve after that, I had only planned to work until 65 at the latest anyway. So Monday 11/19, I called all the employees in at noon, fed them a catered lunch and then announced my intentions to close the company down. I figure it will be about April before we finish our current contracts but I have not bid any new work since that day. The looters and moochers will have to find somebody else because I'm not playing anymore. Heck, I'm a white conservative male living in California - talk about swimming against the current. Well that's it for me; I’m tired and it’s time to disappear into oblivion. My firm is no Rearden Steel or Wyatt Oil but we’ve worked hard to build a company with an exceptional reputation. We’ve done large projects all over the country. I’ve held licenses in California, Oregon, Texas, Oklahoma, Florida, Georgia, North & South Carolina, Virginia, Maryland & Tennessee. We’ve also worked in states that required no licenses like N. Dakota, Illinois & Missouri and New Jersey. Some names of clients you might recognize include Toys-R-Us, Goodyear, IKEA, Wyeth-Ayerst, Eli Lilly & US Cold Storage. One of my favorite projects was the AFFF systems for Lowe’s aircraft hangar in Statesville, NC (remind me to tell you a funny story about that one). All my suppliers have expressed their disappointment and a number of my minor competitors came into my office to say that they’ll miss us. I’ve helped a few employees get jobs with other companies. My superintendent wants to start his own small business and I’ve offered to help in any way I can. It’s just not fun anymore. Insurance premiums continue to escalate even though our safety program has our experience mod well below average. Every day it seems there is a new regulation designed to shackle business and raise revenue for the state. Statewide unemployment in California is still over 10% and over 15% here in Fresno. That’s the official numbers. It doesn’t count people who’ve limited out on unemployment insurance or those who just quit looking for a job. The underemployment number is closer to 25%. These last 4 years were difficult but I held out in hope that things would get better. Instead, the people voted for Santa Claus - the guy who promised to deliver more free stuff. The people also voted to raise sales taxes on themselves (already among the highest in the US) and income taxes on “the rich”. Sound familiar? Your state and the entire nation are next. Don’t even get me started on Cap & Trade that went into effect in Nov. State and local governments have unfunded pension liabilities in the hundreds of billions. No wonder Stockton and San Bernardino filed bankruptcy. Lot’s more CA cities getting in line. Where is the money going to come from (I’ll give you a hint where it’s NOT coming from).The liberal elitists in SF and LA have choked off the water to the most productive farm land in the nation. I don’t know where those fools think their food comes from. Funny that SF doesn’t have a problem taking their water from the Hetch Hetchy Valley or that LA raped the entire Owen’s Valley for their water. Maybe I’m just a grumpy old man and it’s time to go anyway. I've got 5 motorcycles feeling neglected and I need to lavish some attention on them. My dogs will no longer give me that sad look when I drive off to work on Monday. Now every day can be Saturday. | ||
| Cowboy |
Way to go strokizator I am proud of you it may intrest you to know that 250000 more small business have closed thier doors sience the election when enough of us old bastards sit on our money this shit will fall I am looking forward to that (where do they go when the money is gone?) | ||
| Brumbear |
Good for you mate!!!!! | ||
| 99savage |
Envy you Trying to figure out how to do it myself. Unfortunately starting 1955 at age 12 until 05:00 today have always worked for other people. - No ill will to any of my employers but not the same as being THE employer. Still trying to work out the details on how to check out. Been pretty good about saving but expecting by 2014 accumulated assets will be worth about $14.73 in 2006 dollars. p.s.: Mind if I post that other places? | ||
| Alter1 |
Strokizator. You mean this one? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhB072BxCVw&playnex t=1&list=PL6BB4DE411231EF1C&feature=results_video These are always interesting. Especially when they end up like this. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzPVkPm43HA Good luck with whatever you do next in life... | ||
| Pwnzor |
Good on you, and God speed in all your endeavors. | ||
| Strokizator |
Yeah Alter, where'd you find that? I was in the pumproom when it all started. Three 3000 gpm diesel pumps started up one right after another. An 8" gasket blew on one of the AFFF supply lines so I was busy and didn't get to watch the foam flow. The night before, I had adjusted the monitor nozzles and flowed water for each side separately. The next day a bunch of big-wigs from Lowes showed up and asked me where they could stand for a good view. I neglected to take into account that the solution is much slipperier than plain water, there were three pumps running instead of one and that both banks of nozzles were operating at once. About 5000 gpm from each side comes crashing together right in front of the hangar doors. Picture some guy standing on a jetty when a rogue wave slams ashore, only these people are hit with soap.suds. Wish I could have seen it. | ||
| Strokizator |
That second video is of high-expansion foam. What we used is more like dishwater and is not supposed to cover the aircraft, just a fuel.spill. | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
I closed shop on my 16 year business in February. I embarked on my new career in an expanding market with much better prospects for advancement. Unfortunately, I am not in a position to "go Galt". I've still got another 25+ years to go before retirement. I am no longer taking the responsibility for others nor working to provide any sort of support. Strok, did you indicate your reasoning for closing the business in the context of Obama's re-election? I think I would have. | ||
| Cityxslicker |
Good for you, stick it too the man - by opting out ; it is the only solution when the game is rigged. Congratulations - may you find the happiness and excitement you now have time in abundance for. 44 - I still have to fight these bastards every day. And it is starting to pay off; a couple of the Republican Governors like my ideas well enough, and there is still hope Texas will secede.... If you can't beat them at the ballot, kill them at the bank. | ||
| Two_seasons |
Can't say I'm surprised. My sister just moved out of CA, Huntington Beach. Now living in ID. Had been in CA since 1985. Congrats. | ||
| Kilroy |
COngrats and good luck - many more decent, hardworking folks like you to follow, I'm sure. Protect what you have set aside as I am sure they will start coming for that also | ||
| Hybridmomentspass |
" and there is still hope Texas will secede.... " o f f s...... | ||
| Hootowl |
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/12/05/detroit -councilwoman-to-obama-voted-for-now-bail-us-out/ I was about to say 'unbelievable', but it absolutely is believable. This is the mindset. The moocher opens her beak and squawks for papa looter to feed her. | ||
| Geedee |
"Maybe I’m just a grumpy old man and it’s time to go anyway." No you're not. Your business sounds much bigger than mine, never the less I can relate to your circumstances. Most of my colleagues are in the same situation. This is not just an America thing. There is absolutely no incentive for me to kick on, but I do, just so I can fight the bast***s. Best of luck for your future. "In the world of business Agenda 21 is not a free market friend, preferring PPPs or Private Public Partnerships where the government decides which companies will receive tax breaks and are allowed to stay in business." http://www.sodahead.com/united-states/is-the-soros -sponsored-agenda-21-a-hidden-plan-for-world-gover nment/question-3353919/ 'They' absolutely have a plan, and it does not include 'middle' class. | ||
| Oldog |
Congrats to you and my condolences to your former employees good luck Mr Galt =) | ||
| Racerx |
great job turning your back on your employees  | ||
| Cowboy |
I say Obama and those that voted for him turned thier back on working America | ||
| Chauly |
"great job turning your back on your employees " Totally unfair characterization. He's given them warning, offered them assistance (and, I would imagine, references). He's not a charity, and he's paid them over the years; he owes them nothing. It's the end of the roller coaster ride, and though it's been fun, and you may want to ride it some more, it's time to get off and find the Next Ride in the Amusement Park of Life. | ||
| Etennuly |
Racerx, as a business owner myself, of over 20 years, I can say that there is a difference between turning your back on employees and seeing that you can no longer carry them. At some point you must stop the bleeding. Especially when the Gob'mt has promised to make things worse. I have lost all of my employees, there were only four, but they meant the world to me. The loans I used to keep them on for many extra months a few years ago, nearly sunk me and my business. It was a "next month will be better" loan program but "better" has not come.....three and a half years later I still work alone, some times with a part time helper. So be fair with the gouging. These life changing decisions as a business owner may look easy, but they are not as easy as it may seem. If I had let my employees go several months earlier than I did it would surely have been a smarter business move, but they had families, mortgage payments and car payments. I tried to help, but my customers were filing bankruptcy and cutting back to nothing and just in general not paying for services rendered. There have been few new customers since, most with just a little single job to do. Now I get to make payments on the monies I "supplemented" for those former employees to hang around waiting for things to get better. | ||
| Racerx |
he owes them nothing. Apparently, hope no one goes bankrupt! Then they'll have one of those sick commie bail outs! | ||
| Akbuell |
Racerx - Here is your chance to 'Stick it to the man' and become the 'Hero to the common worker' .... Send Strok a PM, make him an offer to buy his established business at a fair price, and You do his job ... | ||
| Etennuly |
Apparently, hope no one goes bankrupt! Then they'll have one of those sick commie bail outs! I believe those stimulus bailouts only happen to banks and billion dollar businesses who can help buy voters. Even big businesses who didn't ask for the stimulus could get it. Little guys.....sink or swim. The only gob'mt plan for a small business is to "close the doors, you were too weak to survive anyway".....oh.....and you need to get back to work to pay for the stimulus funding.  | ||
| Racerx |
Here is your chance to 'Stick it to the man' and become the 'Hero to the common worker' .... I would but Obama took my baby! | ||
| Strokizator |
Well Racerx, since you brought it up, I've got a storage building at my yard to keep things I don't want cluttering up the garage. Once of them is a 1960 Chevy Impala convertible with a 4-barrel 348 and powerglide transmission, black with white top and red interior. I've got over $35K into. The body and paint are perfect. Months ago one of the guys, a very valuable employee, found out I had the car there and told me "If you ever want to sell it. . ." I'm thinking to myself that here's a guy with a 2 kids + another on the way, just bought a house, etc, he won't be able to afford a car like that for many years. He's one of the first guys I placed with my competitors but he told me he wanted to be the last guy out the door. I asked him if he had $20 on him and when he produced it I shook his hand and said "Congratulations, you just bought a car." We loaded it on a flat bed last Saturday and he spent the day washing the car in his driveway in a pouring rain. I'm glad someone was happy. But you are right Racerx in that there is a human aspect to all of this and it weighed heavily in my decision. I am not a selfish individual. The reality is that, as promised, America has been fundamentally changed. I just got off the train before it wrecked. If you want to take the controls then, by all means, go for it. | ||
| Kenm123t |
Now your having FUN Stroke. you had more fun giving than did getting it | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
Racerx, Strok has not one single obligation to his employees other than to pay them their negotiated wages at the end of a full work day. Jobs don't exist as a social benefit. Jobs exist because there is an employer who has work that needs to be completed in order to deliver a good or service to the market for a profit. Considering there isn't a SINGLE penny from a single employee on the line and the capital spent to create and run the business belongs entirely to Strok, if he wanted to burn the place to the ground with everything the business owns contained within the building, he would be completely in his right to do so. I would say, being in California, that the majority of Strok's employees voted for Obama and his policies. In doing so, those employees have turned their back on Strok. In fact, they've turned their back on capitalism, personal property rights, and the Constitution. The most proper response is the one taken, "you made your bed now you lie in it". | ||
| Buellinmke |
You haven't gone Galt. What you have done is quit. Given up. Thrown in the towel. If you had read Atlas Shrugged and comprehended the story, you would know that going Galt is taking your successful business and moving to a remote, disconnected valley with all of your other successful business buddies in order to deny the moochers access to your success. You would all thrive in your little microcosm of successful economies, happiness and sexual promiscuity until the moochers begged you to come back to regular society in order to save them from themselves. When you go Galt, you have to plan for that eventual return. You haven't gone Galt, and you aren't going to go Galt. All you've done is quit. You're quitting on your employees, your family, and your country. You're not setting an example. You're just a quitter. | ||
| 99savage |
Buellinmke You're quitting on your employees, your family, and your country Naw, presume he is not dumping his family and as for the others; 51% of the populace has declared that they have no need of him & people like him. - He took them at their word and acted accordingly. He certainly has bested me. - When the populace told me to confine my ethics to the walls of my church I of course did as they told me to - and - stopped donating to secular charities, donating blood and informed the DMV I no longer want to be considered an organ donor (mostly worn out anyway). | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
The value of the business is in the capital that it takes to start it, maintain it, and run it. When he closes his business and sells the capital assets, he is converting his business into a fungible, transportable commodity. Strok is then going to transport himself and his fungible business to the "valley" of his choice. It doesn't mean that he has quit anything. He has simply converted what was his to a form more easily transported and maintained. He doesn't owe his employees a damn thing. |
