Reader Interaction - 8 Jan 2007

Dedicated to the Toys of Yester-Year...




8 January 2007
EB Reader & PK Correspondence


PK,

I thought you might be interested to know that one of the world's largest and most advanced magnetic tape manufacturer's is about to close its doors in a few days after going bankrupt, bought for nothing, and still unable to recover.

The equipment will be sold for nothing and the land sold.

They can bond and print almost anything to any type of thin film. You can have the company free of charge if you keep the doors open.

They are quantegy in Opelika, Albama.

I don't work there, an employee was telling me about them...and looking for a job after 23 years.



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EB Reader,

Unfortunately, it is not a unique occurrence. What you describe was once a proud, prospering cornerstone of Americana suffering the clash of the times. It was an Analog company working in a Digital world.

When you have MP3 players no bigger than a writing pen, or photo/video cameras that are becoming smaller than a pack of cigarettes, and can fit in the palm of your hand while storing up to 8GB of memory...

Well, the toys of yesteryear are either going to have to adapt, merge, or fade.

My dad once owned a Reel-to-Reel. He lovingly loaded it with the music he wanted to listen to and we'd listen to the tunes wail throughout those special nights of my childhood.

A number of years ago, his Recorder broke. I was going to get him a new one, but the prices were outrageous.

I then thought to do a "McGuiver" on the broken Reel-to-Reel Recorder, it and fix it myself.

The parts for his Recorder were more outrageous than the notion of purchasing a new one--plus, if the truth were to be known, I really didn't have a clue as to how to fix it--rather, I thought it like an IKEA product—you know--sooner or later the pieces would come together on their own forming into something looking like that picture on the box.

Instead, I thought to look in other directions, what with the onslaught of VHS recorders, CD's and then DVD's, along with the ease of loading -- I introduced my Father to WinMX (a revived peer-to-peer internet site), and he found that he could upload and record on CD and MP3, the old music he loved--and more--the old tunes of his childhood that he could never before find. And all this for free.

An so, his tapes, boxed up, began gathering dust in a dark corner of the basement, right next to his broken Reel-to-Reel recorder.

I sincerely feel for your friend, and I understand your comment. Look around, it is happening all over. Not just companies falling out of time, but people, jobs, America itself.

I heard on the radio a story about how the major department stores are bemoaning the fact that yet another year has passed and few have met their forecasted holiday sales volumes.

I ask how can they be surprised?

America is no longer the producer it once was. Most of the presents purchased were made elsewhere--outsourced to China, or a third world country more likely than not.

Christmas lights, decorations, and even fake trees are now being made in China. And that doesn't even touch the material (clothing/electronics) manufacturing aspect.

Meanwhile--a growing number of Americans are working two jobs to support their family and their credit card debt -- and yes, somewhere in the mix is a mortgage or rent and other creature comforts monthly payments, like cable.

Thank goodness for places of part time employment like Home Depot.

And a mega-boo-hiss to the retailers who missed their forecasted sales year...

The heartless person that I am, despite the crocodile-tears they cry, I tend to think: Maybe these retailers should have considered "buying" American products in the first place, as opposed to lining their pockets, while gouging America where it hurts the most...

Wow, that was quite a tangent -- Sorry I got off track slightly.

Cheers and thanks for the post, and the support to the EB.

PK sends...