Posts Tagged ‘Current Events’

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From Russia, with copters

August 20th, 2010
By: Dan Davis

We get our share of press releases from government offices. You'll be happy to know that all of them are via e-mail. No trees were harmed in the process of distributing this bureaucratic blather.

A recent note from Congressman Don Manzullo, R-Ill., stood out, however. A representative of northern Illinois, which is home to Rockford and other communities rich in manufacturing history, Manzullo is a long-time supporter of the manufacturing community. He's also been a vocal critic of the government when he feels U.S. manufacturers are getting shortchanged.

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So the government shows up and says, 'I'm here to help'

June 11th, 2010
By: Dan Davis

Ask any metal fabricating business owner or manager what the government can do to help them out, and the response is pretty typical: "Stop trying to help."

The last attempt that comes to mind is President Barack Obama's offer of a tax incentive to hire people. Business owners found it laughable. They were supposed to bring on new workers without new business coming in? That certainly sounds like the federal government's approach to running a business. (more...)

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Speak up but don't hold your peace

June 4th, 2010
By: Dan Davis

The continuing oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is silently eating away at my insides. My grandmother purchased a camp in Clermont Harbor, Miss., back in 1969 after Hurricane Camille dramatically rearranged the Gulf Coast. Growing up I spent most of my summers down on the white beaches of the Redneck Riviera. It wasn't until the early 1990s that I finally stopped going down there as my career took me to northern Illinois. Even with the time away, I always think about the good times I had at the camp and on the beach just down the road.

Of course, Hurricane Katrina wiped Clermont Harbor off the map. Storm surges literally took every object and structure a half-mile inland back to the gulf. But since 2005, the beaches have been restored as was hope. That was the case at least until the Deepwater Horizon rig blew up on April 20, unleashing a huge environmental catastrophe that will take lifetimes to correct. (more...)

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Fabricating to the rescue yet again

May 5th, 2010
By: Dan Davis

By now everyone has heard about the massive oil spill taking place in the Gulf of Mexico, a result of an explosion on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig April 20. If you haven't, you'll also be shocked to know that bell bottoms have come and gone out of style again and that Abe Vigoda is still alive .

Estimates suggest that 210,000 gallons of crude a day have been released into the gulf for the last two weeks. This puts the disaster on par with the oil spill from the Exxon Valdez in Alaska in 1989.

Being that the three leaks are in deep water, about 5,000 feet below the surface, plugging them has proven difficult. The oil industry hasn't been faced with anything like this before.

So what did they do? They contacted a contractor and put some welders to work. (more...)

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Joe Biden and a press brake

December 21st, 2009
By: Tim Heston

Rickey Moulder probably won't forget the workday he had Thursday. Moulder is press brake department supervisor for Impulse Manufacturing in Dawsonvile, Ga., and on Dec. 17 he got to explain a bit about sheet metal fabrication to Vice President Joe Biden. An Associated Press photographer even got a great shot of him holding a sheet metal part and standing next to a sign explaining the company's press brake operations. That's not something you see every day.

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The 12 months of oh-nine

December 16th, 2009
By: Vicki Bell

Here's a quick look back at a few highlights and lowlights from 2009—where we were when we began the year, where we are now, and what happened as the year unfolded, particularly when it comes to jobs. I wish you peace and a happy, healthy, and prosperous 2010.

The first month of oh-nine
Obama raised his hand
To begin his presidency
Based on "Yes, we can"

Unemployment stood at 7.2

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A most-fitting memorial to 9/11

November 4th, 2009
By: Vicki Bell

It's been eight years since the 9/11 attacks that destroyed the World Trade Center and killed almost 3,000 innocent prople— enough time for two presidential elections; U.S. military involvement in Afghanistan and Iraq; the fall of a dictatorship; the battle of New Orleans versus Katrina; the Great Recession; and countless other famous and infamous news-making events. However, none have supplanted the memory of that tragic morning when horrified Americans and our neighbors across the world watched the devastation unfold.

Throughout these eight years, many 9/11 memorials have been suggested. Some have been realized, some scrapped, and some are in development. Perhaps the most fitting to date, the USS New York, steamed into New York harbor Nov. 2 as firefighters, bagpipers, and those who lost loved ones on 9/11 watched. As reported on CNN.com, the new Navy assault ship's bow was fabricated using seven and a half tons of steel recovered from the wreckage of the WTC.

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Shh & Manufacturing is looking better

October 20th, 2009
By: Tim Heston

Psssst. Hey & down here. I"m the headline about 20 column inches below the story about Balloon Boy. Keep looking down. Down. Just below that expose about Polanski. See me? Good. Don't tell anyone, but manufacturing's getting a bit better. In fact, manufacturing may be the thing that pulls us all out of the economic doldrums; at least that's how some are reacting to the Federal Reserve data released Friday.

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Small government is good; Really small government is better

October 1st, 2009
By: Tim Heston

I'm not so naive that I believe The FABRICATOR is the only magazine metal fabricators read. If The FABRICATOR is the only one you read, than I applaud you for it and urge you to swing by our booth (No. 7034) at FABTECH International so I can give you a hug.

Because we do have competitors seeking to be the main source of metal fabricating technology information, I try to keep up with those publications. I check out the editorials and their feature subjects to find out how they entice their readers to spend a part of their busy day reading the publications.

One competitor recently redesigned the magazine and let the editor have almost two pages of editorial space. Could an editor really have that much to say? You bet your ironworker he does.

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What is new is not so new

August 14th, 2009
By: Tim Heston

I'm still recovering from a visit to Washington, D.C. It's not that I was taxed to death, even though I left with an empty wallet, or that I was roughed up during an angry AARP demonstration. It's just difficult to immerse myself back into the work world after being more than 750 miles away physically and 1 million miles away mentally.

But I come back with a new perspective. If you can't learn something on a visit to Washington, D.C., you're just not paying attention.

In several Washington museums and memorials, the story of Abraham Lincoln is front and center. This makes perfect sense as our 16th president is looked upon as one of the greatest leaders in this country's history. But the timing is special as well: It's Honest Abe's 200th birthday.

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