The Kneeslider

Doers Builders and Positive People

Bringing Manufacturing Back to the USA

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Technology Review is currently running an excellent series of articles, the last one I mentioned, about shale gas, fired everyone up and subsequently, many readers missed the point, which was how it could help bring manufacturing back to the USA. The magazine is trickling these articles out day by day and the latest one goes into the "reshoring" initiative that's really taking … [Read more...]

Could Shale Gas Help Kick Start Motorcycle Manufacturing and Sales in the US?

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If you live in the US and you've been paying attention, you already know fracking is opening up huge reserves of natural gas and consequently lowering the price, lower by far than most everywhere else in the world. While some might look at that as a sign we should convert all of our internal combustion engines to CNG, which isn't a bad idea, it's the boatload of other benefits … [Read more...]

Renew Old Skills and Create Your Own Opportunities – A Very Personal Note from The Kneeslider

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You might have noticed the many articles on old skills like casting metal I've been writing recently and other articles encouraging you to become more hands on, getting some tools and learning to work on your own motorcycle, whether a simple maintenance checkup or more involved mechanical or electrical repairs, and you may be wondering where I'm going with all of this. Well, … [Read more...]

Harley Davidson Received Federal Assistance

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In new information just released by the Federal Reserve, starting in the Fall of 2008, the Fed was giving aid to a wide range of banks and businesses, including foreign banks and businesses, which might raise a few eyebrows, while at the same time, a lot of US domestic companies were receiving assistance as well, something which didn't receive much, if any, attention at all. … [Read more...]

Rising Chinese Labor Costs May Signal Opportunity for Manufacturers Elsewhere

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As motorcycle manufacturers everywhere are struggling to remain competitive, they're facing cheap Chinese producers making impossible demands on their few remaining profits, leading to outsourced production in China in order to compete, however, a news item this week signals a change may be brewing. Foxconn Technology, a Chinese contract electronics manufacturer making … [Read more...]