Hi,

I'd like to start researching financials and annual reports regarding some of the more significant vacuum makers -- both corporate and private. Surely there's a way for private individuals to do this but I need some advice and ideas as to how to go about it without the process becoming expensive.

Thanks,

Venson

Thanks Carmine. This article is both totally cool and totally frightening.

For now at least, a good housekeeper with skills and situated in the right position can command a gross of $1,000 or more per week. An enviable income even to some college grads these days I think. Robots can't scamble an egg yet, choose a rib roast at the market or walk a kid across the street. Maybe for that area there's still a little time.

Nonetheless, the Roomba robots have improved and will improve over time. You'll note that there was no nitpickling on the author's part about deep cleaning, cyclonics, high air-filtration or weight. The issue was about getting into corners.

The real "plus point" is that you can go out and buy a device to roam your floors and never have have to do it yourself or pay someone to do it for you and thus be obligated with filing tax info or paying insurance premiums.

Yet the bigger picture did get me to thinking. We all can't be born Einstein so what's to be done in future for those or ourselves who are not if we mechanize to the point there's little need simple labor by all those who don't make it to the top.

I have a good friend who has twin sons and a younger boy. One of the twins, really a great kid now entering into his teens, has been extremely depressed as he has some learning disabilities and feels that he's "dumb." Of course all -- mother, father, friends, counselors -- are trying to help him through and impress upon him that he is not any less than anyone else, that he only processes information in a different way than some others. The subject of this young man came up the other day as my friend and I were talking and my immediate response was, "Well, not to worry, he can work with his hands. Lots of people do." You've shown me how wrong I may be.

Another question just raised the other day came up as another friend of mine and I were discussing the "cash-for-clunkers" thing. Per my friend, hypothetically, the rebates may help keep the auto industry afloat and save jobs or maybe even open up new jobs. I'd forgotten about the robots in use in the auto industry. They weld, they paint and do all manner of tasks priorly handle by human workers in a very precise and less expensive fashion and with little need of human hands save for programming and repair. I now have to call this guy back and ask him what exactly is to be saved.

Best,

Venson

Venson wrote:

Executive salaries and bonuses.

Hi Venson:

I enjoyed the iRobot article and its nuances of meaning for the economy.  I though you and others would too.  I like the products and the product implications.  I always have since their inception on the market/industry in October 2002.  Like you I noticed the complete lack of nitty gritty mechanics about the clean up processes and procedures.  Not even vacuums, technically.  But they do their jobs at reasonable and affordable prices without alot of manual intervention by users. 

Not to worry about your friend's son.  God provides.  Ask him to read the life of St. John Mary Vianney, the Cure de Ars.  Almost flunked latin.  Relegated to a small parish of 270 that is no bigger today than back in his day.  The priests in the surrounding areas joined forces and signed a petition to the local ordinary to have St. John Mary Vianney removed from the parish.  St. John Mary Vianney got wind of the petition and asked to be the first to sign it.  He was a very humble man and accepted his position in life with great joy.  Pope Benedict XVI has declared this year the year of the priests with St. John Mary Vianney as the patron saint.  Another Saint in the making is Solanus Casey, home bred from Michigan, who suffered with a similar background as the Cure de Ars.  Doing what we do daily with perfect love is what matters.

Carmine D.

WRT cash for clunkers, not one of my favorite government sponsored programs, it's a temporary fix.  It's successful in drawing out the past/future pent up demand for new cars.  How?  By throwing buyers some crumbs.  Once the government funds run out, then what?  Back to business as normal.  New auto sales will come to a screeching halt.  Government bureacrats don't realize that the markets have to find their own equilibrium.  Not with taxpayer bail outs and subsidies.  Huge waste of time, money and used vehicles, which if recycled back into the market would provide stimulus for parts, repairs, charities, etc.  Carmine's Rule:  Whatever the Government's program tries to accomplish, the exact opposite results. 

Carmine D.

HARDSELL wrote:
HARDSELL,

I think you've hit the nail right on the head.

Venson

CarmineD wrote:
In our hard pressed times, I'd be more happy if Mr. Obama took off the Santa suit and just said, "Tighten your belts and buck up" and left it at that as he sought to fix but not placate. This is not to say that I don't at least have some idea of his reasoning. There are those among the "movers and shakers" and the "haves" sorted out from the "jave nots" that you just have to try to make happy in some way, shape or form.

Nonetheless, sorry but I'm still asking for equal opportunity here.

My 20-year-old vacuum is not filtering well. Think of the health risks . . . the potential lung damage . . . the medical cost my jobless self may incur for tax payers. I'm breaking my back traveling up and down the stairs with my old blunderbuss of a Hoover!!! Why I could end up wheelchair bound any day now. . . . . My pistol-grip handheld is giving me carpal tunnel syndrome.

Rebates for all I say or none.

Venson

Venson wrote:

Hi Venson:  Join the masses.  I had pneumonia, as I said, and at risk for it.  I have 3 herniated discs in my lower back from an Army injury and collect no VA benefits for it.  Boxed in the Army and in concert with a fall off a ladder and using my right hand to break the fall I have CTS.  I could go on but what's the use.  Wheelchair?  Me?  My brother had ALS for 25 years and never used one.  Crawled around on his knees until he passed, up and down steps too and into and out of the car, which he couldn't close the door on because he wouldn't be able to open it with his hands.  He lived life to the fullest right up to his last breath.  I'd probably follow his example and do the same.  Just as stubborn. 

Carmine D.

Hi Carmine,

I was just putting out some examples but I am thoroughly assured that if you have that kind of stubborness that let's you tell the devil, "I don't care what you do to block my progress, I'm going on anyhow," it can't be a bad thing.

Best,

Venson

Amen, Venson.

About Electrolux sales/profits for Q2 2009 from the Wall Street Journal 7/17/09.

Carmine D.

Electrolux Reaps Benefit of Year-Ago Cost Cutting

By IAN EDMONDSON