Hecho en Mexico and How Stop Signs and Red Lights are Causing Global Warming

Author's Note: I am not against the Mexican people in any way, I commend them for cervesa on cheap import night at my university's bar, as well as the quesadilla -- and tequila of course. The image was just something that came up when I looked up Mexicans. This post does not put down Mexico, but rather put down North American businesses who outsource closer to home.

Hecho en Mexico and How Stop Signs and Red Lights are Causing Global Warming

I remember a time... of course this makes me seem older than I am when I start a post with I remember a time, but I do. And in this time (early 90s maybe very late 80s) My dad and I would go shopping for gym shoes or clothes, or anything for that matter and check the labels (my dad was always a real patriot) We could find clothes made in Canada. If you went into Roots EVERYTHING used to be made in Canada. However, over the years we would have to settle for things made in the USA because some of the facilities in Canada were closing. Remember the "Brain Drain"? When all the educated Canadians would move to the states for a decent job... that doesn't happen anymore. Nowadays they work in call centers, construction and general service. I work cutting grass with 3 out of 4 of us having a University degree, and we cut lawns because we don't want to settle for a call center... whoops off topic there. Anyways... As time went on in this "crisis" Canada was dropped as a manufacturing hub for its own people, replaced by the likes of Taiwan, China, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Japan, Peru, I think I even saw one of the "stans" on a tee once. At one time it used to be easy to find more than a handful of products made in Canada. Which I could purchase and wear with pride. Even Roots (The All Canadian Superstore) has basically dropped Canada to manufacture their $45 Tees and $65 Polos. Lately I hear myself saying... "At least its made in Mexico"

Word of the day:

Maquiladora: (mäkelädo´rä ) n. Synonymous with Mexico manufacturing, maquiladoras are Mexican assembly plants that manufacture finished goods for export. Maquiladoras are generally owned by non-Mexican corporations that take advantage of low-cost Mexican labor, advantageous tariff regulations, and close proximity to U.S markets. Maquiladoras are one of Mexico primary sources of foreign exchange.

Onto the lighter side. Fuel prices have gone stupid in the last 6 months, I'd say a 40% increase in my Northern Ontario snake pit town of ravenous "big 3" (Petro Can, Esso, Shell) gas stations. When the average price is hovering at $1.30 ours will be 1.4o The Soo is just raped at the pumps. I worked for P-Can the last day gas was under a dollar, and I will tell you that is a fact that I'm sure my children cant even fathom. I have a car I use every day now, to and from work. Lately when people get in they comment on my crazy driving. They will say "Where are you from, Montreal?" or "Jeez I don't think that light was still yellow once you got to the intersection..." Finally today I had someone say, "You took that corner like a bat out of hell, what are you trying to do, KILL US?!" once I corrected my heavy over steer and got back to my comfortable cruising speed, The Blue Devil is a heavy piece of machinery for a midsized but the V6 gives it some guts. I had to explain-- the reason my driving is poor has nothing to do with my inability to drive, in fact, when gas is reasonably priced I am commended for my regard of the rules. But this is the end of times chum! With these prices I am being the responsible one on the battlefield. I cant afford to buy a Smart Car so I have to use mine wisely. I probably take 2x the distance to reach my cruising speed, careful to not rev too high. So when a yellow approaches or a stop sign or a right hand turn on a red the gas companies have given me no choice but to conserve as much of that forward momentum as possible. I think it requires greater skill to control a 30 km/h hard right than it does to race red light to red light down queen street.

So when you see the Blue Devil coast through a 4 way, or make that gut splattering turn remember that I'm doing the greener thing under the circumstances. Don't blame me, blame BIG OIL and the conflict at the refinery in Madeupistan or worker strike in the oil fields of Fakeladesh