Computer Hard Drive sticker shock

[NickD 203]

Starting getting that blue screen, Windows is shutting down your computer, so I pulled the HD, using a USB adapter to hook it up to my computer. Got that click click at first with hardware errors, but with luck, tapped it a couple of times, typical of a WD that is over a year old. So I was able to backup all of her data. Crazy that in laptops, only give you one HD to deal with.

Really no problem, is a 320 GB HD and recall run around 50 bucks so hopped over to Officemax, none in stock. Got on line, and that 50 buck HD is now 180 bucks. Something about a flood in Thailand. Computer manufactures are desperate and paying high bonuses just to get these things.

So why are all these things made in Thailand? Why not in my hometown, we are 1,400 feet above sea level and never have flooding problems. If you know anything about these things, 99.9% manufactured and assembled with automation equipment. Does require a couple of trained techs to setup these production runs, sure they will make a couple of bucks more per hour than in a foreign country, have to, to pay taxes. But when divided over unit cost, only taking about a couple of cents per unit.

Not only that, but we are the largest consumers of this component, would think shipping charges back and forth would offset this. Say forth, because we are rich in natural resources. Granted the major markup on these components is in the distribution of them and retailer markups, but then we do have all of our eggs in one basket and also faced with political problems in dealing with foreign companies that lead us into very expensive wars. We are not coming out ahead.

So why aren't we manufacturing that stuff here? Pose this question to the IRS, EPS, DNR, ERA, OSHA, insurance companies, and another bunch of newly formed governmental agencies. None of them to help our companies, but there to destroy them.

[Nagishkaw 510]

Got on line, and that 50 buck HD is now 180 bucks. Something about a flood in Thailand. Computer manufactures are desperate and paying high bonuses just to get these things.

My husband was told the same thing some months back when he was ordering them for customers.

It's a set up. Like ink for a printer and medicine, I guess you either pay the high price or go without. They got us there because without ink, you don't print a dang thing, without medicine, you stay sick or die, and without a HD, all you have is a machine that you can't do anything with.

[Deputy Purple 1,294]

It's true, the flooding in Thailand has crippled worldwide HD supply.

They're manufactured overseas because they are not assembled by machines but by skilled labor in a clean environment and said labor is cheaper in Thailand than anywhere in the US (even after you add the cost to ship the end product here). Just ask Apple why all of their products are build with components from Asia.

[NickD 203]

Not that much lower, but hard drives sure are not cheaper now.

"

Average Salary in Thailand - Job and Sector Comparison.

Job Net Monthly Income constant 2005 US$ (1) Notes Gross Monthly Average Income (2) Compulsory Deductions (3) Weekly Hours (4) Airline Pilot average salary PPP $ 3,335 $ 1,064 Men employees, 2005. 48,036 bahts 11% 39.0 General Physician average salary PPP $ 2,936 $ 937 Men employees, 2005. Women make 25,130 bahts per month. 41,358 bahts 9% 52.0 Engineer average salary PPP $ 2,369 $ 756 Chemical engineer. Men employees, 2005. Women make 30,000 bahts per month. 32,655 bahts 7% 48.0 Dentist average salary PPP $ 2,273 $ 725 Men employees, 2005. Women make 35,300 bahts per month. 31,325 bahts 7% 42.0 Accountant average salary PPP $ 1,948 $ 621 Men employees, 2005. Women make 21,113 bahts per month. 26,562 bahts 6% 44.0 Flight Attendant average salary PPP $ 1,702 $ 543 Men employees, 2005. 23,202 bahts 6% 52.0 Professor average salary PPP $ 1,545 $ 493 Men employees, 2005. Women make 19,662 bahts per month. 21,067 bahts 6% 38.0 Teacher average salary PPP $ 1,216 $ 388 Men employees, 2005. Women make 17,123 bahts per month. 16,580 bahts 6% 38.0 Computer Programmer average salary PPP $ 1,198 $ 382 Insurance industry. Men employees, 2005. Women make 16,547 bahts per month. 16,336 bahts 6% 50.0 Professional Nurse average salary PPP $ 1,122 $ 358 Men employees, 2005. Women make 16,892 bahts per month. 15,295 bahts 6% 51.0 Office Clerk average salary PPP $ 1,095 $ 349 Men employees, 2005. Women make 12,183 bahts per month. 14,928 bahts 6% 46.0 Auxiliary Nurse average salary PPP $ 935 $ 298 Men employees, 2005. Women make 12,285 bahts per month. 12,751 bahts 6% 41.0 Postman average salary PPP $ 675 $ 215 Men employees, 2005. Women make 9,608 bahts per month. 9,206 bahts 6% 44.0 Hotel Receptionist average salary PPP $ 611 $ 195 Men employees, 2005. Women make 8,157 bahts per month. 8,334 bahts 6% 50.0 Bus Driver average salary PPP $ 561 $ 179 Men employees, 2005. Women make 6,799 bahts per month. 7,654 bahts 6% 53.0 Car Mechanic average salary PPP $ 479 $ 153 Men employees, 2005. Women make 3,748 bahts per month. 6,530 bahts 6% 49.0 Salesperson average salary PPP $ 449 $ 143 Men employees, 2005. Women make 5,692 bahts per month. 6,118 bahts 6% 51.0 Furniture Finisher average salary PPP $ 408 $ 130 Men employees, 2005. Women make 4,253 bahts per month. 5,559 bahts 6% 50.0 Physiotherapist average salary PPP $ 386 $ 123 Men employees, 2005. Women make 4,817 bahts per month. 5,257 bahts 6% 48.0 Chambermaid average salary PPP $ 376 $ 120 Men employees, 2005. Women make 4,634 bahts per month. 5,130 bahts 6% 49.0 Carpenter average salary PPP $ 342 $ 109 Men employees, 2005. Women make 5,457 bahts per month. 4,663 bahts 6% 47.0 Garment Cutter average salary PPP $ 330 $ 105 Men employees, 2005. Women make 6,035 bahts per month. 4,498 bahts 6% 53.0 Baker average salary PPP $ 322 $ 103 Men employees, 2005. Women make 3,419 bahts per month. 4,390 bahts 6% 53.0 Miner average salary PPP $ 306 $ 98 Men employees, 2005. Women make 3,945 bahts per month. 4,172 bahts 6% 54.0 Wood Grinder average salary PPP $ 295 $ 94 Men employees, 2005. Women make 3,900 bahts per month. 4,028 bahts 6% 49.0 Sector Financial average income PPP $ 1,377 $ 439 Employees, 2005. 18,780 bahts 6% 49.5 Gas-Electricity-Water average income PPP $ 907 $ 289 Employees, 2005. 12,366 bahts 6% 45.5 Real Estate average income PPP $ 734 $ 234 Employees, 2005. 10,010 bahts 6% 52.2 Transport-Communication average income PPP $ 722 $ 230 Employees, 2005. 9,844 bahts 6% 49.1 Education average income PPP $ 722 $ 230 Employees, 2005. 9,840 bahts 6% 39.3 Mining-Quarrying average income PPP $ 582 $ 186 Employees, 2005. 7,936 bahts 6% 50.4 All Sectors average income PPP $ 470 $ 140 Employees, 2003. 5,840 bahts 6% 48.9 Manufacturing average income PPP $ 470 $ 150 Employees, 2005. 6,407 bahts 6% 50.5 Hotels-Restaurants average income PPP $ 403 $ 128 Employees, 2005. 5,490 bahts 6% 51.9 Construction average income PPP $ 357 $ 114 Employees, 2005. 4,863 bahts 6% 49.7 (1) The net average income in "constant 2005 US$" is computed using the Interbank nominal exchange rate [a] and the U.S. inflation rate [d]. The net average income in "constant 2005 US$" at PPP is computed using the IMF PPP exchange rate [d] and the U.S. inflation rate [d]. The latter reflects the purchasing power in the United States in 2005. (2) The gross monthly average income is based on data supplied by the Thailand National Statistical Office [37] to the International Labour Organization [9]. The average income includes the salaries and wages of paid employees. Employees include both men and women unless otherwise noted. (3) The compulsory deductions reflect the income tax rates in Thailand [t] and the social security rates in Thailand . The deductions are representative of single-earner-married-without-child status, and take into account family benefits in terms of cash transfers. (4) The weekly hours are based on data supplied by Thailand National Statistical Office to the International Labour Organization [9]. The hours by job and by sector correspond to the hours actually worked."

And not exactly a dump either:

[Robert&Karen 264]

Lower wages AND easier environmental controls. There are many companies forced out of the USA because they'd pollute to much or need to build pollution controls which would kill the price of the product. So they move to a place that let's them build.

[aaron2020 11,651]

More computers are sold in China than the US. Maybe that's another good reason to build them in Asia rather than the US.

[NickD 203]

More computers are sold in China than the US. Maybe that's another good reason to build them in Asia rather than the US.

China can make all the hard drives they want for the Chinese, couldn't care less about that. USA is rapidly changing from in independent country to a dependent one, good thing we weren't doing that at the outbreak of WW II.

Anyway, stopped by my Officemax store last night, know the manager quite well, that 50 buck HD is now 150 bucks, but we told me, should have purchased it two weeks ago before they had this major price increase.

Dang, I have to get that crack in my crystal ball repaired.

[hikergirl 277]

I read an article in the New York Times recently that said it's easier for the companies to get the labour force they want in Asia, plus now that most of the components are built in Asia it's less shipping of parts around to the Assembly plants. I guess they are looking for people who are educated (i.e. certificate programs) but not necessarily with University degrees where they want more money and they are a lot easier to find in Asia. Plus they have a hard time finding people in the US (or Canada for that matter) who are willing to work the hours like the Asians are. They can easily find people there who are willing to work 6 days a week, 12 hours a day. This way they don't have to train as many workers because they are working the hours for two workers here, less benefits to pay because the workers still only have one family each, and so on. It was an interesting article to read anyways.

[spookyturtle 9,466]

Read this article. It's long but interesting. There is a thread in P%R about it. It explains why most electronics are made overseas. And the cost of labor isn't the biggest reason.

Article link:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46091572/ns/business-us_business/#.Tx7Zr6VtrNU

Thread link:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/348325-why-apple-says-it-cant-build-an-iphone-in-the-us/

[NickD 203]

Read this article. It's long but interesting. There is a thread in P%R about it. It explains why most electronics are made overseas. And the cost of labor isn't the biggest reason.

Article link:

http://www.msnbc.msn...s/#.Tx7Zr6VtrNU

Thread link:

http://www.visajourn...hone-in-the-us/

In regards to the top article, this was the country I grew up in with hard working people, we developed that technology, vacuum tube, transistor, integrated circuit., TV, VCR's, etc. Chicago was the electronics headquarters of the world.

Things really changed drastically when the Nixon administration no long backed up the buck with gold, price of gold skyrocketed so much, we couldn't use it anymore. Then our government started paying Japan 10% of whatever they exported here. To compete along with that phony energy crisis, companies started moving down south, then to Mexico, then finally to Asian countries. We are still charging high tariffs to our allies in Europe, but just the opposite to any Asian country and those middle class jobs are gone.

At the same time, wasn't coming up with new technology to make a good income, it became making money with money. So if you are wondering why the USA is going to hell, just go back the last 40 years. This use to be a great country, isn't anymore. In the 30's, USA was noted for making the best watches in the world, also in the history books.

Listening to stories from my mom, depression days were terrible, country was broke and was everybody else. Suddenly WW II breaks out and all kinds of money and jobs. But the cause of that depression, Wall Street wasn't dealing with money, but with IOU's, Roosevelt changed all that. In the crash of 2008, that didn't happen, those that lost huge sums of money, that money was not lost at all, but ended up in other peoples' pocket. Reagan said we needed less government regulation, we got that, but not for the hard working people, but for his billionaire friends. Not one president nor congress corrected that, regardless of their party.