Outsourcing at irrational scale to serve greedy or desperate employers and investors -- emptying local employment, middle class hardest hit

It has been a rough ride for middle class Australians in the last couple of years.  I'm not even talking about ever rising prices of electricity, food, housing, transport, medical, insurance and other basic necessities. It is more challenging to hold a job with decent income to support your family for those with more responsibilities than self sustenance.

No longer does a good education and specialized skill guarantee you job security till pass middle age.

Starting with manufacturing, we thought that higher value added jobs could be retained locally. Not any more. IT (information technology), accounting services, and now legal services can be outsourced on a massive scale. Employers have no qualms about taking the sledge hammer to export jobs, with little consideration to coordination, sensitivity of information and understanding of local environment.

Labour intensive  -- Low cost component -- Assembly / Semi-skilled processes -- Design -- Innovation

Every industry and sector has no qualms and almost ridiculously competing to outsource each other -  textile/garment, light industry, banks, construction, telco, airlines, financial services, etc.  Eventually, when labour of developing nations become more highly educated, skilled and creative, which they will catch up with us sooner than later, even designing and innovative jobs can be shipped overseas.  Only few food and personal services and care could not be outsourced.

Just because everyone is doing it does not make it alright.

Despite the political soundbites in favour of protecting local jobs, there is little the federal or state government could do to interfere with private business decisions.

http://www.change.org/en-AU/petitions/prime-minister-julia-gillard-stop-outsourcing-australian-jobs-2

Hypocritically, even local governments contemplate outsourcing jobs.

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/it-pro/government-it/councils-job-outsourcing-plans-breach-eba-union-20130107-2ccy0.html

On the surface, it makes good economic sense, from the employers' point of view. Capitalist economic theories teach us to the benefits of division of labour and comparative advantage. It's good for business by lowering to cost, doing what we are best at, and maximisig profits. Welcome to the real world of globalisation and competition. It does not take into consideration social stability and compromise quality of services.

No matter how hard you have worked, giving up your health and best part of your life and time, and no matter how good you may be at your job, and contributed to your company's growth and profits, employers can be ruthless and have skilled efficient workers who do not fit into their short term purely cost (not even profit) driven gameplan to cut jobs. The air of distrust and low morale pervades many workplaces of today. It is no wonder more people are falling sick, especially work anxiety.

If jobs can be neatly compartmentalized, could be performed efficiently and cheaply by skilled workers in India, China, Indonesia and Vietnam. We have nothing against individual workers overseas as they too need to make a living and probably work under less enviable terms and conditions.

The real culprits who should be made to answer the questions are the heartless creatures who decide on making every opportunity to outsource, regardless of its suitability. Mindless restructuring and outsourcing has created a vacuum. A small percentage of former staff laid off by companies have been re-employed as contract staff at higher salaries to fill the gaps that foreign labour are unable to accomplish. There you have a dumb decision immediately exposed. There will come a time, and it should be sooner, that senior management could be outsourced too, for making silly mistakes.

Adjustments are invariably difficult and take a long time to achieve positive results, if they in fact do so.  Our education reforms have met with funding shortage and strong resistance from educationists, parents and politicians. We would be hard pressed to develop relevant skills to keep jobs locally.

Depreciation of the unrealistically high Aussie dollar is inevitable. Australian goods and services have become uncompetitive. Life has been good to us in the recent past thanks to the mining boom. Australian travellers have been able to stretch the value of their dollar and enjoy during good times.

However, with the slowdown in exports, rising unemployment, high living costs and mortgage (despite rate decrease) becomes more painful.

To be employed and have a gainful employment for a large part of our lives is a basic human right. It is useless to talk about esoteric theories and ideals when we can't even carry on with decency and dignity.

This is going to be a cold, harsh and long winter.

Glass Galore - Centrepiece, Serving platter, side dish, wall flower and more

A poorer and less glamorous cousin of crystal, hand-made and mouth-blown glass is no less charming. Creative craftsmen can transform simple glass into works of arts. It's an ancient skill that collectors and modest admirers never get tired of. 

Swedish : Kosta Boda - stunning and heavy weight

Italian floral platter and bowl

 

Villeroy and Boch mosaic colours

Maltese art glass is expensive but exudes an exquisite aura

 

Japanese inspired local artwork?

An American artist's masterpiece

Seriously, is it safe to shop for glass online? I suppose insurance will cover breakage and loss. But it's difficult to argue against imperfections of handmade products. You'd want to buy something you have scrutinized, felt and held in your hands. 

Shopping for Fabrics - Spring Interiors Makeover

Discard the dark sombre colours this spring? Some winter textiles on sale are suitable for spring, summer and autumn. Women shoppers tend to grab more than they need. Men are indifferent. Anything that is practical, not ugly and time-saving. 

The exotica - get ready to party! 

Paisley is classic

 The cottage garden - complementary contrasts

 

Realisation of global credit squeeze and rising borrowing costs on Australian banks

We actually saw it coming I'm not kidding. Variable rate will at best be put on hold, if not rise to match the higher costs of borrowing and funding due to rising uncertainties and risks from the gravity of European debt ridden economies and the tenuous US "recovery".

http://www.theage.com.au/national/home-owners-pay-for-the-banks-pain-20120210-1smgz.html

Getting it right is not something to boast of. Nevertheless, Australian borrowers would have expected the Reserve Bank to have some inkling even if it had not forewarned of possible rate rises that would cause additional pain to households saddled with mortgages. When many of us including the experienced and savvy investors have suffered severe bashing in the volatile markets since the Global Financial Crisis, suffice to say, an ability to envision beyond six months in financial planning is no mean feat.

Instead of explaining the gulf between the Reserve Bank's anticipated rate cut, which is out of sync with the market forces, and impending mortgage rate rises, Treasurer Wayne Swan has capitalised on the populist bank bashing bandwagon to mask bureaucrats' missed targets.

http://www.businessspectator.com.au/bs.nsf/Article/Wayne-Swan-Australian-banks-funding-costs-pd20120131-R28CV?OpenDocument&src=mp

Indeed, bank bashing has overshot and exceeded reasonable limits - "fever pitch" as some analysts call it. There are always two sides of the story. Blaming another to reap political capital or higher profits would not benefit the common folks. A fairer and more intelligent strategy might.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/opinion/economy-needs-smarter-strategy-than-bank-bashing/story-e6frg71x-1226265118327

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/opinion/bank-bashing-is-fraught-with-unknown-consequences/story-fn558imw-1226267144306

http://www.smh.com.au/business/banks-deep-pockets-short-arms-and-shorter-memories-20120210-1sm17.html

Why eat kangaroo, emu, rabbit, crocodile, camel, deer, horse, elephant - not Aussie culture but get used to wild meat

For someone who is a professed foodie, having game meat a few days in a row in the outback could prove excessive even for the most adventurous.

Rabbit meat is by far the most acceptable unconventional meat for the dinner table. Foremost, bunnies were propagating too rapidly and caused severe damages and costs to farmers. Moreover, rabbit is quite well known in French and European cuisine. Putting rabbit in stew or pie helps to mask indications of its origins.

Kangaroo meat, though, available in certain Australian fine dining and speciality stores, has not gained a wide following. Greens recommend eating more roo meat, and less beef, to safe the environment. Moreover, kangaroo meat is lean and therefore healthier than most red meats. Though it was eaten during drought and famine in the days of the early settlement, kangaroo has not gained widespread popularity despite the industry's attempt to market it aggressively in recent years.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/national/eat-a-roo-save-the-world/story-e6frf7l6-1111114612144

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/opinion/food-for-thought-why-skippy-should-be-our-steak-of-choice-20110708-1h5l6.html

Crocodile meat tastes like a blend between fish and chicken. Like roo, croc meat is touted for health benefits. Croc will be a boost to Australian exports as there is high demand by Chinese restaurants. Interestingly, croc meat is said to be a cure for asthma in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). We should keep some for Australian asthma sufferers and East Asian tourists visiting the outback.

Recipes for cooking crocodile meat :

http://www.australiancrocodile.com.au/images/Recipesandtipsforcookingcrocodilemeat_.pdf

Emu is available wild or from the farms. It looks and tastes more like beef with a tinge of gamey feel though it is a bird. It is regarded as exotic meat by US, Swiss and Asian consumers who took the bite of advertising on its low fat content and high standards of preparation.

http://www.nria.org.au/NewAnimalIndustries/Emus.aspx

Venison is more palatable although I hear protests from bambi lovers. Deer farms in Western Australia and Victoria are doing a roaring trade serving up venison teriyaki on hot plate to curious visitors and tourists as well as exporting them overseas.

http://www.rirdc.gov.au/programs/established-rural-industries/deer/program-overview/program-overview_home.cfm

My only aversion is for camel meat. Why would anyone want to eat a feral animal that Arabs don't particularly like except special use of the hump for emergencies, and the Jews are forbidden to eat camel meat according to the Torah. Do not believe those who tell you to be adventurous and try camel burgers. Don't be tempted or you'll regret. It's very pungent to the state of revulsion.

A less common meat is the horse. I know it may sound alien or even cruel to most Australians, there is apparently a small market officially legalised since last year. It has been a popular item on the menu in France which has created some controversy over animal rights in the US.

http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/diet-and-fitness/horses-for-courses-as-diners-eye-off-equine-entrees-20100708-101ws.html

In case some who fuss over the cute dumbo jumbo, I must warn that in some parts of Asia, it is acceptable to use elephant meat as substitute for domesticated farm animals for making sausages to increase profit margin.

I have taken a break and gone vegetarian for a day.