captamrica

Hello to all. Its been a while since I had been on the board (working my ass off, but thats a good thing) so I thought I would stop in and see what has been going on with you all. I keep a breast of the auto world in business, still has my heart attached to it, in hopes of hearing good news for you all. I see good things on the quality front with Yotota. Now if we can just get gas prices down and our economy out of the shitter maybe we can all share in what we had "in the old days" (F**king understatement of the century there). Me, I still am in the manufacturing field as a Maintanance Technician for a company based in Atlanta but has plants in Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Missouri, and Wisconson. I work for thier Home and Garden Liquids Division. I was just informed I will be promoted to Lead Tech to train all maintanance personel in the lean manufacturing concept and oversee all maintanance operations for that division. Got that by threatening to leave to another job working for a pharmacutical company after more then one of my ideas was presented upstairs by a couple of engineers as thier own. Had it not been for my supervisor who knew about them long before I brought them to engineering. He to came from the auto industry, so we share a common bond in that respect, although we sometimes differ on labor issues, for the most part we click on how things should be run. At any rate he brought it to the attention of senior management that I had been working on these ideas for months and had just brought them to engineering for approval. Then I snagged the Vice-President passing through the plant and unloaded on him about how "teamwork" is not going to work if this kind of crap is going on and I will simply take my knowledge and experience elsewhere. After that I now am invited to planning meetings where I can present any exclusive ideas I have as well as be asked what I think of other's ideas. Thier learning that it helps to have an opinion from someone off the floor because we sometimes see things they overlook upstairs. You know how things look on paper do not always look so good when you apply them. I've rambled long enough, so if you are buying any home and garden products we make all Spectricide, Cutter, Schultz, and Ace hardware products. Yes we are union, Painters local 42. I will keep buying Ford's, I was a Ford person before I worked there and still am. I would have to say even more so since many of my aquaintences and those I called friend depend on it. God Bless to you and yours, Capt.

Very true, :mellow:

God that makes me sad. I may be moving forward with life but my heart and mind keep drifting back to 6250 N. Lindbergh Blvd. I found myself telling my wife a couple of stories, just today, about some things and people that went on before I knew her. Good Luck and God Bless to you all, Capt.

Jim saw the message and got in touch with me. He took the buyout last month and is staying here in STL. Nice to here from you, hope things are going good for you. Bumped into Missy and Rick at Wal-Mart Saturday, they were in town for a B-day party. Had a busy weekend taking the kids to the pumpkin patch and then to see My Little Pony's Live at the Family Arena, my girls loved it, and I thought it was pretty good as well, they did a great job. The show is heading to K.C. next. My son had Camporee with the Scouts, he was elected Patrol Leader for his Patrol and this was his first camp in this position. I have to say I was surprised for taking on such a position of responsibility, I can not tell you how proud I am of him. Well got to go, Take care. Capt.

It would be nice to be able to read a summary of this book to see if I could truely use most all the information in it. I wish I could find someone with all the FTPM/FPS training manules. I threw mine away when I moved 4 years ago. Those were packed with info I could use to help faciltate training of other company personell. Of course it would have to be tweaked to fit thier respective manufacturing enviroment and not affiliate the training or myself with Ford. That should not be a problem I remember reading in the backs of the binders that it was open under copyright laws allowable to reproduce if used for training purposes. It did not specify training for only Ford Motor or any other definitve explantion about subsideraries, affliliates, or any other type of entity. If for no other reason I could use that info for my own reference to better organize, present ideas and cost analysis. A detailed explanation, as was laid out in those books, to better accomplish this will help identify possible pitfalls or problems I alone did not think of or anticipate. I would definetly sit on this info for a while and observe how they could improve and filter it in bit at a time. So if anyone has those books (about 4 or 5-2" binders) and has no need for them I sure would like them. Please do not offer them for sale to me, Despite the fact that I'm sure they are worth something. My child support case that if you ever read my posts went to the su[preme court and they ruled in my favor, so I was to be refunded $2850.00 from my exwife and I have not paid support all year (07) becuase my case was to be retroactive back to June 06, and I had paid $950.00 per month from June through December 06 rather then the new $370.00 per month. Unfortunately the Missouri Supreme Court failed to address the lower courts descretionary power over effective dates in their decision. The damn judge made it effective the day he signed it, September 7, 07. Making me liable for all the support I did not pay beacuse DCSE said I had such a large over payment from 06 I could go all 0f 07 without a problem. Well that changed drastically with the judges pen, literally, he scratched out thye June 06 effective date typed into the order and wrote in effective November 1, 2007. Making me liable for almost $10,000 in back support. So yea I'm kissing my employers but because without this job and my new amount and some towards the back amount, I would be going to jail. To add insult to injury my ex took the kids out of school for two weeks and went to Disney World 2-weeks after the ruling. This is the second time this year she and her brother have flown to Disney World with the kids. Last time was in may just before school let out for the summer. I have not seen my kids since the first week of September, seems she feels (based on her actions) that the judge was being nice to her, so she can do what she wants without regards to me. Remember we were both in agreement about this order. I applied for the reduction in November 05, it took until June 06 to get it approved, my ex did not challenge or contest the states finding nor it's effective date It was St. Louis County Courts that challenged DCSE and the Attorney General's authority to do administratives revues of orders if your income dropped 20% or more. I was merely making a request as I was allowed under State law. well enough about that crap, strange though it took them 8 months to process the reduction but less then 3 weeks after the judge signed the order they already found who I worked for and were processing a new wage with holding order to get the back and current support. Her only answer to all this is that she had nothing to do with it and has done nothing wrong, which has always been her excuse when the state screws up, problem is she does nothing to help straighten it out even when contacted by the State to help sort out descrepencies. Hence the request for the quote "evil flourishes when good (wo)men do NOTHING" I plan to use it in a letter, yea rather theatrical but it is my way of venting the stress, as is this forum at times. Keeps me from crossing the line you can't come back from. Also, if I am mistaken about the copyright issues, I was given a set from Ford so that would only mean that I could not copy and introduce them to my new employer or if it is covered by some intellectual property law since I am no longer with the company. At any rate my main reason is for my personal use to help me become a better more indespensible employee so as to give me more leverage at my annual reviews. Sorry for the tangent about child support, I am still smoking over that one. Will see about some money I am to receive< if DCSE does not take it, I am giving all to a law firm here in StL that is renound nationwide for championing men's rights. All the professional athletes, from Blues , Cardinals, and the Rams use them. So it will cost alot but at least I will have a law firm that I know works for me and does not bow down to whatever the judge says as has been the case when I was divorcena dthe other times I was back in court despite the fact that I showed them in the law where the judge was wrong or exceeded his authority. Damn there I went again! FPS/FTPM training manules PM me, Please. Thanks for the help

Looking for Jim Barnes from SLAP. Jim if you are out there PM or email me or does anyone know how to get in touch with him. Who has the signature block or can someone tell me the exact quote that is something like; "All evil needs to flourish is for good men to do nothing" who said it and the exact quote if anyone can help please.

Thank you both. Feels good to be back to work. Sounds strange, I know, but I feel right at home in another factory. Well off to work I go!

Jim B send me a PM or email me I would like to talk to you about some things. Also, Hello to all of you on BON. I have been absent from the board for a while. Got a job, finally, working for a major consumer chemical packaging company as a Machine Mantainance Tech, here in STL. They were looking for people if you have the education and experience in the manufacturing field to help adopt and employ the "Lean Manufacturing" concept. Luckily they had already done house cleaning while they were down for 4 weeks and that gave all of us that time to train on thier equipment. I was floored when I seen how they ran their Equipment Mantainance Program. They were only getting around 50% out of thier equipment. I instituted an OEE charting policy on my line. I made some changes and pulled 98% OEE my first week. This attacted the attention of the Vice-President of their Mid-West Production Sector and he came to see me on Friday last week. It reminded me of when I was in the Army and General was walking around, you have a whole entourage, Plant Manager, Production Manager, HR Manager, and Supervisor. I thought I was getting fired. I'll admitt that I am not the most popular guy with the production personell and the other mantainance personell, who were less then enthusiastic about this change the company wanted, are not exactly going to send me a Christmas card. Like I told them, if the company does not make money then neither do we, and I sure as hell don't feel like looking for another job a year or two. Especially since one of their lines has already been lost to China. Even some of the first line supervision is resistant to this change. Luckily my boss is overjoyed with having me. He supervised all the rework from SLAP for the various vendors and lost his job when SLAP closed so we share a common mindset. Keep our job. At least I do have experience with this resistance. We saw the same thing at SLAP with the advent of FTPM and FPS. This is one of the things I talked to the VP about that could be a problem. Another was that I was skeptical if the company was truely behind this or were they simply going to pick our brains and once everything was running at peak effiency take all they have learned and run off to China with it. He assured me that this is what they are trying to prevent and the main reason for this new policy. As it stood the line that was going to China is now only going to be equal in cost to what the U.S. line cost due to changes in cost in China, but they have already committed and signed the contract so it will be going for at least a year. They have looked at moving it all to China when they decided to move to one line but it was still not going to save them any money couple that with the loss of quality control and they decided to adopt the new policy here in the U.S. and I was proof that if given the right tools and mindset that it could work. I'm hip to all the buzz words and retoric that comes from senoir management. The guy seemed genuine but I have heard all this before so I think I'll keep my cards close and play them very slowly and see if they translate into more money in my paycheck, especailly since I will be reviewed at 90 days, 180 days and 1 year. The thing I do like about him is he started on the floor at this plant as a first line supervisor, as did the plant manager, and all of the supervisors who knew either, back then, speak very highly of them. We will see. At any rate I'm glad I paid attention while in FPS/FTPM class. It seems all that training is in high demand in what is left of the manufacturing sector. To BON staff about your "sticky post" I spent 18 years with FoMoCo and my heart is still their as is many of those I worked with. Please leave my posts in this forum alone, I wish you all the best and will continue to buy my vehicles from Ford so as to help those who stayed continue their careers. Hell, two clowns called me last Friday at 1:30 am half drunk because they were talking about all the crap we did together over those years at SLAP, they are at KCAP SUV side now. It was a good thing my wife knew and liked both of them. We spent an hour or so strolling down memory lane and they brought me up to speed on alot of those I used to work with who are now at KCAP. I remember smoking the cigars they gave me when their kids were born as well as talking to them about when the same kids were graduating from high school and getting ready to go to college. Dcassidy: did your house burn down? Good luck and God Bless to all whether you stayed or left.

It went down just as "d" said, those of us in Chassis (7-Line) broke out the sharpees and we all signed it (as we did the last Aerostar, Mountaineer, and Avaitor) under the carpet, it was filled with signatures everywhere under the trim panels, it was hard to find a spot to sign. I sometimes wonder where those last units went, the last Aerostar was donated to the Hazelwood police department as a D.A.R.E. vehicle, the others we never heard about. They did have to push the last unit off but that was due to parts shortage, not sabotage. ILVS does not work well when it is the last unit, there is no other parts to swap until the replacement arrives. I took pictures and posted them here on BON in a thread I started of the last unit going down 7-line at SLAP, they were, for a while, the front page news photos on here. I was very proud of my co-workers, we went out quitely with heads held high. It really sucked though, it was not what I expected although I really did not know what to expect, just did not seem right. Your right about the checks taking longer if you have any wage with holding orders against you. (Child support, garnishments, bankruptcy)I went through it back in January, mine was child support, kind of came unglued for a while. It will take longer because FoMoCo sends the issueing agency an inquiry to see if any amounts should be deducted and sent to that respective agency. That agency has 60 days to reply from the time the request is sent to them. If FoMoCo receives no reply after 60 days then your check will be sent whole. Those in this situation need to find out from FoMoCo what date the request was sent, usually it will coincide with (about) the same time others are receiving their checks. So you can figure to add another 60 to 75 days on to the 6 to 8 weeks you already have to wait. To speed this up you can contact the respective agency and find out who you need to talk to that would be issueing the reply to FoMoCo and ask to get it expedited. This is what I did and they faxed my reply to the person who was handling these issues at FoMoCo and my check was issued within 3 days of me finding out about this whole process. Please know that I spent a lot of time on the phone over those 3 days digging through the red tape and finding the right person to talk too, even then, I never spoke to the person at FoMoCo who was in charge of this crap. The state agency did, but only after many phone calls baring my soul as to what was going to happen (ie., financial devistation, foreclosure, throwing my children out in the streets) if I did not get that check in the next 2 weeks and it would be because they drug their feet and I would be certain to contact the media about how an agency of the state whose job it was to protect children was now hurting mine. God Bless and good luck to all

Thank you d. These are the things I know and that keep me going, when the times like these hit. I must admitt that I am having trouble quitting smoking though. Guess I picked a bad day to do that, at least I was able to stop sniffing glue :o ( Airplane)

LMAO I must say that things are not as I had hoped but I have a positive attitude and am glad I left at least for the reasons I did. I did not want to leave my other 2 children here without a father. I have however had some difficulties landing the job I thought I had when I bought out. Seems all the crap I stirred up with St. Louis County over child support issues, to include the judge's ethical and legal conduct that heard my case 9 years ago, (the case went before the Missouri Supreme Court on March 16 and we are still awaiting a decision) has had somewhat of a detrimental impact on access to my crimminal history. I was involved in a senior prank at my high school in 1985 (we put a tear gas canister in the stairwell). My little sister's boyfreind, now husband, and I thought it would be funny since she and my girl friend, now exwife, were graduating that year, BAD IDEA. We were snitched out by someone I thought was my friend for reasons of jealousy over my girlfriend. Looking back he did the right thing for the wrong reason. He's dead now, suicide, shot himself in the head 2 years ago. At any rate, I pled guilty to a plea agreement in 1986 that was S.I.S. and met with the judge in 1989 to insure that the record was now sealed and employers and such would not be able to see it on a crimminal background check, it was. I have been able to vote, own firearms, and secure any type of employment for over 22 years without incident. Now suddenly I can do none of that and it is available, and has been found, by the employer (rail industry) that I thought was going to hire me, along with all the other prospective employers I have beeen applying too. I would have never known this if I was not involved with the scouting program, and have been for the last 7 years, during a routine background check they perform on us every year or so it popped up. I was then removed from the program pending an investigation and interview by the archdiosese of St. Louis to see if I was a threat to the children that I work with. I have been reinstated with the Scouts after the interview but must say it was embarassing and humiliating. None the less I stood my ground and did not lie or down play the event, which it seems is the reason I was reinstated. The Director of Youth Services appreciated my candor and stated most people are not as forth coming with details of the event in question. This event was one of the main reasons for joining the Scouting program, next to my Son's participation. I thought if I can equip the boys to make the right decision if such a decision presented itself in their life then they could learn from my mistake. This has been the main reason I stayed with the program as long as I have, I've watched the same group grow from boys to young men, as well as my Son. Now it seems this event is one of the biggest problems for me finding a "good job", despite my education and experience, not to mention I have been lieing on my applications when asked if I have ever been convicted of a crime. Crap that was 22 years ago, I have served with distinction and graduated from the Noncommissioned Officer's Academy, with honors, in the U.S. Army. Hired by three different employers, to include FoMoCo over the years without incident or question as to my crimminal background. Given the number of people looking for work I am sure that it is easy to pass me by for someone with a spotless record despite how long ago it was. I have now retained an attorney (bleeding me of yet more money) to fight to get this fixed since the courts want to use the laws that govern us now are being applied to this case rather then the ones that were in effect in 1986. You see this could be considered an act of domestic terrorism against children today, not a senoir prank by a 19 year old. I am now fighting on 2 fronts against the same adversary, Child Support and the Crimminal Courts system of St. Louis County. Seems when you fight the system, even when your in the right, the system fights back and they play dirty. God Bless and good luck to all no matter what your decision was/is I hope for the best for you all. Me I got my boots on and will continue the good fight (through the proper and legal channels). Capt.

I called this before the mid-term elections. I Did not need crystal ball for this prediction either. Gas has dropped $.02 or $.03 a day here it is now down to $2.98. Funny how it jumped up no less then $.13 at a time yet it always trickles back down. Three steps forward and two steps back, so you can be thankful it dropped yet it is still higher then it was a month ago.

Hell, my dad charged me room and board once I turned 18 and was staying to out late. He said either I follow his riles of the house or pay. I worked 6 nights a week at an Italian restaraunt as a cook. I asked him how much and opened my wallet and paid that month and a month in advance. Although my mom gave me the money back a couple of days later and told me dad was just worried about what I was doing out so late. I told her when you work that many nights and go to school the only time you have for yourself is late Saturday night. We came to that understanding. I turned 18 in January and by August of that year I was gone in the Army on my own and have been ever since aside from two times when I first got out of the service and after my divorce. It is the parents that are enabling their children to do this. My ex's brother brings his checkbook and bills with him to his parents house every Friday for dinner. His mom writes out the bills and fills out his deposite slip with cash back for his weekly "allowance" and alocates some for savings. He is 44 years old and she was doing it 10 years ago and he is still at their house every Friday for dinner and my kids tell me Grandma does Uncle "J" paperwork after dinner. What is this man going to do when that are gone? This is not helping your kids.

That is something I have always done as well as take them whenever she asks me to. This summer is going to be difficult, my wife got a new job, more money and better hours. She now works 9:00 to 5:30 w/no weekends rather then 2:00 to 11:00 and weekends which is great since she hardly ever seen our daughter during the week. We found that this had a detrimental effect on her (daughter) since for 6 years she was always home with her. Since I bought out we swaped rolls and honestly after 26 years of working full time it had an impact I did not anticipate on me as well, I'd rather be working. I took an interime job working at an equestrian (yes I am doing what most will joke about) center near our home making $12.00 while I continue to look for what I "WANT" rather then what I "MUST" do. Although it has enabled me to network with people and I have landed 3 side jobs for electrical work making me an additional $700 in the last 2 weeks. It also has my daughter, who started horseback riding lessons 3 weeks ago (her instructor tipped me to the job and put in a good word for me) as happy as can be that Daddy works with horses, despite the fact that she knows what I shovel. The problem now is I have my kids 2-weeks on and 2-weeks off during the summer months and there is no way I can trust my son to be in charge while we are both at work. He is way to selfish and has a temper that is, well like me only he has yet to get control of it. We started testing them beginning this year with trips to the store without them but we left some recording devices around to see how things REALLY happened. The way he treated my youngest, well I had to step outside and count to 10 when I heard what he had said to her. Even my oldest daughter was yelling at him to stop saying those things. She keeps asking me how old she has to be to come live with me, those 2 girls are, as they put it, BFF. They always want to dress the same and are insepertable when together. Change is coming and some more hard decisions are on the horizon. My mom has volunteered to help out but I am not one to fall on my parents. I left at 18 for the Army and have been back twice, once when I left the service for 6 months and again after my house was sold during my divorce for 8 months. Although I may take her up on the offer for a few weeks this summer since the kids really do look forward to the time together. Either that or I shock the hell out my ex by making her figure out what to do. Apparently her parents have had enough since they can no longer control my son.

I agree, I'm trying to teach my children about work ethic, taking responsibility for ones actions, and being self sufficeint. I seem to be reaching my 7 year old, she understands when money is short or will ask if we can afford it when she wants something. When it comes to my other 2 (9 and 12 who live primarily with their mom) I do not seem to be getting anywhere. For the longest time my oldest (son) would say just go to the bank and cash a check thats what mom does. My other daughter seems to understand much better then he does. She makes comments that mom needs to find her own place to live, and other little comments that tells me she does not have much respect for her. Their mom still lives with her parents, who function as live in childcare, after 9 years and has just started working as a nurse after 8 years in school to become an RN. She calls me constantly to handle disiplinary issues with my son because she can not handle him after working 3- 12 hour shifts per week. Holy crap Batman I worked 6-12 hour shifts at the plant and went to school 2 nights a week for 4 hours each night and still managed to run my son's scout den for 5 years one night a week and she can't handle 3- 12's. If she thinks it is bad now just wait until they are both teenagers. As it is now they both walk all over her and her parents (both parents are in their late 70's one with heart issues the other seriously over weight). I warned her years ago about the precedent she was setting and how one day he (my son) will be able to kick her ass and then what are you going to do? My wife answered that question "She will dump them in our lap and we will be left to try and straighten them out". Have to admitt it looks like it is heading that way especailly since my support payments got cut from $1000 to $300 per month. We both agree, we will gladly take them and she can keep her money, we don't want support from her just let us have them. Although that will not happen until her mother passes. That woman is hell bent on the mother is the best parent no matter what.