- Joined
- Dec 1, 2011
- Messages
- 33,000
- Reaction score
- 13,973
- Location
- FL - Daytona
- Gender
- Male
- Political Leaning
- Independent
The problem in my professional career is that technology replaced all my experience and skills with machinery. What I was once paid, relatively well for as a lab technician, who ground lenses by hand, is done by robotic machines.
Most any inexperienced, younger person can be taught in a few hours how to operate one. On top of that huge corporations started pouring money into the market with multiple chain store openings, overnight, with prices that drove down the wages and quality of employees to cover the overhead for cheap contacts and eyeglass prices.
At min wage and with withholding's, I wouldn't clear as much as I would on SS and food stamps. Especially, when you include buying and keeping up work clothes, lunches, drinks, gas and automobile expenditures, the cost of working actually lowers my income considerably further. And there's no interest for savings anymore, stocks are too risky and bonds too long before maturity.
I once, was part owner and helped operate a million dollar grossing Optical Retail store in the 80's-90's that was the largest in our city, with only a few independents and smaller chains as competition. People got a great product for a fair price, and we were fanatics about the accuracy, quality and professional skill level we gave to our eye exams and eyeglasses. Most of the frames I sold had either gold filling or gold plating with monel base (non-corrosive alloy) or zyl acetate (high quality plastic). People didn't get skin reactions to the metal frames they use today, with cheap nickel that discolors and turns green or rusts. And the plastic frames didn't break when you bent or sat on them. The lenses were true to their RX within an 1/8 of a diopter and made of either CR-39 plastic, polycarbonate or glass. The aberrations were non existent, as all defects were immediately replaced.
People and businesses just don't care about the quality of disposable eyeglasses anymore. They change them every year or two for a new style, instead of keeping them for any time. And soft contact lenses, Lasik and other surgical corrections have also taken a big chunk of the market.
Most any inexperienced, younger person can be taught in a few hours how to operate one. On top of that huge corporations started pouring money into the market with multiple chain store openings, overnight, with prices that drove down the wages and quality of employees to cover the overhead for cheap contacts and eyeglass prices.
At min wage and with withholding's, I wouldn't clear as much as I would on SS and food stamps. Especially, when you include buying and keeping up work clothes, lunches, drinks, gas and automobile expenditures, the cost of working actually lowers my income considerably further. And there's no interest for savings anymore, stocks are too risky and bonds too long before maturity.
I once, was part owner and helped operate a million dollar grossing Optical Retail store in the 80's-90's that was the largest in our city, with only a few independents and smaller chains as competition. People got a great product for a fair price, and we were fanatics about the accuracy, quality and professional skill level we gave to our eye exams and eyeglasses. Most of the frames I sold had either gold filling or gold plating with monel base (non-corrosive alloy) or zyl acetate (high quality plastic). People didn't get skin reactions to the metal frames they use today, with cheap nickel that discolors and turns green or rusts. And the plastic frames didn't break when you bent or sat on them. The lenses were true to their RX within an 1/8 of a diopter and made of either CR-39 plastic, polycarbonate or glass. The aberrations were non existent, as all defects were immediately replaced.
People and businesses just don't care about the quality of disposable eyeglasses anymore. They change them every year or two for a new style, instead of keeping them for any time. And soft contact lenses, Lasik and other surgical corrections have also taken a big chunk of the market.
And I have saved long term since I rated (and did not take) public assistance programs.
