GOOD NEWS! Not being outsourced to Elbonia!

LightChucker

Enlightened
Joined
Jun 5, 2003
Messages
617
Location
Raytown, Missouri USA
Finally, I can report some good news in my life - I am not going to be outsourced to Elbonia! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/happy14.gif

You can read the details here.

In short:
I will be able to continue my career of 31 years in computer programming with my current company, "Universal Underwriters Group" (UUG). THANK GOD! I am not going to be outsourced to Elbonia.

At my age, and with the job market the way it has been, my outlook, and my attitude have not been good. With this and all my medical problems of late, Carol and I have had to cancel a lot of plans that we had made.

To be honest, all this has lead to some very "politically incorrect" thinking. I wish I could be ashamed, but...

A brief history of time:
Some of you remember my string of misfortune that started with the spontaneous detachment of the retina in my left eye. I had a total of 11 surgeries to try to save the vision in that eye. Each surgery left me with less-and-less vision, until there was nothing left but static. Then, in 2004 I had an "evisceration" and a follow-up surgery to replace it with a prosthetic (artificial eye).

Mixed in with the eye surgeries, there were many trips to the emergency room for various other things. Most notable were the 2 kidney stone surgeries. The first stone was pulled out of my right kidney through the "you-know-what". The second surgery, on my left kidney, was far worse. It required access through my back through 2 holes. Everything went well, and they sent me home after 3 days. But that wasn't the end of the story. At home, on the morning of the 4th day, my kidney had been bleeding internally so much that it filled my bladder with blood. The blood clotted, and that plugged my bladder. The bladder continued to fill with blood, but nothing could drain! I almost died.

The E/R had a motley crew that night, because they did not know which "Foley" to insert or how to insert it correctly. This caused me to suffer through 4 days of suicidal pain, agony, and bleeding. (The details of this are too long and gory to recount here.)

While all this was going on, "Zurich Financial Services", the world-wide corporation that owns UUG, announced they were going to outsource the IT departments (computer departments) of all the companies it owned. Apparently, they thought they could get the job done better and cheaper in Elbonia.

"UUG", is just one of dozens of companies held by Zurich. This was terrible news. It was going to affect many thousands of families world-wide; my family included. Most likely, at my age, it would mean the end of a lifetime career. With the cost of my medications and treatment, our future looked very bleak.

The good news!
After 2 years of living under this cloud, Zurich announced that UUG was being sold to H&F.

This means we are not going to be outsourced. It also means that I won't have to learn how to speak Gitchgotcha so I can teach an Elbonian how to do my job for 10 cents on the dollar.

God be praised!
(And I don't mean some god that is holding a freshly-picked-bugger between its thumb and finger, and is about to flick it at you. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crackup.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/nana.gif )

Chuck
 

sunspot

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Aug 22, 2001
Messages
2,707
Location
Graham, NC
Hello Chuck.
I have followed, with heartfelt sadness, the medical problems that you have had. I'm so glad to hear of your good luck at being able to continue working. May this be just the first of a string of good news for you and your wife.
 

The_LED_Museum

*Retired*
Joined
Aug 12, 2000
Messages
19,414
Location
Federal Way WA. USA
I tried looking Elbonia up on the internet, because I've never heard of it before.
No help there.
So where is Elbonia? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif
 

cobb

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Sep 26, 2004
Messages
2,957
Great. I often wonder why out sourcing is still being done as the dollar continues to devalue from our trade gap. You think the reverse would occur, folks would out source to the us.

I work at a giant call center. I work in the insurance area, they have credit cards, travel, etc. ANy commercial you see on tv or customer service number on your credit or insurance card you reach the call center in richmond, va. Seems strange why a company would out source that in the same country. What I hate about my job, I just route calls and have a hand full of scripts that read unforniately(SP?) and sorry you called the wrong number or I cant help you. Its not that bad, except for the avaya phone system and having only a 15 minute break a day. THe calls roll in live unless you put it in break mode, then break mode counts against you. Who ever founded that company found a way to keep productivity at 100%
 

LightChucker

Enlightened
Joined
Jun 5, 2003
Messages
617
Location
Raytown, Missouri USA
[ QUOTE ]
The_LED_Museum said:
I tried looking Elbonia up on the internet, because I've never heard of it before.
No help there.
So where is Elbonia? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/yellowlaugh.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crackup.gif

Elbonia is a country born of the mind of Scott Adams, the writer of the comic strip "Dilbert".
Dilbert, my hero, frequently has to deal with Elbonians, because his corporation is always outsourcing to that country. If you are a minion of corporate America, like me, sadly Elbonia really exists and is all too real.

Elbonia conceals a certain political incorrectness.

(Read between the lines.)

Chuck
 

geepondy

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Apr 15, 2001
Messages
4,896
Location
Massachusetts
Chuck, I'm glad as well. Is your other eye ok? I've been legally blind in one eye as the result of it being turned in as a child and for the past few years have been dealing with vision problems in my "good eye". But your posts have been an inspiration.

Our company is experimenting in outsourcing manufacturing jobs to China. We have been told that is to be able to sell the "mature" products cheaper as the customer requests so that the time and salary dollars can be spent on creating new products. Most of us think that is probably political BS.
 

hyeTotum

Newly Enlightened
Joined
May 31, 2003
Messages
146
Location
Los Angeles
Glad about your good news, Chuck. Finally!!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/clap.gif You certainly deserve smooth sailing for a change! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

(BTW, you would have hated Elbonia -- there's nothing humerus about it at all!...) /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 

KevinL

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Jun 10, 2004
Messages
5,866
Location
At World's End
Wow, great to hear you caught a break and some good luck just when you needed it most. It's hard enough surviving already without those problems, and I can imagine how much worse it makes the situation.

Hope your health gets better, too.
 

Sigman

* The Arctic Moderator *
Joined
Sep 25, 2002
Messages
10,124
Location
"The 49th State"
This is GREAT news! I too know about the stresses medical situations and possible loss (or change) of a job can bring upon one's well being!

It's really hard to imagine that we'll make it through the rough times, when "in the hole"...ahhhh, but it's nice to climb out, eh?!

Wishing you & the family the best Chuck!
 

LightChucker

Enlightened
Joined
Jun 5, 2003
Messages
617
Location
Raytown, Missouri USA
What a great bunch of friends we all have here in CPF. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grouphug.gif

Carol and I really appreciate everyone's kind words. Your expressions of care and support gives both of us a feeling that is hard to describe.

Thank you so much!

Chuck and Carol
 

LightChucker

Enlightened
Joined
Jun 5, 2003
Messages
617
Location
Raytown, Missouri USA
[ QUOTE ]
B@rt said:
Elbonia /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

B@rt,

That is great! What a hoot! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/happy14.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/yellowlaugh.gif

Thanks for the laugh,

Chuck
 

Icebreak

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Aug 14, 2002
Messages
4,998
Location
by the river
[ QUOTE ]
sunspot said:
... May this be just the first of a string of good news for you and your wife.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'll second that. Chuck, I'm happy for you and the Mrs.

- Jeff
 

jayflash

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Oct 4, 2003
Messages
3,909
Location
Two Rivers, Wisconsin
Having worked at five manufacturers, in the last 20 years, that closed their doors, I can feel very happy for you. Unemployment, I believe, can cause something akin to post traumatic stress syndrome.

I thank God that, so far, I've been spared some of the horrific medical maladies other members, such as you, have had to suffer.

Good luck, Chuck!
 

LightChucker

Enlightened
Joined
Jun 5, 2003
Messages
617
Location
Raytown, Missouri USA
[ QUOTE ]
jayflash said:
Unemployment, I believe, can cause something akin to post traumatic stress syndrome.


[/ QUOTE ]

I agree with that. Being out of work is very scary. It has happened too many times in my life.

Thank you, jayflash
 

dougmccoy

Enlightened
Joined
Nov 17, 2001
Messages
884
Location
UK
Chuck

I'm a Brit but my family and I are passionately pro American. I'm so sorry for your health problems and realise that the National Health Service in the UK is something that does inspire some element of pride in being able to call ones self British, especially when I hear of solid Americans like yourself suffering due to a lack of good social healthcare. However I'm really concerned that the American and indeed British economy is outsourcing so much work to third world countries. The European and American economies are slowly being sold out to the cheaper manufacturing abilities of the competition and we can now start to see the effects on the ordinary citizens of our countries due to this practice. China in particular is not only becomming economically strong by this process but is also beginning to consume oil at a rate which puts pressure on our economies to compete.

What can be done? I dont know, but when I hear stories like yours I know it should be a wake up call to governments to start taking note!

Good health to you and yours and take care.

All the best

Doug
 
Top