tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7671777.post5771357316252931416..comments2023-10-21T05:31:04.705-05:00Comments on Merle Widmer's PEORIA WATCH: "UAW: Gift for museum is 'bad timing'Merle Widmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08788275198834985986noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7671777.post-18618452143495800352009-02-05T20:16:00.000-06:002009-02-05T20:16:00.000-06:00"...Just the facts, sir. Some say Cat stock will c..."...Just the facts, sir. Some say Cat stock will come back and it will come back. But to get back to the $70 and $80's, highs was around $85, today trading at $30, not in my lifetime..."<BR/><BR/>So, you are saying $40 million + the endowment make any difference in the stock price? No, $40 million isn't going to make one ounce of difference in the stock price. Nor the ongoing operations.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7671777.post-58055796574782373882009-02-04T14:09:00.000-06:002009-02-04T14:09:00.000-06:00Cat has had approximately 40 years to build a vist...Cat has had approximately 40 years to build a vistors center if they REALLY wanted one. Plus, the Sears building has been vacant for YEARS.<BR/><BR/>Building AND OPERATING a $40 Visitors Center is a drag on their bottom line. They owe a lot to their stockholders and a spending on something they never felt they needed is not going to add to their bottom line.<BR/><BR/>Plus Cat has been using this $40 million figure for years. Mark Johnson told the county that construction costs have risen 15%. <BR/><BR/>Doesn't make my Cat stockholding wife happy nor some of my friends who lost jobs or daily worry about losing their jobs to see Cat building something they've longed deemed "not needed".<BR/><BR/>Also, what amount is the endowment for the museum? Less than $3 million according to facts submitted to date. The need? Between $8-13 million according to the number crushers.<BR/><BR/>If costs are rising, so must be the cost of operating the museum. The big one? Electricity.<BR/><BR/>Do you actually believe all their pledges are remaining steadfast? Look at the economy and think again.<BR/><BR/>Just the facts, sir. Some say Cat stock will come back and it will come back. But to get back to the $70 and $80's, highs was around $85, today trading at $30, not in my lifetime.Merle Widmerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04267875223386924271noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7671777.post-27397092984220263922009-02-04T13:22:00.000-06:002009-02-04T13:22:00.000-06:00Like I said, Vonster, Cat is a business - not a ch...Like I said, Vonster, Cat is a business - not a charity.<BR/><BR/>It makes more sense for Caterpillar to have an impressive Visitors' Center to show their customers than to tell them about their latest charitable endeavor. When you can't spend your profits towards company growth you have to reinvest within. <BR/><BR/>That is exactly what a Visitors' Center accomplishes.NAhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15279722912336460896noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7671777.post-78267655073924167712009-02-04T13:02:00.000-06:002009-02-04T13:02:00.000-06:00When you're putting people out of work, it's time ...When you're putting people out of work, it's time to invest in charities, not elitist pork projects.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7671777.post-70549805215405255452009-02-04T13:01:00.000-06:002009-02-04T13:01:00.000-06:00Cat can't purchase demand for their product. Cons...Cat can't purchase demand for their product. Consumer demand is a completely separate issue.<BR/><BR/>Caterpillar is a business, not a charity. Building a Visitors' Center in downtown Peoria is more in the best interest of their business than building an inventory of equipment nobody wants to buy.<BR/><BR/>It may sting for those that lost their jobs, but without demand Cat has absolutely no reason to keep those people employed.<BR/><BR/>You seem to really be grasping at anything now to pile on your "No to the Museum" argument.NAhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15279722912336460896noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7671777.post-23664834090065190112009-02-03T22:24:00.000-06:002009-02-03T22:24:00.000-06:00Merle: Just wondering which figures and formulas ...Merle: <BR/><BR/>Just wondering which figures and formulas are being used, does anyone know?<BR/><BR/>Do they "show their work" as was required when I was figuring out math problems on a school test?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com