Now its toys on a recall. No it is not a Chinese subplot to kill our pets then our children. Blame it on Deng Xiao Ping who told them it was good to get rich. It would be good to go to your local DVD rental outlet and check out Zhang Yimou's great movie staring Gong Li and Ge You. There is a part of the movie dealing with the period of "The Great Leap Forward"...one of Mao's phases where everyone produces steel to liberate Taiwan.
No this toy thing is not about liberating Taiwan but it is about getting rich. For a time I was encouraged that a resurgence of the Five Relationships would help get China business get through rapid growth phases but it did not. Confucian ethics may have gotten the Dragon and her Mini Dragons to success on a world stage but as every good Confucian knows there are no short cuts on the Tao...the main road that is. A man trusts his best friend and supplier and he is betrayed by greed. I feel that when economist talk about China overheating they are missing the real areas of Chinese manufacturing that operates unsupervised. In the old days in China the Government had there man in every area supervising all that transpired. Unfortunately most of those guys died from having taken the government exams so many times.
How many CEOs would we have if disgracing a company meant you had to commit suicide? I don't see many getting on that subscription list. Yet the Chap who ran the China toy company did just that...and his friend who betrayed him. He got rich.
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Why don't people stay in their own countries???
Immigrants...the whole world complains that their country is being over run by foreigners...and they are either taking all the jobs or raising the crime rate. Friends it is like this...where ever we ignore extreme poverty and disease and they get wind of the rumor we are living the great life. You might as well hold the door open, hand out maps because some way some how they are going to come. What is unfortunate is they don't know that only a few are filthy rich and the rest of us are either trying to develop the next get rich scheme or are so caught up working 18 hour days we just fall into bed each night.
Americans complain about everyone below the Rio Grande and the Europeans well they have a more diverse population arriving on their shores. Americans hate the sound of Spanish be it in Miami or Dallas or the whole state of California for that matter. Some folks in California and the Southwest have it real rough, it seems some families have been there since the days when Spain was the Mother country.
I cannot imagine how Spain, a major force in the days the world was explored for new lands and riches deals with its immigration issues. I am sure the sound of different languages is many but for a Catholic country the rise in Islam, the religion is threatning. But then,co-existing was never a problem when Moors were the dominant force. There is a book that describes that time just can't recall the title at the moment...get back to that later. Religious differences may or may not be the case. So many from Africa are leaving their small impoverished countries and landing on Spanish shores just to earn enough money to send home--in order for whole families to survive extreme impoverished conditions. Extreme poverty in those countries does not just mean not being able to afford goods it means there are no goods available. No medicine, no food stores they are in the most primitive poverty the world has to offer.
People what is wrong with us? How can we turn our backs on these people? How can someone rake in billions of dollars and not try to find a way to improve life for these folks...the rest of us that make an average wages drop 5 Bucks in a can for the Pan handler on the corner...what so that can make world poverty go away.
That is not going to happen...but what will happen is they will bring us to our knees. Allowing these people to suffer and die from disease and starvation will get us. Look at what happened to us in Somalia...somehow someone arms these folks and might even send in someone to train them...then we have a problem.
Countries that at this moment cannot afford to feed their people will at some point in the future find that someone has armed and trained these folks and they are coming in search of a better life...while they figure out how to destroy ours. So I am saying something new? Very doubtful. Am I sounding another alarm...why? Its to late. We have ignored them too long. These immigration trends are not going to reverse themselves. What has to change is how go about eliminating this disease and poverty that is consuming whole populations and not just in Africa but other countries throughout the east and west. There are ways to insure the security of quality of life and that is by improving that quality of life for others. Maybe, just maybe then they will stay home.
Americans complain about everyone below the Rio Grande and the Europeans well they have a more diverse population arriving on their shores. Americans hate the sound of Spanish be it in Miami or Dallas or the whole state of California for that matter. Some folks in California and the Southwest have it real rough, it seems some families have been there since the days when Spain was the Mother country.
I cannot imagine how Spain, a major force in the days the world was explored for new lands and riches deals with its immigration issues. I am sure the sound of different languages is many but for a Catholic country the rise in Islam, the religion is threatning. But then,co-existing was never a problem when Moors were the dominant force. There is a book that describes that time just can't recall the title at the moment...get back to that later. Religious differences may or may not be the case. So many from Africa are leaving their small impoverished countries and landing on Spanish shores just to earn enough money to send home--in order for whole families to survive extreme impoverished conditions. Extreme poverty in those countries does not just mean not being able to afford goods it means there are no goods available. No medicine, no food stores they are in the most primitive poverty the world has to offer.
People what is wrong with us? How can we turn our backs on these people? How can someone rake in billions of dollars and not try to find a way to improve life for these folks...the rest of us that make an average wages drop 5 Bucks in a can for the Pan handler on the corner...what so that can make world poverty go away.
That is not going to happen...but what will happen is they will bring us to our knees. Allowing these people to suffer and die from disease and starvation will get us. Look at what happened to us in Somalia...somehow someone arms these folks and might even send in someone to train them...then we have a problem.
Countries that at this moment cannot afford to feed their people will at some point in the future find that someone has armed and trained these folks and they are coming in search of a better life...while they figure out how to destroy ours. So I am saying something new? Very doubtful. Am I sounding another alarm...why? Its to late. We have ignored them too long. These immigration trends are not going to reverse themselves. What has to change is how go about eliminating this disease and poverty that is consuming whole populations and not just in Africa but other countries throughout the east and west. There are ways to insure the security of quality of life and that is by improving that quality of life for others. Maybe, just maybe then they will stay home.
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
Passion...is that all there is?
And I will make thee beds of roses
And a thousand fragrant posies,
A cap of flowers,
and a kirtle
Embroidered all with leaves of myrtle;
The Passionate Shepherd by Christopher Marlowe
When we invite others into our lives with passionate promises do we take responsibility since you--well--could say--they are in our care. Or would it be better to say under our spell...either way we should be responsible for them. I read that in a little book called "Le Petite Prince" by Antoine de Saint-Exupery and it seemed to make sense. Especially when the Fox is telling a secret which goes like this..."Men have forgotten this truth," said the fox. "But you must not forget it. You become responsible, forever, for what you have tamed. You are responsible for your rose..."
"I am responsible for my rose," the little prince repeated, so that he would be sure to remember. Of course I too had to repeat the phrase so I would not forget but still it only came after years of failing to do just that...you know take responsibility. Now why would someone enjoying life let taking responsibility get in the way of passion? Is passion not supposed to be something of the free spirit...and everyone knows real passion answers to no one. No one except for outcome. Outcome? Now why would I spoil my passion by worrying about later and you know...whatever happens--happens. How do you say ten years and 2 children later...I'm out of here...this relationship has gone flat. It happens and equally to both sides of the relationship. Kate Chopin wrote " The Awakening" about Louisiana Creole around New Orleans and passion in the days when women were never supposed to explore their sexuality...even if they were dissatisfied with their husbands. She wrote this in 1899 so guess what? Women were dumping relationships in pre-modern days. Of course the Victorian community must have rejected that book but I don't think so.
The stories are not that long and the understanding that we have not changed much in the last hundred years or so. We need passion in our lives but we also need responsibility.
And a thousand fragrant posies,
A cap of flowers,
and a kirtle
Embroidered all with leaves of myrtle;
The Passionate Shepherd by Christopher Marlowe
When we invite others into our lives with passionate promises do we take responsibility since you--well--could say--they are in our care. Or would it be better to say under our spell...either way we should be responsible for them. I read that in a little book called "Le Petite Prince" by Antoine de Saint-Exupery and it seemed to make sense. Especially when the Fox is telling a secret which goes like this..."Men have forgotten this truth," said the fox. "But you must not forget it. You become responsible, forever, for what you have tamed. You are responsible for your rose..."
"I am responsible for my rose," the little prince repeated, so that he would be sure to remember. Of course I too had to repeat the phrase so I would not forget but still it only came after years of failing to do just that...you know take responsibility. Now why would someone enjoying life let taking responsibility get in the way of passion? Is passion not supposed to be something of the free spirit...and everyone knows real passion answers to no one. No one except for outcome. Outcome? Now why would I spoil my passion by worrying about later and you know...whatever happens--happens. How do you say ten years and 2 children later...I'm out of here...this relationship has gone flat. It happens and equally to both sides of the relationship. Kate Chopin wrote " The Awakening" about Louisiana Creole around New Orleans and passion in the days when women were never supposed to explore their sexuality...even if they were dissatisfied with their husbands. She wrote this in 1899 so guess what? Women were dumping relationships in pre-modern days. Of course the Victorian community must have rejected that book but I don't think so.
The stories are not that long and the understanding that we have not changed much in the last hundred years or so. We need passion in our lives but we also need responsibility.
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
Why don't we talk anymore?
There was a time when people would talk to each other before sex and countries would engage in dialogue before fighting a war...there was a code of behavior called fair play that wanted to satisfy the curiosity as what fears we shared...what hopes we had for the future and yes this happen before people got involved...at what point did we stop talking?
What is the problem? Technology--for all the convenience it gives our lives does it simplify or destroy us the people who depend more each day? Economics--what about too much money in the hands of too few people...nope don't think so. Nobody talks not even the not so rich or wannabes. When is the last time someone had a conversation with you about Mumbai's extreme poverty or Sudan and the mass killings of whole groups of people or the aids epidemic in Zimbabwe? We Americans live in a country that has over the years lost its perspective on world power. When? How about when it fought brother against brother in our Civil War or perhaps when we blanket bombed Dresden and nuked Japan. Or when we turned our backs on Hungary, Cuba, Vietnam...was it that our might dwindled?
Those who have taken the oath to serve and protect our country know it has a lifetime shelf life. We serve until we die but that does not mean we agree with everything the "Beltway Cowboys" are saying and doing? What happens if I disagree with them? One thing is does not mean is that I abandon the guys and gals on the line? Has anyone noticed that these kids in uniform are wearing out and need help. Now they talk about a new "draft" hey maybe the Border guards will catch the out flow of folks avoiding being drafted.
Why is there such a problem figuring out new ways to save more of our troops lives. Being a good Commander does not mean using up your basic load of ammo and troopers...it can mean being more selective where you put your troops. Over the years in all our wars roads have earned hard names and the folks that traveled them had no other choice available. How is that the case today? Is jet fuel so expensive that we can't fly supplies in? What ever happened to the good old work horse Huey?
Why does Amercia ignore Africa? Did our debacle in Somalia sour us on the area? Have we noticed there are lots of folks barely staying alive and we need to help them stay alive. Is the econonmic perspective out of whack? Are third world countries expendable? Do we turn our backs to refute the belief that this is the cradle of civilization? We are a global community derived from the same primordal soup heavily concerned with economics but remiss at civil affairs projects to help those less fortunate. Do we dole out assistance based on how difficult the situation appears? Jo no ho entenc...
What is the problem? Technology--for all the convenience it gives our lives does it simplify or destroy us the people who depend more each day? Economics--what about too much money in the hands of too few people...nope don't think so. Nobody talks not even the not so rich or wannabes. When is the last time someone had a conversation with you about Mumbai's extreme poverty or Sudan and the mass killings of whole groups of people or the aids epidemic in Zimbabwe? We Americans live in a country that has over the years lost its perspective on world power. When? How about when it fought brother against brother in our Civil War or perhaps when we blanket bombed Dresden and nuked Japan. Or when we turned our backs on Hungary, Cuba, Vietnam...was it that our might dwindled?
Those who have taken the oath to serve and protect our country know it has a lifetime shelf life. We serve until we die but that does not mean we agree with everything the "Beltway Cowboys" are saying and doing? What happens if I disagree with them? One thing is does not mean is that I abandon the guys and gals on the line? Has anyone noticed that these kids in uniform are wearing out and need help. Now they talk about a new "draft" hey maybe the Border guards will catch the out flow of folks avoiding being drafted.
Why is there such a problem figuring out new ways to save more of our troops lives. Being a good Commander does not mean using up your basic load of ammo and troopers...it can mean being more selective where you put your troops. Over the years in all our wars roads have earned hard names and the folks that traveled them had no other choice available. How is that the case today? Is jet fuel so expensive that we can't fly supplies in? What ever happened to the good old work horse Huey?
Why does Amercia ignore Africa? Did our debacle in Somalia sour us on the area? Have we noticed there are lots of folks barely staying alive and we need to help them stay alive. Is the econonmic perspective out of whack? Are third world countries expendable? Do we turn our backs to refute the belief that this is the cradle of civilization? We are a global community derived from the same primordal soup heavily concerned with economics but remiss at civil affairs projects to help those less fortunate. Do we dole out assistance based on how difficult the situation appears? Jo no ho entenc...
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