There is another distinct possibility there. In many third world cultures, sun darkened skin is sign of low social status (indicates they are field hands) and people will go to great lengths to avoid letting the sun darken their skin.
Bummed about the China thread closure.
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Just to back-up John Browning's comment on the Chinese Navy. Congress was having a hearing on C-Span yesterday and several key Intelligence people (including the former head of the CIA) told members of Congress that the Chinese Navy would be larger than the U.S. Navy within 10 years. They also purchased a class of Soviet submarines that was designed to kill American aircraft carriers.
I read a good book called "Fly Boys" several weeks ago that outlined the steps up to WWII. Most folks forget that we forced the hand of the Japanese when we cut off their oil supply. This China/Unocal/Opec issue is running on a parallel course. China does not have the natural resources that the U.S. had when we became a World Power. To get these resources they will need to compete for them on a Global basis with the EU and the USA.
All during the Cold War we never really had to compete with the USSR for trade. They turned inward and the US grew rich. China is a different story. We will have to compete with them militarily and economically within the next 20 years.
It is an interesting and dangerous situation.
I read a good book called "Fly Boys" several weeks ago that outlined the steps up to WWII. Most folks forget that we forced the hand of the Japanese when we cut off their oil supply. This China/Unocal/Opec issue is running on a parallel course. China does not have the natural resources that the U.S. had when we became a World Power. To get these resources they will need to compete for them on a Global basis with the EU and the USA.
All during the Cold War we never really had to compete with the USSR for trade. They turned inward and the US grew rich. China is a different story. We will have to compete with them militarily and economically within the next 20 years.
It is an interesting and dangerous situation.
Yes you are correct.... My GF is a Philipna and she has mentioned that also.... but in this gals case she is very light skinned to begin with and you could tell not used to this dry heat.Once she figured it out she changed her shirt to a short sleeve shirt and used the sunscreen.
But without a doubt your observation is correct and I didnt think to mention it in the reply....
Pablo when I saw that topic about China I knew you guys wouldn't just talk about chinese food, it'd go political anyway.
I would think some west people are worried about China is because of China's 'Commumism'. This traditional 'Commumism Vs Capitalism' always screw thing up.Be honest I don't understand what commumism really means but I'm pretty sure this is not what happening in China. The fact is that the commumism chinese government is ruling a capitalism China. I wonder things may turn arround if the chinese commumism party change it's name to '$GOI&^&iuh^%' party tomorrow.
I also want to know that when the japanese was selling everything to USA 20 years ago, did you american people have the same worry you do now on China? (Again, just asking, no offence!)
Yes HD - we were asking for a two way trading street with the Japanese as well.
Hungdynasty, Americans are losing good paying jobs at a rapid rate as a lot of our industries move off-shore. China is not the only player, but the biggest one. We get frustrated by job loss. This isn't China's fault.
No problem importing the Japanese toys and stuff, because it wasn't a big impact then. We were only doing some importing and helping their economy. Now it's a different scenario. We are actually exporting our jobs to China!!!
Where I live we have been hit hard as factories shut down and move abroad. China gets singled out because they are the big guy, but we lose jobs to Korea, Singapore, Malaysia....We worry about our own economic future.
No problem importing the Japanese toys and stuff, because it wasn't a big impact then. We were only doing some importing and helping their economy. Now it's a different scenario. We are actually exporting our jobs to China!!!
Where I live we have been hit hard as factories shut down and move abroad. China gets singled out because they are the big guy, but we lose jobs to Korea, Singapore, Malaysia....We worry about our own economic future.
Most people don't care where the stuff they buy comes from. It is the new world order.
Haley I understand your point because the same thing just happen to Hong Kong in the last 20 years.
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I agree. And I don't think the Chinese will have CVBGs, or even one CVBG, within a decade. By the time they do, we will already have the next generation carriers, the CVN-21, which will be the replacement for the then still formidable Nimitz Class. The new class will be equipped with EMALS and EARS, and it will carry the JSF in the marine use configuration and the Super Hornet. Expect the first of this new generation of carriers operational in 2011/2012.
The biggest threat would be the sale of war machinery and weapons to rogue nations -- which already is a serious issue. I'm just waiting for the day some evil clown puts up a Kilo Class on ebay.
JHZR2
Staff member
we're working on CVN-21, DD(X), etc... Which reminds me, lunch half-hour is up, time to clean the dishes and get back to work!
JMH
JMH
Since some were speaking of China as military opponent of the United States, take a look at this: http://edition.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/asiapcf/07/14/china.taiwan.nuclear.reut/index.html
I'm sure we will be keeping an eye on this, but it could just be a normal upgrade program to retire an ageing old tech fleet.
If you can kill an American carrier, would it not work on British, French, Russian carriers or some that another nation might build or aquire?
If China starts building large aircraft carriers and large quantities of armor that rivals the American or European versions, then I will worry.
The newer Chinese battle tank looks like the Leopard II, but it is not. Less horsepower, less armor, less weight, different electronics and optics, etc. Looks can be deceiving. I've seen this on the Internet that they are fielding the formidible Leopard II Euro tank, but I do not believe it is true.
In rational thinking it's absurb to think China wants war but economical gain. You can see the over heated industrial expansion China is presently accompishing.
By ratio China is producing more steel at an alarming rate and check out the male/female ratio...it's old history of Japan and Germany pre WW2. Nationalism on a militaristic level. An economical level which the people which I feel are **** innocent, but the government goals on a militaristic view of expansion. That is what I fear..history speaks for itself...20 years from now...is China's economic expansion is what we see today or is there a hidden evil which may and I feel will be the short supply of oil, which will lead a conflict in world's demand.
Remember...by definition war is cause by economic inbalance...simply put...supply and demand!
By ratio China is producing more steel at an alarming rate and check out the male/female ratio...it's old history of Japan and Germany pre WW2. Nationalism on a militaristic level. An economical level which the people which I feel are **** innocent, but the government goals on a militaristic view of expansion. That is what I fear..history speaks for itself...20 years from now...is China's economic expansion is what we see today or is there a hidden evil which may and I feel will be the short supply of oil, which will lead a conflict in world's demand.
Remember...by definition war is cause by economic inbalance...simply put...supply and demand!
I have no problem sleeping at night.
Cheers, Steve
Cheers, Steve
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_budget_in_the_United_States
http://www.worldbank.org/data/databytopic/GDP.pdf
In 2004, China's military budget was 2.3-2.8% GDP, while ours was 3.9% GDP. According to World Bank, our GDP was $11.7B in 2004, China was $1.6B.
I sleep well at night as well.
http://taiwansecurity.org/AP/2005/AP-200505.htm
http://www.worldbank.org/data/databytopic/GDP.pdf
In 2004, China's military budget was 2.3-2.8% GDP, while ours was 3.9% GDP. According to World Bank, our GDP was $11.7B in 2004, China was $1.6B.
I sleep well at night as well.
Again the military thing does not scare me.
LACK of Real free trade in our "modern" world does.
LACK of Real free trade in our "modern" world does.
Could you please show the source of this? I've never read anything like this and I really doubt someone in the Chinese government would say things like that.
I agree with Pablo your concern regarding trades between the 2 countries. There is still a long way to go for improvement.
Regarding the piracy and black market, China is gradually improving and working on it before/since joining the WTO. Albeit not at the pace that we'd like, it is improving.
You notice for piracy music for example in the former Napster and now BT, college students here seem to not have a problem downloading (ie stealing) music and movies? It's because they have relatively little money.
Same principle applies everywhere. The wealthier countries have less of a problem on privacy and black market/knock off/fake items. I am sure as China grows and its people become wealthier (relatively speaking), the progress on the black market issue will accelerate.
As for some other people's complains regarding cheap products etc, and that they treat their workers unfairly etc to get a cost advantage and we cannot survive. I agree that it is true, but in many ways we have lost our competitiveness.
People here's defiintion of fair is full medical coverage, a pension plan, and be able to afford a house and a wage that can keep the Mom at home. In their world, fair means a wage so they can feed themselves and their kids with the cheapest food.
I have once watched an interview showing a Chinese manufacturing plant. The plant manager was walking around showing the camera crew this and that, and greeted by his workers. And the first thing he asks each of his workers was, "Did you get enough work hours?". Those workers are already working 8 hours a day, and they want every opportunity to squeeze in another 2-4 if the factory has extra work for them to do!
And like others have pointed out. Most people don't care where the products were produced. Most likely because the quality of the locally made goods does not justify the price tag for those people? I think this is the good and bad side for a free market. And we are suffering from the bad side of it.
I won't touch on the right/wrong/ethic/moral side of it. But the good old days are over. We need to adjust.
There are several issues at play here.
First,China doesnt play fair.It was stated by another poster that some of the things that China does is because of their culture,traditions.
This is no excuse when trading with another country.
My Mom has a heart specialist that is I think from the Hong Kong area.
He had to pass tests just as US born doctors do to practice medicine here.
The same applies to China regarding trade.
They have to play by the rules just as other countries do.
China needs to respect those that they are trading with regarding piracy and black market items.
China needs to step up to the plate and follow the rules.
If China wants to grow,they need to level the playing field.
Secondly,when it comes to people buying comparable products and then buying the cheapest,they most likely do so because they have limited funds.
If I had the funds,I would prefer an American made product.
The American worker deserves the money but the price in many instances is beyond what most can/will pay.
Thirdly,there are too many that think that their company should take care of them for life.
They think they should get free health insurance,free pensions etc.
I think a company should offer health ins. and pensions but I dont think that the company should have to foot the whole bill.
I also dont think a company should supply free health ins. after a person retires from the company.
These things are ruining GM and untelling what other companies.
Dont get me wrong,I think a company should do all they can to help and keep their employees.
However,some take this beyond the scope of acceptable.
Now,if an employee gets hurt on the job and becomes disabled because of such,then yes,the company should pay for their health insurance,free.
They should also give them a full pension because they did become disabled from injuries on the job,this is only fair in my opinion.
Insurance and pensions are needs not obligations.
First,China doesnt play fair.It was stated by another poster that some of the things that China does is because of their culture,traditions.
This is no excuse when trading with another country.
My Mom has a heart specialist that is I think from the Hong Kong area.
He had to pass tests just as US born doctors do to practice medicine here.
The same applies to China regarding trade.
They have to play by the rules just as other countries do.
China needs to respect those that they are trading with regarding piracy and black market items.
China needs to step up to the plate and follow the rules.
If China wants to grow,they need to level the playing field.
Secondly,when it comes to people buying comparable products and then buying the cheapest,they most likely do so because they have limited funds.
If I had the funds,I would prefer an American made product.
The American worker deserves the money but the price in many instances is beyond what most can/will pay.
Thirdly,there are too many that think that their company should take care of them for life.
They think they should get free health insurance,free pensions etc.
I think a company should offer health ins. and pensions but I dont think that the company should have to foot the whole bill.
I also dont think a company should supply free health ins. after a person retires from the company.
These things are ruining GM and untelling what other companies.
Dont get me wrong,I think a company should do all they can to help and keep their employees.
However,some take this beyond the scope of acceptable.
Now,if an employee gets hurt on the job and becomes disabled because of such,then yes,the company should pay for their health insurance,free.
They should also give them a full pension because they did become disabled from injuries on the job,this is only fair in my opinion.
Insurance and pensions are needs not obligations.
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