The Final Insult: Chinese automakers may buy GM or Chrysler

Yeah! Just what I am thinking exactly right now!

 

In the '80's the Japanese were buying up NYC. Now it is the Indians, Chinese, and Arabs that have the money. Buy a small percentage to get a voice on the board and access to all of the corporation's assets. Buy into Chevron, get access to the battery patents, become the dominant auto manufacturer. It won't happen overnight but it will happen because they are patient.

 

It's called long term planning. Something that, to me as an outsider, that most American companies just cannot seem to do - everything is focused on the short term gain, never on the longer term view.

 

Patient... and disciplined. That applies to the Japanese and the Europeans as well. They know not to run a business like the cricket, but instead heed the tale and follow the ant's example. Work steady every day, don't take what you have today for granted, save for a rainy day, etc.

 

If by "adjusted" you mean internecine warfare, then yes, a fairly easy adjustment. Assuming the current global recession doesn't tip over into a global depression, the price of oil/gas will continue to fall

The immediate fallout of lower oil prices, is that any discussion of energy independence (Expensive domestic drilling, Pickens Plan, wind, solar, etc) has completely fallen off the radar. The United States will end up importing far more of that cheap oil

So when things swing around, the US will be in a far more dangerous position than before.

As an example: tar sands development, and generally the expensive oil exploration in Western Canada, has all but shuttered. Everybody knows this oil is plentiful but expensive, and generally won't break even unless priced +$60 a barrel. In some cases, just the cost of extraction is $80 and up

Locally, a company that makes drill pipe has announced massive layoffs. Other local companies that offer service/support to the oil industry are also announcing massive layoffs

I have no problem with the US passing a law demanding no energy imports. In the long run, it would be a good thing for national security. It would be difficult to convince the average hillbilly redneck that gasoline would have to be priced $5 a gallon to pay for it though

As far as imports/exports on the global stage, a lot of what is happening to the US right now was set into motion a long time ago. We were sold out by the corporations, the media, the unions, banks, democrats, and republicans. Just deal with it

 

Actually, that philosophy works well for me too

No wonder when Asian immigrants come here, they do so well. Not like they have any real competition though. The average hillbilly redneck has barely a Grade 4 reading and mathematics ability

 

Immigrants in general tend to work harder and complain less. By the time the third generation rolls around, however, the grandkids tend to lose much of those values and become complacent and fat whiners like the rest.

One thing Asian immigrants have going for them is their strong family structure. But the language barrier can be horrendously tough for the first gen.

 

It really sickens me when an electrical engineer moves here from India or China, and is reduced to scrubbing urinals in a restaurant, or mopping a floor, because they barely speak english - or french for that matter

It infuriates me when the average bottom-feeder dumbass treats these immigrants like retards, due to the language barrier

Amazing true story: a few years ago, I was at a restaurant scribbling out equations on scratch paper, trying to figure out a new project. I was having a crap day, and making mistakes. The waiter, an young Asian fellow, happened to walk over to pick up one of my plates.

He looked down, reached for my pencil, made a few minor corrections, and went on his merry way. I went out of my way to convince the Powers To Be at work to hire this fellow

He turned out to be one of our best new hires. He was transferred last year to our Toronto office

 

That's a cool story. Great stuff.