Anyone else NOT watching the Olymics?
08-19-2008, 01:00 PM
#76
No problem! I have a Schwinn Pro Modified Cruiser and my has a Santa Cruz Jackel cruiser, both are race ready.
See above
We used to run the track out in Prunedale. Don't anymore, but still have connections. I'm sure an i-club u-club we all club for i-club race could be arranged 
Haha.. who wants to sponsor that?!?!
See above
We used to run the track out in Prunedale. Don't anymore, but still have connections. I'm sure an i-club u-club we all club for i-club race could be arranged Haha.. who wants to sponsor that?!?!ill race haha
give me 5 months notice so i can start to train
08-19-2008, 01:20 PM
#77
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Having said all that, this is not to say that I don't recognize the strengths that the country possesses. Because of its immense control of its people and its current ability to do practically anything it wants, I foresee that China will be the leading country in the world by 2050, to the detriment of all others, with the possible exceptions of Russia and India.
08-19-2008, 01:49 PM
#79
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Actually, I'm speaking of first-hand experiences that others have told me that they've experienced, including recent Chinese immigrants. What these Chinese have told me is that they were very happy to leave, and notice the differences between living here and living there immensely. Also, the few Tibetans that I've had the chance to know have said that everything that I've read or learned about the situation is not a fabrication, which makes sense since I've seen actual footage of what they've done to the temples and monks. And as far as visiting there, that is true; I have not been there. My family has, and their first-hand experiences are enough to convince me that I'd rather spend my money and time visiting other places in the world. The air is nasty, the people are rude, and they were worried about getting murdered. I would rank visiting China as desirable as visiting Saudi Arabia, Russia, Myanmar, or any such country with that is currently committing grievous human rights violations.
Having said all that, this is not to say that I don't recognize the strengths that the country possesses. Because of its immense control of its people and its current ability to do practically anything it wants, I foresee that China will be the leading country in the world by 2050, to the detriment of all others, with the possible exceptions of Russia and India.
Having said all that, this is not to say that I don't recognize the strengths that the country possesses. Because of its immense control of its people and its current ability to do practically anything it wants, I foresee that China will be the leading country in the world by 2050, to the detriment of all others, with the possible exceptions of Russia and India.
That sounds fair, and I understand your viewpoint. My own viewpoint is different, I admittedly (along with most people on i-club) belong to the "have" segment of society rather than the have-nots.
I can tell you you're missing out though - I've either done extended business, or lived in New York, London, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Seoul and various cities in China.
I can tell you China is BY FAR the most crazy awesome freaking place of all of the above. Yes, it is also the crappiest place if you are poor. But none of us are poor.
Tokyo is as awesome as China, but it's much more expensive.
08-19-2008, 03:45 PM
#82
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Wow wow wow! I didn't mean for so many to get offended!
All I meant was my disagreement with the Chinese Gov't, thats it! No issues with the people (Unless you're a high up gov't official).
All I meant was my disagreement with the Chinese Gov't, thats it! No issues with the people (Unless you're a high up gov't official).
08-19-2008, 03:50 PM
#83
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Americans are lazy. They (including me) don't want to stand around in a factory manufacturing things. Instead, Americans have resorted to growing the economy through providing services (accounting, medical, educational, etc).
So, unless YOU want to go into a factory and manufacture some "quality" American made goods, quit *****ing and suck it up.
Also, Americans have been number one for so long that they've gotten lazier and thought of their first place position as a right, not a privilege. Detroit's crappy car companies are a perfect example of this.
CONCLUSION: STFU and quit complaining about China taking over! It's just as much your own fault as it is China's. (Don't be mad because you're lazy and those people in China aren't)
So, unless YOU want to go into a factory and manufacture some "quality" American made goods, quit *****ing and suck it up.
Also, Americans have been number one for so long that they've gotten lazier and thought of their first place position as a right, not a privilege. Detroit's crappy car companies are a perfect example of this.
CONCLUSION: STFU and quit complaining about China taking over! It's just as much your own fault as it is China's. (Don't be mad because you're lazy and those people in China aren't)
08-19-2008, 03:52 PM
#85
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Americans are lazy. They (including me) don't want to stand around in a factory manufacturing things. Instead, Americans have resorted to growing the economy through providing services (accounting, medical, educational, etc).
So, unless YOU want to go into a factory and manufacture some "quality" American made goods, quit *****ing and suck it up.
Also, Americans have been number one for so long that they've gotten lazier and thought of their first place position as a right, not a privilege. Detroit's crappy car companies are a perfect example of this.
CONCLUSION: STFU and quit complaining about China taking over! It's just as much your own fault as it is China's. (Don't be mad because you're lazy and those people in China aren't)
So, unless YOU want to go into a factory and manufacture some "quality" American made goods, quit *****ing and suck it up.
Also, Americans have been number one for so long that they've gotten lazier and thought of their first place position as a right, not a privilege. Detroit's crappy car companies are a perfect example of this.
CONCLUSION: STFU and quit complaining about China taking over! It's just as much your own fault as it is China's. (Don't be mad because you're lazy and those people in China aren't)
At least China isn't filled with Ahole knowitall's like the above!!!!
08-19-2008, 04:01 PM
#87
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Maybe in the nike factory, but like I said above, our factory's employees are paid well, taken care of and are ridiculously happy about the prominence of the Brand here in the states. They work hard to produce our design, and take a great deal of pride.
08-19-2008, 04:05 PM
#88
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Seeing as how we're onto name calling, here's one, your a hypocrite. You complain about the cheap goods from China, but you know what, I bet you're still using them.
whan whan cry cry... all this pointless boycotting of China for no reason. Again, they do what you don't want to do for cheaper.
08-19-2008, 04:07 PM
#89
I think it has more to do with the law of comparative advantage. For those of you who aren't familiar, it's basically a principle that states that the party with the lowest cost should produce a given good. This includes opportunity costs. So, for instance, take a lawyer and his secretary. Let's say the lawyer is better at both the legal stuff and the secretarial stuff. But, the secretary obviously couldn't do the lawyer's job. So, even though the lawyer could do the secretary's job better, she couldn't do his at all, and so it makes sense for her to keep doing her job, even if she can't do it as well. This is because the secretary's "cost" for doing her job is much lower than the lawyer's "cost" for doing her job, i.e. the lost opportunity to perform legal work.
This principle works for countries as well. America, well most of the Western world, is at the technological frontier. They are the innovators, the ones that have the resources, institutions and education/experience/intellect to push that frontier forward. The poorer less industrialized countries do not have this capability. So, even though America can make clothes better than China, it makes no sense for them to do so. If America was sitting here making clothes, sure, we'd have great clothes costing an arm and leg, but who'd be making the airplanes, rocket ships, etc? It's about who can do it cheapest, not who can do it better. There is no question that given America's resources, we could make a pair of sneakers a hell of a lot better than the Chinese. So what? Do you want a pair of Nike's made to surgically precise standards or do you want ongoing research to develop cures for diseases?
I know a lot of people think outsourcing is costing Americans jobs, and it is, but those are not the jobs Americans need to be doing. America is one of the few places where you can even get a high-level education that would enable you to do the things that are required to push the technological frontier forward. We have the institutions (schools, etc.), the resources, and infrastructure in place to allow this to happen. Granted, this means that the current generation of low-skill labor will be out of jobs, but, if it serves as a wake-up call for the future generations, encouraging more kids to feel that a college education is not an option but just as mandatory as a high school diploma, this country will continue to prosper.
Will America always need some low-skill labor? Yes. Do we need as much of it today as we did in the past? Not a chance.
This principle works for countries as well. America, well most of the Western world, is at the technological frontier. They are the innovators, the ones that have the resources, institutions and education/experience/intellect to push that frontier forward. The poorer less industrialized countries do not have this capability. So, even though America can make clothes better than China, it makes no sense for them to do so. If America was sitting here making clothes, sure, we'd have great clothes costing an arm and leg, but who'd be making the airplanes, rocket ships, etc? It's about who can do it cheapest, not who can do it better. There is no question that given America's resources, we could make a pair of sneakers a hell of a lot better than the Chinese. So what? Do you want a pair of Nike's made to surgically precise standards or do you want ongoing research to develop cures for diseases?
I know a lot of people think outsourcing is costing Americans jobs, and it is, but those are not the jobs Americans need to be doing. America is one of the few places where you can even get a high-level education that would enable you to do the things that are required to push the technological frontier forward. We have the institutions (schools, etc.), the resources, and infrastructure in place to allow this to happen. Granted, this means that the current generation of low-skill labor will be out of jobs, but, if it serves as a wake-up call for the future generations, encouraging more kids to feel that a college education is not an option but just as mandatory as a high school diploma, this country will continue to prosper.
Will America always need some low-skill labor? Yes. Do we need as much of it today as we did in the past? Not a chance.
Americans are lazy. They (including me) don't want to stand around in a factory manufacturing things. Instead, Americans have resorted to growing the economy through providing services (accounting, medical, educational, etc).
So, unless YOU want to go into a factory and manufacture some "quality" American made goods, quit *****ing and suck it up.
Also, Americans have been number one for so long that they've gotten lazier and thought of their first place position as a right, not a privilege. Detroit's crappy car companies are a perfect example of this.
CONCLUSION: STFU and quit complaining about China taking over! It's just as much your own fault as it is China's. (Don't be mad because you're lazy and those people in China aren't)
So, unless YOU want to go into a factory and manufacture some "quality" American made goods, quit *****ing and suck it up.
Also, Americans have been number one for so long that they've gotten lazier and thought of their first place position as a right, not a privilege. Detroit's crappy car companies are a perfect example of this.
CONCLUSION: STFU and quit complaining about China taking over! It's just as much your own fault as it is China's. (Don't be mad because you're lazy and those people in China aren't)
08-19-2008, 04:13 PM
#90
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couldnt have said it better. either way, no need to complain and ***** about China. That's all.
I think it has more to do with the law of comparative advantage. For those of you who aren't familiar, it's basically a principle that states that the party with the lowest cost should produce a given good. This includes opportunity costs. So, for instance, take a lawyer and his secretary. Let's say the lawyer is better at both the legal stuff and the secretarial stuff. But, the secretary obviously couldn't do the lawyer's job. So, even though the lawyer could do the secretary's job better, she couldn't do his at all, and so it makes sense for her to keep doing her job, even if she can't do it as well. This is because the secretary's "cost" for doing her job is much lower than the lawyer's "cost" for doing her job, i.e. the lost opportunity to perform legal work.
This principle works for countries as well. America, well most of the Western world, is at the technological frontier. They are the innovators, the ones that have the resources, institutions and education/experience/intellect to push that frontier forward. The poorer less industrialized countries do not have this capability. So, even though America can make clothes better than China, it makes no sense for them to do so. If America was sitting here making clothes, sure, we'd have great clothes costing an arm and leg, but who'd be making the airplanes, rocket ships, etc? It's about who can do it cheapest, not who can do it better. There is no question that given America's resources, we could make a pair of sneakers a hell of a lot better than the Chinese. So what? Do you want a pair of Nike's made to surgically precise standards or do you want ongoing research to develop cures for diseases?
I know a lot of people think outsourcing is costing Americans jobs, and it is, but those are not the jobs Americans need to be doing. America is one of the few places where you can even get a high-level education that would enable you to do the things that are required to push the technological frontier forward. We have the institutions (schools, etc.), the resources, and infrastructure in place to allow this to happen. Granted, this means that the current generation of low-skill labor will be out of jobs, but, if it serves as a wake-up call for the future generations, encouraging more kids to feel that a college education is not an option but just as mandatory as a high school diploma, this country will continue to prosper.
Will America always need some low-skill labor? Yes. Do we need as much of it today as we did in the past? Not a chance.
This principle works for countries as well. America, well most of the Western world, is at the technological frontier. They are the innovators, the ones that have the resources, institutions and education/experience/intellect to push that frontier forward. The poorer less industrialized countries do not have this capability. So, even though America can make clothes better than China, it makes no sense for them to do so. If America was sitting here making clothes, sure, we'd have great clothes costing an arm and leg, but who'd be making the airplanes, rocket ships, etc? It's about who can do it cheapest, not who can do it better. There is no question that given America's resources, we could make a pair of sneakers a hell of a lot better than the Chinese. So what? Do you want a pair of Nike's made to surgically precise standards or do you want ongoing research to develop cures for diseases?
I know a lot of people think outsourcing is costing Americans jobs, and it is, but those are not the jobs Americans need to be doing. America is one of the few places where you can even get a high-level education that would enable you to do the things that are required to push the technological frontier forward. We have the institutions (schools, etc.), the resources, and infrastructure in place to allow this to happen. Granted, this means that the current generation of low-skill labor will be out of jobs, but, if it serves as a wake-up call for the future generations, encouraging more kids to feel that a college education is not an option but just as mandatory as a high school diploma, this country will continue to prosper.
Will America always need some low-skill labor? Yes. Do we need as much of it today as we did in the past? Not a chance.