Nice.
Potential Flashpoint for Internatinal Conflict
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I find China to be a fascinating topic. I’ve spent most of my life in Canada 20 miles from the US border. Growing up next to a giant I think it will be interesting to watch how that giant reacts when it realizes there is another giant in the same room. One can only hope the new giant will be as relatively friendly as the old giant is now.
The US has a history of not wanting to be shackled by international law hence it has yet to sign onto the UN international law of the sea. Should that same choice be afforded to China? I for one would like to see the rule of law apply everywhere and wars between nations become a thing of the past. Now for the details, ah the devil in the details!
I would also like to see these laws applied to labour standards so China loses some of its competitive advantages due to brutal working conditions and state manipulation.
This segues into a discussion in my facebook group about bringing jobs back to North America. An interesting article on that:
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I agree. I am disgusted by how many items are Chinese. Things we in England or Italy used to make. It is all to do with economics and we are disadvantaged for the reason you gave.
For ease and cost cutting I have bought Chinese, but do hate myself for it.
Wish our government could subsidise locally made products to make them competitive, but I suppose that would be morally wrong and against some badly thought up international law! -
I think the same stats apply, a few years ago if you ranked the top few destinations for Chinese exports it was USA then Walmart in #2. No sure who much penetration walmart has there, they are a bit behind in Canada compared to the US. Amazing how Walmart imports more chinese products than any other nation other than the one its located in. Really tough to find north american produced items in Walmart.
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Chineses that works “underpaid” would have been poor farmers instead. The country is going toward a very fast industry phase (primary is still very high though). When the country will get more rich the labor condition will improve with it.
Our countries had this too in the past. -
Those underpaid (compared to western standards) workers have a far better life than being a poor farmer. Labour conditions are getting better and the Chinese labour price advantage is starting to shrink. Of course so is the middle class in North America. I have no problem with China stepping up, just not at the expense of us stepping back.
But competing against a country where their workers live 8 to a dorm and work 70 hours per week and can flush toxic chemicals down the toilet is not fair trade.
http://technology.canoe.ca/2012/09/25/20229631.html
A strong assertive modern China will hold the US in check and force the US to be more honest. I like that a great deal. I like competition as long as everyone plays by the same rules. I like the fact if the US wants to bully Canada over oil or softwood lumber then Canada will just sell to the Chinese.
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Speaking of Chinese Pollution…
Did you hear about the Yangtze river turning RED?
The cause -could- be natural, but it’s never happend before, and it still under investigation.
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@wittmann:
I agree. I am disgusted by how many items are Chinese. Things we in England or Italy used to make. It is all to do with economics and we are disadvantaged for the reason you gave.
For ease and cost cutting I have bought Chinese, but do hate myself for it.
Wish our government could subsidise locally made products to make them competitive, but I suppose that would be morally wrong and against some badly thought up international law!Me too hate myself for playing with A&A plastic soldiers that are made in China. Luckily the map and charts are proudly printet in U$A
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Are they really? Did not know that.
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Do you think conflict happens between Iran and Israel?
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@ABWorsham:
Do you think conflict happens between Iran and Israel?
Yes indeed, they have been in conflict for the last 5000 years, why stop now ?
But if you are talking about av full scale war, he!l no, they need each other to suppress their own populations, its a game
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I agree. I do not believe Iran has the balls. Ultimately they have too much to lose. Funding and supporting terrorism is one thing, invasion is another.
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Razor has it right in my opinion. An external enemy has always and will always be the best way to unify a nation. An example is from the classic movie “Canadian Bacon”.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0R5DTHcmGU
The problem with an Israeli attack is that it would end up unifying sunnis (mostly) and shias which are normally mortal enemies. An Iranian first attack would end the current regime as the US would really then have to step in, could you imagine the politics back home if the US sat back?
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One has to understand the current status of Arab culture, and the last 200 to 5000 years of it, to realize how volatile it’s population is, and how impossibly difficult it is in those countries to maintain power and order.
It’s like when England was without a king, bloody.
People like Saddam Hussien HAVE to be extensively brutal, if they intend to last.
Again, I don’t endorse the position, but typically, violence and threat of violence, is how these regimes maintain order. You guys are absolutely correct when it comes down to using an external force.
Watch Lawrence of Arabia for a good visual interpretation of what I’m talking about…
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One has to understand the current status of Arab culture, and the last 200 to 5000 years of it, to realize how volatile it’s population is, and how impossibly difficult it is in those countries to maintain power and order.
It’s like when England was without a king, bloody.
People like Saddam Hussien HAVE to be extensively brutal, if they intend to last.
Again, I don’t endorse the position, but typically, violence and threat of violence, is how these regimes maintain order. You guys are absolutely correct when it comes down to using an external force.
Watch Lawrence of Arabia for a good visual interpretation of what I’m talking about…
They need this guy again
Yeah it’s Turkish, but he’s still a muslim
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Nice nose!
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There was a thread where Iran was mentioned as a possible target of attack but I can’t seem to recall where it was! I read this article and thought it interesting how economics might effect change in Iran if the screws is large enough and applied tight enough. Lets home the people in Iran vote with their wallet and install leaders who will exude rational thought and peaceful ways.
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An interesting random map of the Ottoman empire’s rise and fall. One thing I will never forget…… How I felt when a Persian friend of mine pointed out to me that Persia was never part of the Ottoman empire which I had assumed. D’uh comes to mind
http://www.naqshbandi.org/ottomans/maps/
On the geeky side…
These “Chinese Hacker” groups seem to have weird targets for their attacks and espionage. Seems to me this is more in line with what state hackers would do:
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Nothing wierd about that target…
Power is a primary target in any conflict. Yea, we caught them this time, think of the electricity they have access to -shutting off- that we don’t even know about.
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Now I got confused about the word “Internatinal” that is used in the headline. Anyone got a clue ?
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I never noticed that typo! Funny how the brain sees things. That’s what happens when your brain works faster than your fingers resulting in a dropped letter. I must be slowing down in my old age, normally I would drop a few letters! Either that or the brain injury……
I see how normal hacker groups get paid or derive purpose for what they do, but this is so obviously state sponsored it amazes me that Chinese ‘hackers’ continue to get away with it.
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