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Opinions/Editorials Title: Thoughts from Taiwan I spent the last week in Taipei, Taiwan visiting a customer. I've been all over Asia, but this was my first trip to Taiwan, other than catching a connecting flight at the airport. I'm sitting here at Taiwan International Airport waiting for my 12 hour flight to Seattle, reflecting on my week. I love Taiwan and its people. The city is on the move. People are hustling and working hard. Yet, they are extraordinarily friendly and caring.
Last night we went to Tower 101, which is one of the tallest buildings in the world. Until very recently, it also had the fastest elevator in the world. We climbed from the 5th floor to the observation deck on the 89th floor in a matter of seconds. The view was spectacular. Taipei 101 is designed to withstand typhoon winds and earthquake tremors. Inside the building there is a 660 metric ton steel pendulum (my pic is on the left) which acts as a mass damper that sways to offset movements in the building caused by strong gusts of wind. It's the largest mass damper in the world and the building is an engineering marvel. Afterwards, we had diner at a great restaurant that specializes in dumplings. We were sitting at diner, looking at all of the energy in the city, the wonderful people, and everything that they've accomplished over the last 50 years. I couldn't help but think that if Chiang Kai Shek didn't lead 2 million people off of the mainland, all of these people and what they've accomplished wouldn't be here because the communists would have murdered their parents and grandparents for rebelling just as the communists murdered so many others. Our thoughts quickly drifted to the problems we face in America. Although the American left haven't turned into mass murders (yet), they are killing the country nevertheless. In Taiwan and the rest of Asia, you are expected to work and take care of yourself. If you can't, you rely on your family. In America (and Europe) the government's welfare system has destroyed the family by replacing it with a faceless, uncaring bureaucracy. They've also replaced our core values of hard work and responsibility with sloth and dependency. So, you've been on unemployment insurance for 2 years???!!! No problem, Obama and his minions will let you ride out the rest of your miserable life at the taxpayer's expense. At one point last night I told my colleague that we should take every big mouth leftist in the U.S., and dump them off in Taiwan, the Philippines or elsewhere in Asia without a penny in their pocket. If they can manage to survive a year, both they and America would be better off when they come back. I seriously doubt that many of them could survive. It's getting close to boarding time. I am so glad to becoming back to America with another shining example of how the American values of hardwork, thrift, and personal responsibility translate into success in every society. It is so sad that many Americans are losing those very values. Post Comment Private Reply Ignore Thread Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest Begin Trace Mode for Comment # 100. #1. To: All, Capitalist Eric, CZ82, go65, A K A Stone, hondo68, buckeroo, Murron, sneakypete, Get Outta Dodge! (#0) We were sitting at diner, looking at all of the energy in the city, the wonderful people, and everything that they've accomplished over the last 50 years. I couldn't help but think that if Chiang Kai Shek didn't lead 2 million people off of the mainland, all of these people and what they've accomplished wouldn't be here because the communists would have murdered their parents and grandparents for rebelling just as the communists murdered so many others. Ping...
#8. To: jwpegler (#1) (Edited) The 101 is a fantastick structure! However, they have a lot of problems compared to the USA. They treat imports with heavy taxes; as an example, if someone wants to buy a car from the US ($20,000) that same vehicle will have a tax levied at over 100% of the sticker value. Also, it is nearly impossible to finance those imports. Totally different economic structure than the USA. That is why you see the Taiwanese so industrious about diversified holdings; and industries. Many, if not all of the electronic components (say: used in your PC and other equipment) are manufactured there. If the Taiwanese are not working or in school they are with family and friends. One area that I despise is the Chinese New Year. It can last for a month about January-February; everything closes and forget about contacting anyone about business; they are off on holiday.
#24. To: buckeroo, jwpegler (#8) If the Taiwanese are not working or in school they are with family and friends. One area that I despise is the Chinese New Year. It can last for a month about January-February; everything closes and forget about contacting anyone about business; they are off on holiday. They get more time off of work than Americans do too.
#26. To: lucysmom, jwpegler (#24) They get more time off of work than Americans do too. Oh, isn't that peechy-keen! Whats that got to do with any of this discussion? If anything America NEEDS to get back to work as Taiwan demonstrates based on jwpegler's article.
#29. To: buckeroo (#26) Oh, isn't that peechy-keen! Whats that got to do with any of this discussion? If anything America NEEDS to get back to work as Taiwan demonstrates based on jwpegler's article. It begins to look as if Americans work more and get less than the citizens of any other first world country. What is it again that makes us great?
#33. To: lucysmom (#29) It begins to look as if Americans work more and get less than the citizens of any other first world country. That is because American government on all levels have stolen the average American paycheck through: 1) taxation, 2) controlled inflation and 3) excessive borrowing. These scandalous methods are not used ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD. You should get off your ass from your computer and get outside and SCREAM: 'I'm as mad as hell and I'm not going to take this anymore!' (borrowed from NETWORK, circa 1976) ... of course, you won't; it is too easy to sit there and chit-chat.
What is it again that makes us great? It was WW2. After WW2, it has been downhill all the way particularly because of America playing world cop.
#35. To: buckeroo (#33) That is because American government on all levels have stolen the average American paycheck through: 1) taxation, 2) controlled inflation and 3) excessive borrowing. These scandalous methods are not used ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD. You can't be serious.
#40. To: lucysmom (#35) You can't be serious. Sur le conttrary mon ami je suis cadavérique sérieux. (Quite the contrary, I am deathly serious) No other nation has ever undertaken the task of WORLDCOP as the USA has performed EVER! The costs have been enormous, too. There isn't one significant advantage to this excessive empire building for America, either.
#78. To: buckeroo (#40) No other nation has ever undertaken the task of WORLDCOP as the USA has performed EVER! The costs have been enormous, too. There isn't one significant advantage to this excessive empire building for America, either. Yep. Vietnam, Lebanon, Kosovo, Mogadishu, Afghanistan, Iraq, and pretty soon Libya and Syria too... The amount of money spent, the lives lost, the lives ruined... for what? Nothing. Fortunately, people are starting to get it. Thank Ron Paul and quite frankly over the last 20 years Pat Buchanan for that. But we still have a long way to go.
#84. To: jwpegler (#78) Fortunately, people are starting to get it. Hippies paved the way.
#85. To: lucysmom (#84) Hippies paved the way. Wrong. Yesterday's hippies are today's establishment. They (and you) are the problem.
#86. To: Get Outta Dodge! (#85) Yesterday's hippies are today's establishment. Hippies are todays older generation, not necessarily the establishment. George Bush types are more of the establishment ilk; I doubt he was ever a hippie.
#87. To: lucysmom, Get Outta Dodge! (#86) Hippies and hippie culture in academia produced today's computer world. So called conservatives are narrow minded do nothings and know nothings.
#92. To: Godwinson (#87) Hippies and hippie culture in academia produced today's computer world. Bullshit, you moron. Nerds aren't the same as hippies. Hippies didn't produce jackshit - and they still aren't. They just take.
#100. To: Get Outta Dodge! (#92) Nerds aren't the same as hippies. You'd be surprised!
Replies to Comment # 100. Nerds aren't the same as hippies. It took more than smoking dope to be a hippie. Yes, Gates, Jobs and Wozniak (sp?) probably smoked dope. But they were nerds (not hippies) nonetheless.
End Trace Mode for Comment # 100. Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest |
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