Opinions/Editorials
See other Opinions/Editorials Articles
Title: Thoughts from Taiwan
Source:
Dissenting Opinions
URL Source: http://jwpegler.blogspot.com/2011/08/thoughts-from-taiwan.html
Published: Aug 19, 2011
Author: Eric Blankenburg
Post Date: 2011-08-19 08:36:27 by jwpegler
Keywords: None
Views: 86947
Comments: 163
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
Comments (1-97) not displayed.
.
.
.
They certainly were anti war and willing to put their asses on the line to end the Vietnam War and the draft as well
I remember very vividly the day after Nixon invaded Cambodia.
#99. To: lucysmom (#95)
willing to put their asses on the line to end the Vietnam War
and what exactly would that line be? the welfare line, cafeteria line, free clinic line?
nothing courageous about draft dodging cowards living off daddy's money.
#100. To: Get Outta Dodge! (#92)
Nerds aren't the same as hippies.
You'd be surprised!
"...all of the equations in neoclassical economics are rubbish. The differential equations describe nothing. Economics is not about mathematics, it is about the human being." Sandeep Jaitly
#101. To: lucysmom (#97)
Diversity is the reason Silicon Valley is in California.
Bzzzzzzzt. Wrong again.
Stanford University is.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
HA! The tea-party, INDEED! They're so . . . ah . . . common
#102. To: lucysmom (#100)
Nerds aren't the same as hippies.You'd be surprised!
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.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
HA! The tea-party, INDEED! They're so . . . ah . . . common
#103. To: calcon (#99)
nothing courageous about draft dodging cowards living off daddy's money.
Most rich daddies of which there were far fewer then disapproved of and disowned their hippie offspring.
#104. To: calcon (#99)
and what exactly would that line be? the welfare line, cafeteria line, free clinic line?
They were willing to be beaten by police, arrested and jailed.
nothing courageous about draft dodging cowards living off daddy's money.
On the other hand, for some the cowardly act was submitting to the government order to report for military service rather than risk prison and scorn.
"...all of the equations in neoclassical economics are rubbish. The differential equations describe nothing. Economics is not about mathematics, it is about the human being." Sandeep Jaitly
#105. To: Get Outta Dodge! (#101)
Bzzzzzzzt. Wrong again.Stanford University is.
Academia .. we already knew that.
#106. To: Get Outta Dodge! (#101) (Edited)
Stanford University is.
And it was the university's policy to attract only conservative white men of European decent?
"...all of the equations in neoclassical economics are rubbish. The differential equations describe nothing. Economics is not about mathematics, it is about the human being." Sandeep Jaitly
#107. To: Get Outta Dodge! (#102) (Edited)
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.
Maybe your definition of hippie is too narrow.
"...all of the equations in neoclassical economics are rubbish. The differential equations describe nothing. Economics is not about mathematics, it is about the human being." Sandeep Jaitly
#108. To: lucysmom (#106)
And it was the universities policy to attract only conservative white men of European decent?
No. Race is something only you statists and the Klan are obsessed with.
I presume a university of Stanford's reputation would (or should) concern itself with attracting the best and the brightest. Period.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
HA! The tea-party, INDEED! They're so . . . ah . . . common
#109. To: lucysmom (#106)
And it was the university's policy to attract only conservative white men of European decent?
LOL I remember when we played them. Even their band had hippie types.
#110. To: Get Outta Dodge! (#108)
I presume a university of Stanford's reputation would (or should) concern itself with attracting the best and the brightest. Period.
Yeah, and that leads to diversity.
"...all of the equations in neoclassical economics are rubbish. The differential equations describe nothing. Economics is not about mathematics, it is about the human being." Sandeep Jaitly
#111. To: Get Outta Dodge! (#108)
No. Race is something only you statists and the Klan are obsessed with.I presume a university of Stanford's reputation would (or should) concern itself with attracting the best and the brightest. Period.
You sound either too young or too foreign with your weasel words to actually have lived here during that era.
#112. To: lucysmom (#107)
Maybe your definition of hippie is too narrow.
also hip·py (h-p') pronunciation n., pl., -pies. A person who opposes and rejects many of the conventional standards and customs of society, especially one who advocates extreme liberalism in sociopolitical attitudes and lifestyles.
Read more: http://www.answers.com/topic/hippie#ixzz1Vm0OMrVL
Let me know when Gates starts giving his software away, and Jobs gives out free MACS, okay?
__________________________________________________________________________________________
HA! The tea-party, INDEED! They're so . . . ah . . . common
#113. To: mininggold (#111)
You sound either too young or too foreign with your weasel words to actually have lived here during that era.
Which is it today?
PUI or PWD?
__________________________________________________________________________________________
HA! The tea-party, INDEED! They're so . . . ah . . . common
#114. To: Get Outta Dodge! (#112)
also hip·py (h-p') pronunciation n., pl., -pies. A person who opposes and rejects many of the conventional standards and customs of society, especially one who advocates extreme liberalism in sociopolitical attitudes and lifestyles.
Now you have to resort to a dictionary for your 'official' definition. You are just too funny, but it does explain alot.
#115. To: mininggold (#109)
LOL I remember when we played them. Even their band had hippie types.
Remember David Harris? He was Stanford Student Body President and later went to prison for his anti-draft activities.
"...all of the equations in neoclassical economics are rubbish. The differential equations describe nothing. Economics is not about mathematics, it is about the human being." Sandeep Jaitly
#116. To: Get Outta Dodge! (#113)
Which is it today?PUI or PWD?
I don't know what you are talking about..
Silly wittle GOD is now angry when caught making up shit. It's apparent you obviously you have NO frame of reference.
#117. To: mininggold (#114)
You are just too funny
So are you, honey . . . 
. . . so are you.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
HA! The tea-party, INDEED! They're so . . . ah . . . common
#118. To: lucysmom (#115)
Remember David Harris? He was Stanford Student Body President and later went to prison for his anti-draft activities.
Yep and he looked like a nerd too, at least in the beginning.
#119. To: Get Outta Dodge! (#117)
. . so are you.
Evidently you have now conceded that you are too ignorant of the topic to continue the discussion.
#120. To: Get Outta Dodge! (#112)
Let me know when Gates starts giving his software away, and Jobs gives out free MACS, okay?
Gates is famous not only for software, but also for giving his money away.
"...all of the equations in neoclassical economics are rubbish. The differential equations describe nothing. Economics is not about mathematics, it is about the human being." Sandeep Jaitly
#121. To: mininggold (#119)
Evidently you have now conceded that you are too ignorant of the topic to continue the discussion.
What discussion was that?
That Stanford University is in California? I think we all agreed on that.
That hippies were dropouts? No argument there.
Diversity? Whatever. It seems to make you morons happy.
What did I miss?
__________________________________________________________________________________________
HA! The tea-party, INDEED! They're so . . . ah . . . common
#122. To: lucysmom (#120)
Gates is famous not only for software, but also for giving his money away.
Ain't that the truth. He and his mother gave millions to that 'socialist enterprise' called the University of Washington among many many others.
#123. To: Get Outta Dodge! (#121)
That Stanford University is in California? I think we all agreed on that.That hippies were dropouts? No argument there.
Diversity? Whatever. It seems to make you morons happy.
What did I miss?
The point.... as usual.
#124. To: lucysmom (#120)
Gates is famous not only for software, but also for giving his money away.
That's nice.
But not to toot my own horn, but I suspect I give more (percentage wise) to charity than he does.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
HA! The tea-party, INDEED! They're so . . . ah . . . common
#125. To: mininggold (#123)
The point.... as usual.
Educate me then, madame.
Please.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
HA! The tea-party, INDEED! They're so . . . ah . . . common
#126. To: Get Outta Dodge! (#121)
That hippies were dropouts? No argument there.
Both Steves, Apple creators, were dropouts as was Bill Gates.
"...all of the equations in neoclassical economics are rubbish. The differential equations describe nothing. Economics is not about mathematics, it is about the human being." Sandeep Jaitly
#127. To: Get Outta Dodge! (#124)
But not to toot my own horn, but I suspect I give more (percentage wise) to charity than he does.
Good for you. How is that relevant to the conversation?
"...all of the equations in neoclassical economics are rubbish. The differential equations describe nothing. Economics is not about mathematics, it is about the human being." Sandeep Jaitly
#128. To: lucysmom (#127)
You tell me.
You're the one who brought up Gates' giving to charity and being famous for it.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
HA! The tea-party, INDEED! They're so . . . ah . . . common
#129. To: lucysmom (#127)
Good for you. How is that relevant to the conversation?
It's the only area in which he can beat Bill Gates.
#130. To: Get Outta Dodge! (#128)
You tell me.You're the one who brought up Gates' giving to charity and being famous for it.
So some boogeyman forced you to reply?
#131. To: mininggold (#129)
It's the only area in which he can beat Bill Gates.
Wow - looks like we can add clairvoyant to your resume.
Impressive!
__________________________________________________________________________________________
HA! The tea-party, INDEED! They're so . . . ah . . . common
#132. To: mininggold (#130)
I'm still waiting for you to educate me as to what the hell the point of this conversation is.
Since you said I "missed" it.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
HA! The tea-party, INDEED! They're so . . . ah . . . common
#133. To: Get Outta Dodge! (#132)
I'm still waiting for you to educate me as to what the hell the point of this conversation is.Since you said I "missed" it.
Lucy brought it up, I'm saving on bandwidth by not repeating it.
#134. To: Get Outta Dodge! (#131)
Wow - looks like we can add clairvoyant to your resume.Impressive!
You moderators say the stupidest things.
#135. To: mininggold (#133)
I'm saving on bandwidth by not repeating it.
ROFLMAO!
I didn't think you could.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
HA! The tea-party, INDEED! They're so . . . ah . . . common
#136. To: mininggold (#134)
You moderators say the stupidest things.
Note to self:
Add "moderator" to MG's resume.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
HA! The tea-party, INDEED! They're so . . . ah . . . common
#137. To: Get Outta Dodge! (#128)
You're the one who brought up Gates' giving to charity and being famous for it.
Well no, you're the one who brought up Gates and giving stuff away.
Let me know when Gates starts giving his software away, and Jobs gives out free MACS, okay?
Then, after I responded to your challenge, you inserted yourself into a discussion that wasn't about you.
"...all of the equations in neoclassical economics are rubbish. The differential equations describe nothing. Economics is not about mathematics, it is about the human being." Sandeep Jaitly
#138. To: mininggold (#129)
It's the only area in which he can beat Bill Gates.
and we only have his word for that.
"...all of the equations in neoclassical economics are rubbish. The differential equations describe nothing. Economics is not about mathematics, it is about the human being." Sandeep Jaitly
.
.
.
Comments (139 - 163) not displayed.
Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest
[Home] [Headlines] [Latest Articles] [Latest Comments] [Post] [Mail] [Sign-in] [Setup] [Help] [Register]