I bet you think 4 + 2 is 6, right?

Wrong.

4 + 2 is an expression which is EQUAL to 6.

Now, someone like Chamuco might catch this subtle difference because he was taught to think outside the box. But someone like you is less likely to think the difference is significant enough to consider. This is why so many people make great technicians but get lost on politics, because in politics those "insignificant" details often get leveraged to great effect, especially when trying to fool people.

Exactly!

There's no such thing as "pure" democracy genius. Every democracy in the world is a representative system; some being more "representative" than others and all a republic means is that there is no monarch. So even North Korea is a republic.

You may as well be saying he should study the difference between a unicorn and spaghetti.

Dude... I'm really super impressed that you're a HVAC design engineer but all that means is that you would be a better choice than Chamuco for installing an AC unit. As for understanding politics and law or even just thinking outside the box (which is what liberal arts is) Chamucos education is far better suited.

Not saying you couldn't hold your own if you did enough self-study in relevant areas, but as far as education goes, your argument is absurd.

Industries don't change because of one man. Yes, the Deming Method is a contributing factor but only because the Japanese industry with all it's Japanese leaders had the wisdom to learn what Deming was teaching. The fact that Deming is still trying to get American business leaders to listen indicates we can't say the same for the American industry. So it seems the point you wound up making is that the Japanese are better at learning the lessons than Americans are out of which Deming himself is an exception, not the rule.


Well, that's what they TELL you. ;) ...and even if they did... What makes you think all those iPhones and Samsungs are any different? They ALL have the capacity to collect your data. I like using a cell phone, I think iPhones are overpriced and the only Samsung with a decent battery is the Note, which I don't want. Huawei has a phone that suits my needs for a reasonable price, so unless the Trump administration can present a better case, I'm buying it.

Besides, let's get real... What information can the Chinese possibly collect from me that will give them a green-light to attack us? Trust me, I'm far more concerned about Trump attacking our freedoms than I am about the Chinese.


How are the Chinese going to fix/change how they collect data if their devices are being banned? Look, you need to think a little more about this stuff before presenting an argument. You make this way to easy for me.


Well, if you used a Chinese GPS that wouldn't happen ;)


Well, that's up to you. Maybe you don't need a reason. Maybe you're fine with being told what you can and can't do. I'm not like that, if I'm told I can't buy a phone, I want a reason and I'm sorry but "national security" isn't good enough.


And this is exactly why I think it's ridiculous to try and control consumer technology. It's even more ridiculous to think banning Chinese telecom products will help prevent the flow of private information in a country where everyone is already giving it away on FB.

100% correct!

But there's more to it... This misconception is an intentional narrative produced by corporate powers that are trying to control the government, with an obscene level of success. They have already seen how easy it is to sway our minds as consumers with marketing techniques that include the omission of critical information and appeals to our self-image (ego). Why not use the same techniques to sway our minds as voters too? 'Turns out they can.

In this case, the omitted truth is simple, 5th-grade-level education...

A republic is ANY form of government that does not include a monarch, period. That is literally all a republic is so the ONLY alternative is a monarchy.

A democracy is ANY form of government where people vote, period. That is literally all democracy means so the ONLY alternative to democracy is tyranny.

So a country can mix and match... it can be a democratic monarchy (UK) or a democratic republic (US), or it can be a tyrannical monarchy (SA) or a tyrannical republic (China).

That being said... the difference between a republic and a monarchy is made quite clear with pronounced titles, like "president" vs "king", but the difference between a democracy and a tyranny is often blurred for political reasons. For instance the "Democratic People's Republic of North Korea" is indeed a republic but it's democracy only exists in it's official name. In fact just about every nation on Earth claims to be democratic, so democracy becomes a matter of degree, to the point where is can be argued that on average, citizens of the UK, a constitutional monarchy, actually enjoy a greater degree of democracy than the average citizen of the US due to things like the Electoral College, voter suppression and the fact that unlike the British, Americans in most states are not allowed to vote on referendums. Oh, and I almost forgot... the fact that Americans are so easily manipulated into disputing their own countrymen's demand for democracy with the ignorant claim that we aren't even supposed to be a democracy.

It's truly mind-boggling.

Yeah, I've been hearing. People forget that Japanese products were once categorized as junk too. Today Japan makes some of the highest quality products on the market.

I think you are probably the better expert on China but from what I know, the Chinese do respond to market demand. So if American retailers are happy selling Chinese junk, the Chinese are going to keep exporting it. Meanwhile, companies like Huawei are finding a demand for high quality equipment in just about every country but the U.S. So if all Americans want to buy from China is junk, I guess that's all they're going to see.


what are the options?

Excellent post 007.

I never joined the military but I did register for the draft and that sums up my feeling about the military. I'll do my duty if my country needs me but if they aren't drafting it's because they really only need "a few good men" to fight for the corporations. It looks like you learned the hard way. ;)

Seriously though, I agree with everything you've stated. I would really like the people to come to their senses and recognize the corporatism that's gripping the nation and controlling our government. I wish they could understand the difference between a small business and corporate power. Maybe one day.

Yeah, I would recommend to anyone (who isn't forbidden). ;)

I don't see any indication that my phone is stealing my freedom. In fact I purchased it without a contract direct from Huawei. So, I'm more free now than I was with my Verizon-crippled Samsung. The battery is outstanding, the build is solid and I can hop between networks, even switch between CDMA and GSM.

Regarding the freepress article... Yes, I am fully aware of the Trump Administration's ban on Huawei and ZTC equipment. I am also aware that Trump can't tell ME what to do. He can tell the military not to buy Chinese equipment because the military is under his direction but I am not, so if I think Huawei has the best product for me, I'm buying it. Trump can SMD.

And no, I am not dismissing the potential threat to our national security. But if you read the article again you will notice there is no mention of any proof, nor is there any description or explanation of how Huawei equipment is a threat. The closest it comes is a vague reference to "reports" from the Trump Administration and Congress concerning backdoors and the potential of a threat. Well, "Congress" could mean the Freedom Caucus and I wouldn't trust anything from that chum bucket anymore than I would from the Trump Administration.

So, if Trump doesn't want me to buy Huawei, he better come up with a better report. In the meantime, I've checked with a number of hacker sites and there is no indication of backdoors in the phone I have.

But what about the possibility? Sure. There's always the possibility. There's also the possibility that Trump is just trying to do favors for the telecom companies that Huawei, the second largest supplier of telecom equipment in the world, competes with.

Heck, with my Chinese phone and no contract, I'm probably the most liberated phone user here. ;)

Productivity is usually a good thing - 'not sure if it's "the answer" though. You see, China is unique... It has a population that far exceeds any other nation. That means China's worker to GDP ratio CAN be much lower than ours and STILL kick our ass on the market.

Something else to think about... GDP doesn't actually track production. It's easy to make that assumption because GNP (Gross National Product) does and GNP is what was used to measure productivity until they switched to GDP. GDP tracks the transfer of money across borders rather than the transfer of products. The difference is that the transfer of money includes foreign investment... so, money flowing into the U.S. in exchange for debt rather than product. Not a reflection of our productivity but a reflection of our credit line. Indeed, America's #1 export is debt and a LOT of it is owned by the communist government in Beijing.

Americans need to stop stroking themselves and wise up.

So, in other words, debt? I do tend to think that's what makes us economic "prisoners" but when I refer to us being sheep I am also referring to the way we surrender our will to determination our own fate through democracy.


Advertising yes, but only if the American-made product really is better quality, which means we have to start with that. Many Americans just make the assumption that if it's made in America, it's better, but that really isn't always the case and it's becoming less the case with every passing year. Also, tying into your first point about people trying to live beyond their means... cheap knockoffs CAN become viable options. Not everyone can afford quality anymore and that brings the advantage back to China manufacturing because their labor costs are so low.

I'm not suggesting I have an answer... This is a very difficult predicament that I think is based primarily on the fact that American workers are more expensive than Chinese workers. How do we fix this without sacrificing the workers rights and wages that MAKE American workers more expensive?

It's not an illusion Rose... It's very easy information to verify. Obama WAS a senator before becoming a president. You can deny that all you want it doesn't reality.


Or delusional.

Yes, he was chosen, and yes ANY and ALL candidates in history have been orchestrated to some extent. This has been the standard process since political parties were introduced. I think you have to be naive to think any different. It's how

I'll pass on arguing about his record AS a senator (if that's what you are talking about) simply because I don't know the details well enough to say anything. (He was one of 100 senators from 15 years ago) I would have to research and since this wasn't even a main point of your argument it doesn't seem worth the effort. Besides, I've become accustomed with dealing with people who just hate Obama and parrot the accusations without every really verifying for themselves.

So, I'll just make this point...

As president he got Congress to reform healthcare, something the government has been trying to do for a very long time without any success. All opinions about the ACA aside, the actual process of getting it through legislation was an astounding accomplishment. And if that isn't enough, Even after Obama left office the same forces that prevented such legislation from happening before, continues to attack the law, with numerous unsuccessful attempts to repeal it, followed by executive orders to sabotage it and yet the law still stands, gaining popular support all the while. All I can say is that if someone with no political experience can accomplish that then he doesn't even need political experience.


True, though I think that has a lot to do with the political climate. Eight years of watching a black Democrat in the Oval Office succeed really brought the resentment to a boil.


I totally agree with you on that one.

Because they buy the damned product! I understand your point but ignorance doesn't change reality.

And I do understand the resentment toward companies that fool consumers with misleading labels but keep in mind these are corporations that by their very design serve the interests of their investors first. If the consumers want corporations to be honest they need to turn to government, the only other collective with the power to equalize the corporate collective, and demand laws.

The problem here is that for the past 40 years, there has been a corporate campaign to undermine the trust we have in our government. Now it's at a point where you can't ask the government to force the corporation to disclose their sources without being attacked by fellow citizens, especially Republicans, for being anti-business. You will be called a socialist... an enemy of America.

So if it seems the corporations have all the power and control, it's because the American people failed to stand up for themselves and they continue to submit themselves willingly to the corporations that serve the investors first.

This is why America has a reputation now for being a nation of sheep. I'm not just saying that either. I worked in Europe for a while and that IS the reputation we have over there and in my opinion, it is dead on accurate.

I think the Koch brothers are just the prime EXAMPLE Rose... Like Soros is the prime example for those on the right.


Rose... Obama was a Senator. Before that he was a professor of Constitutional law. Even when he started out as a community organizer it was still politics. So, saying he had done virtually nothing in politics is a little bit ridiculous. It's like saying Henry Ford didn't know what a car is.

Also, keep in mind that your are sharing a Republic with 300 million other people, so who of the candidates are "best" depends on perspective. And this is why we wound up with Clinton, Obama, Trump, etc... Clinton and Obama were chosen by the majority of the American voters and enough voters chose Trump to allow a victory in the EC. That's just how it works.