In a message dated 2/14/2006 12:11:21 AM Pacific Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: Thanks for taking the time. Look forward to the PESO.
Cheers, Gautam ======== Okay, I'll say two more things, then stop. This whole thing depresses the hell out of me. It always has, ever since NAFTA passed. People were sold a bill of goods, and are still being sold a bill of goods. They fact they were conned was deliberate. To address two points you made, I don't care about Pentax, it is a Japanese company. I sometimes wonder about that. But globalization in that sense has gone on for some time. (I could put in a thing about WWII and US money rebuilding Japan here, but won't.) Economic globalization has nothing to do with the creation of the Internet either. (I could put in a thing here about the Internet actually first started with a network of defense department machines and then linking up US colleges here, but won't.) The two points: 1. I believe US taxes, that US citizens pay, should benefit US citizens. Not other countries, and not benefit US owned (mainly US owned) corporations that move US jobs to other countries. When, in fact, US citizens have been paying taxes to help those companies export jobs for years. I mean, let's face it, the US is just a nation. As a nation we are not responsible for the economy of other nations or the world. And we can't afford it, either. And our citizens can't afford to lose jobs, either. Nations are supposed to be in the business of taking care of their citizens. Otherwise there is no purpose to the existence of a nation. 2. Capitalism is exported. Democracy is not. Too many equate the two (at least in this country). And therein lies the ultimate downfall of the economic globalization the US has helped promote and continues to help promote. This was never done for any altruistic reasons. A quick google search turned up these about taxes and US corporations: http://www.cfr.com.ky/cfr_articles_detail.cfm?number=9 http://www.ctj.org/html/layoffs.htm http://www.nwu-oppose-offshoring.org/offshoring-campaign/government-offshoring .html I read a great science-fiction novel years, and years, and years ago, that I've been trying to find ever since. Well, well, well before NAFTA, well before this was even conceived of. I'd say at least 20 years ago, maybe even longer. Well, it wasn't that well-written, as I recall, but the ideas were starling and an eye opener. And ever since, as time has gone on, I feel it has become more and more prophetic. I wish I knew what the name of it was, maybe it was a short story. Some have written the same idea since, but it was the first one to do so as far as I know. The idea was - in the future there are no nations, only corporations, and all allegiance is to those corporations. People are citizens of corporations, not nations. Governments can protect people, corporations never will. Not in the same sense. Because self-government cannot be equaled by profit seeking. Okay, I shut up now. This is an extremely depressing subject. Now I have to take some pictures to even produce a PESO. And I don't see how having and taking a political stance is anything but that (this last is not directed at you, Gautam :-)). Marnie aka Doe
