I also believe it's their nationalistic pride that keeps them from cutting bait and moving on. They are a very unique people.
Well... I have heard that many times before.... I do not mean to be disrespectful, but as far as I know, Japan was still on planet earth, and Japanese are humans, therefore, common sense, reason and logic still apply....
I will admit I have never been to Japan, so perhaps I am at a disadvantage, however, I have been to China, and I had heard very similar stories about the "Unique Oriental Mysticism"...
Well, after my visit to China, in which I was lucky enough to be taken around to several "factories"....(some of them were the sweat shop style).... Said "Mysticism" began to be questioned in my mind, (mind you, I am a very skeptic of anything, to the point that some people tell me I am too negative.... I disagree, I actually think of myself as an optimist, with a heavy dose of realism).
At the time, (I think around 1994 or so, I can not remember exactly), there was very heavy talk, (more than usual), of a trade embargo between China and the USA.
I met with a man, who was an officer of a large Chinese government owned company, according to the brochure he gave me, they were involved in just about everything there was to be involved....
Banking, Real Estate, Construction, Textile Manufacturing, you name it these guys were in it.
The man certainly acted with the confidence and authority that such position would require. So, I thought I was smart, and asked him what would they do, if the "talk" of a trade embargo would become reality...
He gave me a look and a smile that certainly was more typical of a Mexican customs officer, when asked, if the item you want to import is requires a "permit"....(which means in [Mexican] body language, "that depends on the size of the bribe").
This perked my ears, as I found it too odd. Here I was in the middle of China, with no possibility of a Mexican spirit taking over this man, and all of a sudden it felt as though I was in front of a Mexican custom officer ?? Hmmm...
So he asked me if I was familiar with NAFTA ?... so I said, not in detail, but I know a little...
Well, he says to me, We own some "Maquiladoras" (the legal type of a sweat shop in Mexico, with a some favorable tax treatments, and other friendly treatment by the federales, so as to promote employment in the Mexican side of the US/Mexico border).
Usually, these shops take the form of small garment shops, although there are many other industries that also participate in the same "program". These shops are located typically next to the border towns, the largest being in Tijuana... Actually, there is a border crossing that was specifically built for the purpose of facilitating, and easing, (supposedly), the traffic between Tijuana and San Ysidro (in the US side).... Such place is known by the name of Otay Mesa, South of San Diego. (great place for industrial warehouses by the way.)
In fact, there are some, "not so small", rather gigantic concrete boxes; Sonny, Sanyo, Matsushita, and others come to mind that are located in Otay... (the Mexican side).
In any event.... He said that they owned these Maquiladoras in the town of Mexicali (directly East of Tijuana, about some 120 miles), the corresponding US towns of Brawley, CA and Calexico, CA are on the US side...
So, if the embargo were to take place, all he would need to do is send the product to his Maquiladora plant in Mexicali, (in this case, he was talking about clothing garments), declare it with the appropriate % of "Mexican made content", and presto... ready to be sent to the US, partially, thanks to Nafta...
Hmm, I said, with a cool smile, (giving the impression I was not surprised)... "it makes sense...."
In my mind, the sound of the famous phrase, (slightly modified [*]), in the "Treasure of the Sierra Madre" came to mind....
"Embargo? We need no stinking embargo...." (with Chiñol accent, of course)
(Any one knows the Chinese translation ? <G>)
At that moment, my skepticism was rewarded, and the venerable oriental mysticism, (at least in my mind), was given as much credit, as I give politicians....
My point in all this is, I don't buy the story of the Oriental Mysticism as a stumbling block, or overriding factor to do what is necessary to correct whatever is it that ails Japan... (or any country for that matter), i.e. I think common sense should rule... then again, most politicians never make sense, why should I expect any different ?
To me, it seems that there are lots of "special interest" that are protecting their specific bacon, rather than any possible "national pride" fandango. As I think about it, this line sounds very much like the old line of the Mexican [PRI] dinosaur with the all too worn nationalist pride line, that the big bad ole' gringo businessman is the reason why, all of Latin America is in the grasp of the evil spirits of poverty.....
As the high priest of wisdom, H L Mencken, said.... "Moonshine".
This country just recently was able to bury billions of dollars of debt for the savings & loan industries.
Precisely... and while the medicine was sour, in the end, the country is now seeing better times, and probably wiser... (I hope).
He's one of Henry's most favorite authors and economists...
Hmmm, I see, you are also an expert on Moonshine too.... <g>
Regards.
p.s. in order to keep this on topic, here are some links to some sites in re: Border trade, Industrial parks, maquiladoras, and the like, in Mexicali, Brawley/Calexico, and Otay Mesa. (FYI)
imperialcounty.com
pimsa.com.mx
excelsoft.com
atisa.com.mx
__________________ * OT *
[*] The original dialog between Gold Hat, and Frank C. Dobbs went like this:
Gold Hat: Oiga, señor. We are Federales. You know, the mounted police.
Dobbs: If you're the police, where are your badges?
Gold Hat: Badges? We ain't got no badges! We don't need no badges. I don't have to show you any stinkin' badges!
Dobbs: You'd better not come any closer.
--------------
....Gold Hat suddenly thinks he recognizes Dobbs from their encounter in the mountains: "Hey, do I know you from some place? Maybe I know you?" Then he asks: "Are you alone?" Dobbs answers that a couple of his friends are coming along on horseback, but Gold Hat doesn't believe him. Then he remembers: "I know who you are! You're the guy in the hole - the one who wouldn't give us the rifle." They ask what is in the bags on the burros' backs - Dobbs replies that he has animal hides, and then tries to get his burro train to start for the trail. Dobbs threatens them and draws his gun when they taunt him: "Get away from my burros." But his gun clicks empty three or four times. One of the bandits hits Dobbs in the head with a stone, and then Gold Hat savagely finishes him off with a few strokes of a machete blade.
As a sort of poetic justice for his greed, the bandits murder Dobbs for his boots, animal skins, and burros. Paralleling the struggle over gold among the three prospectors, the three bandits competitively quarrel over the dead man's belongings. As they argue among themselves, the pack mules run off. At ruins outside of the village, the bandits are unaware that the bags they dump and slash open contain gold dust. In the village plaza, the bandits appear with the burro train, attempting to sell the animals back to the general store. A young Mexican boy, who months earlier had seen the prospectors purchase the specially-branded burros, informs the storekeeper who notices the attire of the bandits - they wear the boots and trousers of a prospector. The bandits are circled and surrounded by the villagers with machetes and guns drawn, and then led into a holding prison while the Federales are summoned. Gold Hat snarls out through the bars, fearful but maddened......
filmsite.org
Please note, that in the script, they mix the use of burros and mules... they are NOT the same... mules are better to carry weight. My cousin Juan Valdéz knows. <g> |
