"China need not be an enemy" (Jack Bog's Blog)

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This page contains a single entry from the blog posted on December 4, 2010 9:50 AM. The previous post in this blog was Failed sales pitch no more convincing for repetition. The next post in this blog is Making the worst of a bad situation. Many more can be found on the main index page or by looking through the archives.

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« Failed sales pitch no more convincing for repetition | Main | Making the worst of a bad situation »

Saturday, December 4, 2010

"China need not be an enemy"

Sounds reasonable.

Posted at 9:50 AM | Permalink

Comments (11)

We could use an enemy (other than the amorphous "terror"). Our domestic politics functioned better when we had something outside the country to think about.

Posted by Allan L. | December 4, 2010 11:12 AM

China is not a communist country, they are a capitalist country and they are doing their best to modernize with the advantage of not needing to spend the money and time for R+D.

Posted by Kimber45 | December 4, 2010 12:01 PM

"with the advantage of not needing to spend the money and time for R+D."

Are you sure? China does take advantage of a lot of the technology we supply to them, but they do spend a lot on upgrading infrastructure and realize they need to look forward.

The other advantage is the one party rule. So instead of spending a lot of time making the other party look bad, they can actually focus on long-range planning.

Govt here top-to-bottom is always interested in the next patch to make it thru the day.

Plus Chinese politicians are smarter than our guys and have patience.

Posted by Steve | December 4, 2010 12:21 PM

We get the best deal no matter what. We get all the stuff China makes and they get our bonds which are worth less and less. Stuff for paper, nice trade.

Posted by John Benton | December 4, 2010 12:22 PM

. . Stuff for paper, nice trade.

Until . . time to collect.
Do they get to own the Golden Gate Bridge?
and. . and . .

Posted by clinamen | December 4, 2010 1:26 PM

We get the best deal no matter what. We get all the stuff China makes and they get our bonds which are worth less and less. Stuff for paper, nice trade.

If you don't think that they'll trade paper for blood, I've overestimated you.

Posted by John Rettig | December 4, 2010 6:08 PM

Clinamen and Rettig: We just keep printing more monopoly money and use it to pay them back. China has no choice but to take it, and if they don’t their economy will crash. They are totally aware of what is happening and that is why they are not revaluing their currency. Their worst fear is inflation in the western economies. Unfortunately that is inevitable. If it happens slowly enough they will cope. I personally buy gold and silver. You might want to consider it.

Posted by John Benton | December 4, 2010 6:30 PM

We're not using dollars to "pay China back" so much as we are using dollars to buy goods, since most of the goods we consume are produced in China. China buys our bonds because, well, what else are they going to do with the dollars we spent at their factories? Put them in a mattress? They could sell the dollars on the foreign currency markets, but that would depress the value of the dollar and make their goods more expensive for us, which they don't want. But the idea that we are somehow financing our national debt by selling bonds to China is a fantasy. It's our trade deficit that produces this. Our deficit doesn't need "financing", nor does our national "debt".

Posted by Allan L. | December 5, 2010 8:55 AM

"what else are they going to do with the dollars we spent at their factories?"

Buy hard assets like oil fields in African countries or gold since bonds will be a wasting asset. They'll also buy technology since Bonds are just a parking place for money now, they are just trying to figure their investment targets now.

If you look at gold over the past year you may have noticed an increase in price.

Posted by Steve | December 5, 2010 9:21 AM

I'm still trying to get over the two-faced irony of closing Hanford's coal-powered plant and then funneling megabucks into outfitting ports in Longview and Portland to enable the shipment of coal to China where it will -- one suspects -- enter the same atmosphere when it's burned.

Posted by NW Portlander | December 5, 2010 10:40 AM

The Chinese are building alot of submarines for a country that doesn't plan on fighting an enemy.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-492804/The-uninvited-guest-Chinese-sub-pops-middle-U-S-Navy-exercise-leaving-military-chiefs-red-faced.html

Posted by Mister Tee | December 6, 2010 10:50 AM

In Vino Veritas

Quinta das Amoras, Vinho Tinto 2009
Mauro Molino, Barbera d'Alba 2009
Garda Chiaretto Rose
Columbia Crest, Two Vines Vineyard 10 White
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Pinot Gris, Columbia Valley 2009
L'Hortus, Rose de Saignee 2010
Maculan, Pino & Toi 2008
McKinley Springs, Bombing Range Red 2008
Trader Joe's Pinot Gris 2009
Montes Alpha, Cabernet 2007
Gran Sasso, Sangiovese, Terre di Chieti 2009
Garda, Classico Chiaretto Rose
Beaulieu, Cabernet, Rutherford 1999
Picos del Montgo, Tempranillo 2008
Chateau de Montmirail, Vacqueyras 2008
La Granja 360, Syrah 2009
Montgras, Carmenere Reserva 2009
Lange, Pinot Gris 2009
Columbia Crest, Horse Heaven Hills Cabernet 2008
Kirkland, Pinot Grigio 2010
Trader Joe's Coastal Syrah 2009
Columbia Crest, Horse Heaven Hills Merlot 2008
Trader Joe's Coastal Chardonnay 2009
Vieux Papes Red
Domaine de l'Aujardiere, Chardonnay 2009
Santa Rita, Cabernet, Medalla Real 2007
Penfold's, Koonunga Hill Shiraz Cabernet 2008
Guild, Red, Lot #02 2008
Dievole, Dievolino Sangiovese 2008
Laforet, Burgogne Chardonnay 2009
Columbia Winery, Merlot 2007
Bonterra, Cabernet 2008
Elk Cove, Pinot Gris 2009
Maquis Lien 2006
Scott Paul, Pinot Noir, Le Paulee 2007
Cameron, Chardonnay
B.R. Cohn, Cabernet, Silver Label 2006
Graffigna, Cabernet 2005
Palo Alto, Reserve Red 2008
Menguante, Garnacha 2008
Lange, Pinot Gris 2009
Felsina Berardenga, Vin Santo 1997
Anne Amie, Pinot Gris 2009
McKinley Springs, Bombing Ramge Red 2007
Vieux Papes Red
Dionysius Chardonnay 2009
Haden Fig, Pinot Noir 2009
Vega Montan, Mencia 2008
Chateau la Vernede, Coteaux du Languedoc 2007
Mount Defiance, Hellfire (White) 2008
Root: 1, Cabernet 2008
Columbia Crest, Two Vines Pinot Grigio 2009
Columbia Crest, Two Vines, Vineyard 10 White, 2008
Columbia Crest, Two Vines, Vineyard 10 Rose, 2007
Abacela, Grenache Rose 2009
Avia Cabernet 2004
Lemelson Pinot Noir, Thea's Selection 2007
Chateau de la Roulerie, Rose d'Anjou 2009
Casal Garcia, Vinho Verde Rose
La Ferme Julien, Rose 2008
Cana's Feast, Bricco Red, 2006
Hogue, Genesis Merlot, 2008
Owen Roe, Sharecropper's Cabernet, 2008
Kim Crawford, Unoaked Chardonnay 2008
J. Scott, Pinot Noir 2008
Edmunds St. John, White, Heart of Gold 2008
Columbia Crest, Walter Clore Private Reserve 2006
Stevenot, Cabernet, Sierra Foothills, "Stanford" 2000
Portuga, Vinho Rose 2009
Taylor Fladgate, First Estate Reserve Porto
Franciscan, Cabernet, Napa 2006
Chaparral de Vega Sindoa, Garnacha 2008
Quinta da Aveleda, Vinho Verde 2008
St. Francis, Chardonnay Sonoma 2008
E. Guigal, Cotes du Rhone Blanc, 2007
Edmunds St. John, Bone-Jolly, Gamay Noir 2008
St. Innocent, Pinot Noir 2006
Jigsaw, Pinot Noir 2007
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Merlot, Indian Wells 2007
Charles Shaw, Chardonnay 2008
Edmunds St. John, Bone-Jolly, Gamay Rosé 2009
Cameron, Willamette Valley Chardonnay
Il Valore, Sangiovese, Giovane, Puglia 2008
Duck Pond, Chardonnay, Wahluke Slope 2007
Kim Crawford, Marlborough Pinot Noir 2008
Domaine du Pesquier, Cotes du Rhone 2005
Cantina Zaccagnini, Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 2006
Domaine Matrot, Chardonnay, Bourgogne 2007
David Hill, Oregon Sparkling Wine, Brut
Chandler Reach, Monte Regalo 2006
Elk Cove, Pinot Gris 2008
Kirkland, Columbia Valley Merlot 2008
D'Aragon, Old Vine Garnacha 2008
Columbia Crest, Walter Clore Private Reserve 2005
Pavin & Riley, Merlot 2006
David Hill, Estate Pinot Noir, Barrel Select 2006
Castle Rock, Paso Robles Cabernet 2006
Magnificent, Cabernet, Steak House 2008
Conundrum 2008
Beaulieu, Cabernet, Rutherford 1998
Saint Cosme, Cotes-du-Rhone 2007
La Granja, Tempranillo 360, 2008
Santa Rita, Mendalla Real Cabernet 2006
Columbia Crest, Grand Estates Merlot 2006
Andezon, Cotes-du-Rhone 2007
Collegiata, Montepulciano d'Abruzzo
Troon, Druid's Fluid 2008
La Granja, Tempranillo 2008
Monte Antico, Toscana 2006
Vieux Papes, Blanc de Blancs

The Occasional Book

Jack London - The House of Pride, and Other Tales of Hawaii
Jack Walker - The Extraordinary Rendition of Vincent Dellamaria
Colum McCann - Let the Great World Spin
Niccolò Machiavelli - The Prince
Harper Lee - To Kill a Mockingbird
Emma McLaughlin & Nicola Kraus - The Nanny Diaries
Brian Selznick - The Invention of Hugo Cabret
Sharon Creech - Walk Two Moons
Keith Richards - Life
F. Sionil Jose - Dusk
Natalie Babbitt - Tuck Everlasting
Justin Halpern - S#*t My Dad Says
Mark Herrmann - The Curmudgeon's Guide to Practicing Law
Barry Glassner - The Gospel of Food
Phil Stanford - The Peyton-Allan Files
Jesse Katz - The Opposite Field
Evelyn Waugh - Brideshead Revisited
J.K. Rowling - Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
David Sedaris - Holidays on Ice
Donald Miller - A Million Miles in a Thousand Years
Mitch Albom - Have a Little Faith
C.S. Lewis - The Magician's Nephew
F. Scott Fitzgerald - The Great Gatsby
William Shakespeare - A Midsummer Night's Dream
Ivan Doig - Bucking the Sun
Penda Diakité - I Lost My Tooth in Africa
Grace Lin - The Year of the Rat
Oscar Hijuelos - Mr. Ives' Christmas
Madeline L'Engle - A Wrinkle in Time
Steven Hart - The Last Three Miles
David Sedaris - Me Talk Pretty One Day
Karen Armstrong - The Spiral Staircase
Charles Larson - The Portland Murders
Adrian Wojnarowski - The Miracle of St. Anthony
William H. Colby - Long Goodbye
Steven D. Stark - Meet the Beatles
Phil Stanford - Portland Confidential
Rick Moody - Garden State
Jonathan Schwartz - All in Good Time
David Sedaris - Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim
Anthony Holden - Big Deal
Robert J. Spitzer - The Spirit of Leadership
James McManus - Positively Fifth Street
Jeff Noon - Vurt

Road Work

Miles run year to date: 54
At this date last year: 50
Total run in 2011: 113
In 2010: 125
In 2009: 67
In 2008: 28
In 2007: 113
In 2006: 100
In 2005: 149
In 2004: 204
In 2003: 269