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Replacing a Thinkpad?
An anonymous reader writes "As a very happy Thinkpad T20 user (still working after 7 years), I always planned on replacing it with another Thinkpad T-series. However, Thinkpads are now produced by Lenovo, a Chinese company, and I can't quite bear to buy Chinese while the Burmese military are shooting at monks with the Chinese Government as their biggest backer. Maybe this is silly, as whatever I buy is likely to be made (at least in part) in China... but still, what are my options for something as well built as the Thinkpad T-series?"
An anonymous reader writes
"As a very happy iPod user (still working after 7 years), I always planned on replacing it with another iPod. However, iPods are still produced by Apple, an American company, and I can't quite bear to buy American while the Blackwater are shooting civilians with the US Government as their biggest backer. Maybe this is silly, as whatever I buy is likely to be made (at least in part) in the USA... but still, what are my options for something as well built as the iPod?"
there, fixed that for ya!
Here's a thought: an OLPC laptop. Decent (if low-end) specs, supports charity, and durable.
As was brought up recently, you can buy one starting Nov. 11 if you live in the U.S.
Misery loves company. Online misery loves unsuspecting random strangers.
Maybe because it's bullshit? There is no evidence what-so-ever of anyone blocking Cl shipments to Iraq.
Gone!
We did sit on the sidelines while the UN bungled Rwanda. So much for the UN. And I am sure the American people would be really happy to be directly involved in another war right now when recent experience has taught us that we will be going it alone. We can't afford to make peace in Iraq, Afghanistan and another nation. Bush has learned that the US will be going it alone on any of these missions (I know, our allies have "contributed") will be expensive and drawn out. A lame-duck president can't do that especially with the very real possibility of a looming recession
If I disapprove of the war in Iraq, should I go out to buy PS3 instead of xbox? How will this change the course of the government in the United States? You're being delusional if you base your purchases on some imaginary ethical decisions.
BTW, a Chinese-Canadian to me has no more authority on issues about China than any other Canadian, especially when you (or your father) came from Hong Kong (which I am assuming from the name of your website).
Maybe the Russians and Chinese are the greatest threat to the Free World and not some deluded Muslims.
It's important to make a distinction in your mind that People != Bad Leadership. I think the majority of humans want the same things out of life. It's just that the power-hungry float to the top...because they WANT it. So, you tend to have power-hungry, seven-deadly-sin embracing douchebags at the top and regular folks like us at the bottom. The problem with Russia and China is not their people, but the fact that their leadership has little or no checks and balances and so the power-hungry douchebags at the top can do evil with no consequences. It has been like that here in America lately, since everyone was so paralyzed in "fear" of "terror" (that sounds funny, doesn't it?) that we let the government (which was also free of the normal R vs. D dichotomy) and especially the Executive branch have it's way. And what happens? The power-hungry snatch more power at the expense of the people.
Now, back to your comment. The Russian leaders and the Chinese leaders have shown a willingness to play in the global economy. They've also shown a willingness to direct their people in a decent way. They have embraced capitalism, even if they are trying to back out constantly, I don't think they can go back. As generations pass, the "old" leadership in Russia and China will gradually be replaced by the "new", and just like in America they progress, slowly, toward a more perfect union with a free-market economy.
In the world stage no one can really CONTROL the world economy. You can only set the trends. And as America is the biggest, and American companies in that economy are the world's biggest, we set the economic trends that the rest of the world follow. The problem is we are not being wise with our spending, and we're borrowing a lot of money as a country and it's going to be a long time before we can make that up. That's what we get for letting power-hungry people print their own money and increase their own power.
You are correct, however, that under the right (wrong) leadership, China and Russia represent the greatest threat to the American idea of the "Free World" (ie: free market), simply because they muster so many people under them, along with massive resources and land assets. Islam is merely a religion, not unlike Catholic or Hindu. Bush, an evangelical Christian, would like you to believe that the Muslims represent some sort of apocalyptic society (because that's what he believes), but in reality, the almost 1.8 Billion muslims are as a majority good people. I don't care if they don't believe in Jesus.
Now, in the middle east, Muslims have been used as tools by the Anglo Saxons since Christianity began. Naturally the rise of Radical Imams and the like occurs during times of great poverty and this is one of those times. During the 60's and 70's the exponential rise of oil fortunes in the middle east has resulted in, you guessed it, power-hungry people getting lots of money and power and using it to keep down their people. If we are so concerned about "democracy" in Iraq, why don't we get the Saudi MONARCHY to let it's people go democratic? Or Jordan. Because you see, radical islam is bred in spots where there are leaders like this who keep their people down. It's the people's way of fighting back. The fact that they've turned their attention to the suppliers of power over there (America) is only natural. We supply the money, weapons and other gear to the Israelis, Saudis, Jordanians, and more that they use to keep the poor people down. It's no wonder they don't like us very much.
But no, they are not a "threat" per se, since Radical Islam only flourishes with poverty, lack of education and of course a power-hungry person at the top to keep the poor down. There are MANY Muslims in America and you would never know them becuase they are no different than Christians, other than they don't believe in the Jesus myth, they believe in the Mohammed myth.
Anyway, I'm not scared of China and Russia either, but I do agree that Burma is a hotbed and could produce terrorists also, because they are being kept down and not allowed to be free.
Cool! Amazing Toys.
The military junta running Myanmar has been doing so, with Chinese (and Russian and Indian) support, since 1962.
In that time, they've wrecked their environment, brutally oppressed dissent, and generally been a bunch of assholes. Why do you suddenly feel bad about it because some monks are involved?
Don't get me wrong. They're evil fuckers and should be wiped off the earth. But you're a little late to the "giving a shit" game, and refusing to buy a laptop from a Chinese run company is kind of like pissing into a forest fire.
O, how I wish that weren't accurate.
Still, it does put a slightly different frame on the question. If you save money, the US govt gets a rake off. If you spend money, the US govt gets a rake off. And the US Govt is much more directly involved in atrocities than the Chinese govt. (Well, at least in the ones mentioned. I'm sure you can find other examples...but then so could I, on both sides.)
I think we've pushed this "anyone can grow up to be president" thing too far.
Taiwan is part of China. You may not think that, and a lot of Taiwanese don't think that either. However the Chinese government does and forbids any companies doing business with China (or companies they do business with) from saying Taiwan is a country.
That includes pretty much all US companies. Ironic.