tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108456.post3115307342602914814..comments2008-04-25T13:36:02.761-05:00Mark Grabanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07953086531083611251noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108456.post-46158239344082557032008-04-25T13:36:00.000-05:002008-04-25T13:36:00.000-05:002008-04-25T13:36:00.000-05:00I just returned from a 3 week vacation in China and completely agree with the depiction of China's similarities to the dot com boom times. We were told that the gap between the rich and poor in China today is larger than it ever has been in China's history. This sort of gap will inevitably cause problems but for now even the poorest are so much better off now than they were 10 or 20 years ago that they still feel positive about their lot in life.<BR/><BR/>One small correction--I believe that all land in China is owned by the state. People can own buildings, etc. but the government owns the land. This is one reason that construction projects can be completed so quickly.SteveHolthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10612629914097884829noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108456.post-11717611080213925412008-04-16T10:48:00.000-05:002008-04-16T10:48:00.000-05:002008-04-16T10:48:00.000-05:00Great post, couldn't agree more. <BR/><BR/>It's strange though. The "culture" experts always said that the Chinese (and most Asian cultures) had a very long-term orientation towards time and used holistic thinking patterns... <BR/><BR/>But where are those qualities now when they need it the most? <BR/><BR/>Once you destroy the land, it's so hard to get it back. Once a culture gets stuck on the "buy, consume, destroy" mentality, it too is hard to drop. <BR/><BR/>They had the immense power to leapfrog us and they're blowing it. The future's going to be interesting...Jane Porterwww.janeporter.canoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108456.post-86111266388476697422008-04-16T09:14:00.000-05:002008-04-16T09:14:00.000-05:002008-04-16T09:14:00.000-05:00Hooks and eyes are what get unhooked. Bra rings are used as loops to make the straps adjustable.<BR/><BR/>However, to the gist of the post, introducing "lean" can be done as thoughlessly as building without thinking about the environment. I found a good example of "improvements" that jeopardized employee safety and summarized them in a post on Lean Reflections - http://leanreflect.blogspot.com/2008/01/first-do-no-harm.htmlKaren Wilhelmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06463767332463542390noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108456.post-56188954795229016842008-04-16T08:03:00.000-05:002008-04-16T08:03:00.000-05:002008-04-16T08:03:00.000-05:00Unregulated capitalism? Are you serious?<BR/><BR/>I would be equally interested to follow the travails of the family in South Carolina who lost their jobs in the 'bra ring' factory and are probably left amongst the legions of those now made permanently wards of the state by unregulated predatory investment in China.rearden215http://www.blogger.com/profile/08204009790925370352noreply@blogger.com