Folks,
George Soros is a hero of mine, inasmuch as he made his billions in arbitraging
foreign
currency exchange, spectacularly nailing Great Britain 20 years ago when they
made a foolish
move with the pound. His quote "I punish foolish government policy".
He does not care for Republicans, (Although I think he is a dope for thinking
the democrats
will be any better) and in a new book Soros compares Geo Bush tactics to those
of the nazi's.
People are misreading this to say Soros is comparing bush to hitler, which he is
not.
http://tinyurl.com/kmrzg
Nonetheless, isn't a mistake to worry about whether Bush (or a Clinton) is the
next Adolph
Hitler? Although it is commonly held that hitler was something unique, even
cursory review
shows last century was full of such monsters. And a comparison is weird...
hitler was a
vegetarian, and Bush a Texan (beef, it's what's for dinner)... bush beat a coke
habit, hitler
could not... hitler ate charcoal for fear of flatulence, and bush is a 'hey
queen elizabeth, pull
my finger' kind of guy. Hitler actually fought in a war, and none of the top
bush people have
ever done so. Hitler had decided preferences in people, while I believe the
bushes truly can
get along with anyone, who will get along with them. Comparing bush to hitler
is just weird.
I know a half dozen adolph hitlers, the kind of deranged people who blame others
for their
problems and would use much force to sort it all out if they had they chance.
Indeed, I know
y'all would be sorry if I had the kind of power Bush has.
I read the diary of John Rabe, the nazi who saved about 250,000 Chinese during
the Japanese
assault on Nanking. Here is a man, a Nazi party member, who wrote Adolf Hitler
to warn him
of the atrocities committed by the japanese army, and when things were darkest,
read poems
written by Adolf Hitler, to cheer himself up. When asked later about stories of
German
atrocities, he said he simply did not believe them at the time. As he
understood it, National
Socialism was just a workers party, which put Germans first. (Oskar Schindler
was a nazi party
member too.)
I think what we have to worry about is not whether bush is like Hitler, but if
the American
people are like the German people? Are there circumstances in which a 'strong
leader" will
arise to solve all of our problems? Where good people will go along, not
understanding what
is really happening, until it is too late? I don't think we have to worry about
our leaders, but
our fellow citizens.
John
Saturday, September 16, 2006
Soros Gets Out of Hand
Auto Design
Re: [spiers] Auto Design
> I think a better way would be through design. Y'all
> know that the Lincoln LS, the Jaguar
> Sedan and the recent Ford Thunderbird were all the
> same car as far as engine, transmission,
> etc, just different shells...
Maybe that is the way to go. One company makes
engines and transmissions, and another company makes
the coach(shell). this is the way the US auto market
started in the 20s and 30s. A car company would make
the engine and chassis, while hiring an Italian
designer to design the coach. Duesenberg style...
> If the government had not bailed out Chrysler back
> in 1979, 100,000 people would have been
> put out of work. 1000 of them would have started
> automobile companies (One did,
> Delorean, and he was destroyed for his efforts).
How was he destroyed? Why did Tucker (another
delorean type) fail?
Anthony
New Product Opinions
Hello all,
I have a new product which I believe really has a lot of potential
and thus far all of my research has been quite positive. I have
already submitted it for a patent and now have patent pending status
allowing me to safely post it here. I'm iterested in getting some
totally unbiased opinions.
Here is a link to a flyer showing the product:
http://www.johnteel.com/PopupMicroLiteFlyer.pdf
Would you buy this product?
I plan to present this to various catalog stores next week to verify
interest.
Comments, good and bad, are most appreciated.
Thanks,
John Teel
Auto Design
Re: [spiers] Auto Design
On Sat, 16 Sep 2006 02:16:14 -0700 (PDT), M A Granich
:
>
> How was he destroyed?
***Delorean was set up in a coke deal, which at the time seemed like legitimate
law
enforcement, but in retrospect, seems to have been an early example of
war-on-drugs
entrapment. The rap was he hoped to finance his company with a huge coke score,
which
people chose to believe. never mind the irish govt had already agreed to finace
him, since
the cars were to be made in Ireland. If delorean had succeeded, 1000 people
would have
followed him***
Why did Tucker (another
> delorean type) fail?
***there is a movie out there on that, but I think he was up against "get big or
get out..."***
John
Friday, September 15, 2006
Auto Design
Folks,
USA economic policy was supposed to make us great, but it is not working as Ford
Motor
company shows.
http://tinyurl.com/gfn89
One response is to blame the Chinese (wait, weren't the Mexican immigrants the
source of all
of our problems just 2 months ago?):
http://tinyurl.com/jhccb
I think a better way would be through design. Y'all know that the Lincoln LS,
the Jaguar
Sedan and the recent Ford Thunderbird were all the same car as far as engine,
transmission,
etc, just different shells... and so it is with the Saturn Ion and the Pontiac
Solstice. Now given
the expensive part, the machinery of the car is the same, then it is the shape
of the metal
covering that makes the difference, and that too costs the same.
But compare what you get from GM for $16,000 in a Saturn Ion
http://tinyurl.com/fafbk
Doesn't that just set your heart aflutter?
Versus what you get from Pontiac (a GM company) for $21,000 in a Pontiac
Solstice
http://tinyurl.com/bw8kf
Now, they are powering up the engine in a Solstice as an alternative, at a
higher price, but if
you compare the two cars with the same engine, GM get $5000 more on the list
price on the
Solstice, and, just try to buy one. Each dealer is charging a higher than list
price for the
Solstice because there are not enough being made.
Americans are being laid off from high paying auto jobs, and there are not
enough of these
Solstices cars being made.
If the government had not bailed out Chrysler back in 1979, 100,000 people would
have been
put out of work. 1000 of them would have started automobile companies (One
did,
Delorean, and he was destroyed for his efforts). 200 of them would have been
operating by
1990, with half of them profitably, and today we'd have the top 50 automobile
companies in
the world based in usa, instead of the three largest and sickest companies in
the world.
I am a big believer in making U S A # 1 in all of the positive categories.
There is a way, and
alternative to what we are doing now, being #1 in so many negative categories.
In the
meantime, I'll just work on being #1 in my categories.
John
auto
RE: [spiers] Auto Design
Dear John,
Having been in China, I have found a little gadget for kids, teens and young
adults that is amazingly fun.
I was staying at a B&B in Qingdao for the last 8 days, and the owner
happened to be in the export line of work.
I mentioned I might like to sell this particular "toy" in the USA. He
emailed me saying this object is about $.25 USD each, FOB China Main Port.
Also mentioned is the option of CNF term, which would be another price based
on destination port.
Can you tell me what FOB China Main Port means?
As well as CNF term?
Do you think this is an export price from his company? I prefer to handle
the importation of this by myself rather than as an export through his
business.
Also, can the same company presently manufacturing this toy, re-do it with
my own design or should I find another company to remake the design to be
more attractive?
Linda Hall
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
Product Dev, US Air Force Style
Folks,
CNN reports the air force has some new weapons they want to test on unruly
Americans first,
to make sure they are nonlethal.
http://tinyurl.com/fjpok
These are the stories you'll be asked about overseas, when people will want you
to explain
why you believe USA is exemplary. Another tough one is how come Paul Wolfowitz
frankly
admitted the WMD reason for invading Iraq was made up to sell the war to
Americans, and yet
he was promoted to the head of the World Bank?
Prediction: the Air Force Secretary who recommended testing new weapons on USA
citizens
will get to keep his job,
The problem is not that these people with fantastic power concentrated in their
hands abuse
the power or lose their heads, it is that we Americans concentrate fantastic
power in the
hands of these people. If you are trading overseas, you'll naturally be asked
"how come?"
John
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
Trade Policy Hopes
Re: [spiers] Trade Policy Hopes
Anthony,
Perhaps, since NAFTA has harmed USA, he means like that, but I doubt it... he
probably
means just as when Japan offered the "Greater East Asia co-prosperity Sphere" it
became a
pretext for war, Pascal was threatening the Chinese not to grow wealthy.
No, China does not need to join the WTO, but will, because it's a great place to
work out
deals that harm the USA consumer.
John
On Mon, 11 Sep 2006 14:52:50 -0700 (PDT), M A Granich
:
>
> Maybe along the same lines....
>
> I read that the WTO has warned China.... "that China's
> pursuit of separate bilateral and regional free trade
> agreements would harm its long-term commercial
> interests." The article doesn't say how the "harm"
> will happen. Any guesses?
>
> http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/business/4166361.html
>
>
> Does China need the WTO?
>
> Anthony
>
>
>
>
>
> --- John Spiers
>
> > Folks,
> >
> > Paul Gigot of the Wall Street Journal interviews
> > Pres. Bush on September 9th aboard Air Force
> > one, during which, among other things, in the
> > context of his policies advancing USA interests,
> > the president cites the Egyption Minister of Trade
> > Rachid Mohamed Rachid as one of "a
> > group of young reformers who are now in government.
> > There's an impressive group of
> > younger Egyptians--the trade minister and some of
> > the economic people--that understand
> > the promise and the difficulties of democracy."
> >
> > http://tinyurl.com/pf7qz
> >
> > The next day in China, the same Rachid is quoted by
> > Xinhua News as saying "Egypt is actively
> > seeking stronger trade and investment ties with
> > China and believes China can become
> > Egypt's number one trading partner, over the next 10
> > years, overtaking traditional partners
> > such as the United States, said Rachid Mohamed
> > Rachid, Egypt's Minister of Trade and
> > Industry. ",,, "We want to be China's gateway to
> > Europe, Africa and the Middle East, through
> > our basket of preferential trade agreements with
> > these markets", Rachid addressed the World
> > Economic China Business Summit held here Sunday. "
> >
> > http://tinyurl.com/gj29p
> >
> > The people the Republicans are betting on to help
> > USA are not betting on USA to help them.
> > The democrats will do no better, and when the USA
> > economy does tank, it won't be
> > impossible to find friends, just a lot harder. A
> > repeal of the Logan Act might help.
> >
> > John
Book Market Chaos
Folks,
I taught a seminar Saturday, in which a student had bought my book and asked how
I felt
about my book being sold by others for a lower price than Amazon offered it, on
Amazon?
And don't I worry about used book sales on the Amazon site? Isn't every used
book sold a
new book not sold? And thus, I am out money, in the form of what would have
been a royalty
for me on a new book sale?
Well, of course, I don't care who sells my book, but as i understand it, amazon
buys and
stocks my book at about $16 a copy and offers it at $25.95, with free shipping.
At my
webpage at Amazon, it usually says something like "32 new qand used copies
available
starting at $19.95" and if you click thru you see highly rated independent book
dealers who
are making the offer.
As far as the used books go, what business is it of mine if someone who bought
my book
now wants to sell it, and what business is it of mine if there is someone who
wants to buy it
for less than a new copy? I should have the power to tell someone what he can
do with his
copy of my book? I should have the power to tell the buyer of the used copy
what to do with
his own money?
What I think happens is since Amazon will allow anyone and everyone to sell
their copies,
they fdo, so people looking for used copies come there, and Amazon makes a cut
on the sale.
Since everyone goes there, I benefit in that measure. I assume the mqarket for
used books is
bigger than new books, so I appreciate that Amazon clears the market of used
books
efifficiently, leaving the new book market more likely. (If you cannot find it
used on Amazon,
you ain't gonna find it, so buy a new copy).
As to NEW copies sold on Amazon by book retailers for less than what Amazon
charges, well
they too are simply taking an order at say $19.00, buying the book from the
wholesaler who
stocks it for $16, and then sells it on Amazon clearing $3 profit. the buyer
pays for shipping
and handling, bringing the price up close to what they would pay if they bought
the book
from Amazon, who ships for free recall.
I'ved noticed from sales reports my book is selling overseas as well, via
amazonUK. I noticed
one seller offers a "New copy, printed in England" (hence, i guess, the ability
to charge the
lower price). I checked the amazonuk site and the book is offered for £14.52,
or US$27.22,
or the same retail... but I have no way of checking what the wholesale is in the
UK, which is
the salient point, but I doubt the wholsale is cheaper.
So what do I care since I get a royalty on every new copy sold anyway?
And when I bring in new copies fort $3, and offer new, signed by the author
copies for $12,
and none of these people can get them for less than sixteen, i will get all of
the biz, with
someone shipping out of Sparks NV to the customers (unless i can figure out how
to ship
economically and timely direct out of Hong Kong.)
And Amazon will get a small percentage as I leverage their massive capabilities
to my specific
product. Or so it seems so far. As usually, we'll find out. At any rate,
Amazon is structured
to make money no matter what happens.
More as this proceeds.
John
Patents - an interesting tid bid I learned
Hey all!
I'm taking a history of photography class and found out some
interesting stuff about disadvantages and attitudes.
In France, someone had designed a method of 'fixing' an image to
material. Well, someone in England thought that the french guy
had "stolen" his idea and quickly published his method.
Well as it turned out, they were two different methods after all.
Well, only months after the english guy published his process, the
book hit the streets of America. We went wild! We were in love with
photography.
Well, they englishman took out a patent to protect his process and
camera etc. The frenchman also took out a patent IN England because
he couldn't get one in France. So both guys now have patents in
England to safe guard their stuff.
Well, here in America, we didn't give a rats behind who has patents
here or in any other country. We continued to develope the processes
and improve them. What happened in France, almost the same thing.
We preferred one process, they preferred another, so they developed
further and improved their process. All was good in both worlds.
What happened in England? Nothing. Well practically nothing. The
people couldn't take pictures because of the patents. So, it didn't
develope because no one could legally enjoy and move forward because
of a patent. Also note, the guys who had the patents weren't making
any money in England. But the frenchman, for freely giving his
knowledge to the French, received a salary from the government.
Then end.
John, I have you to thank for my complete understanding of what I was
taught!!!!! Thank you in heaps and bunches!!!!
Monday, September 11, 2006
Sim Cards
RE: [spiers] Sim Cards
My phone was a 3-band phone which switches automatically to the correct one
necessary in China.
But now it is stolen by a Chinese teenager, and probably on sale on the
black market. Hope that lock stays on it real good!!!!
Linda
Sim Cards
Re: [spiers] Sim Cards
> As many I'm sure know, cell phones (even or
> especially used phones) are more expensive over there than they are
> here due to the nature of the cost structure differences for phone and
> service. Because of the differences in price, you would be better off
> buying a used phone here in the US (in other words, you can find a good
> quality used phone very cheap here). The used phone I bought over
> there had problems and I didn't have much recourse with the vendor I
> purchased the phone from. All in all, it ended up being more
> troublesome than a convenience.
>
> Victor
In today's Seattle Times on this issue:
Cellphone makers fight resales abroad by high-volume buyers
By Andrew Welsh-Higgins
The Associated Press
COLUMBUS, Ohio - People moving state to state, armed with cash and tricks to
avoid scrutiny, are buying cheap prepaid mobile phones by the thousands with
plans to sell them in Latin America and Hong Kong.
Cellphone companies say the practice is costing them millions of dollars,
and some have hired private investigators to document what they say is
illegal tampering with their phones. Wal-Mart, Radio Shack and other
retailers are limiting how many phones they will sell at one time.
The buying has raised concerns that the phones might be used to aid
terrorism, though those in the trade say it's nothing but capitalism at its
best - no different from reselling stock for more than you paid.
The FBI and Department of Homeland Security warned police earlier this year
to be on the lookout for bulk purchases of cellphones. Authorities are
worried that profits could end up financing terrorism or that the phones
could be used as detonators in attacks.
Widespread pattern
The practice, at the center of court cases in Florida, Ohio and Michigan,
appears widespread and unlikely to subside soon.
"Don't leave a phone behind. To make real money buy them all," urged an
e-mail by Larry Riedeman of Larry's Cell in Altamonte Springs, Fla., that
was included in a lawsuit against that entity by TracFone Wireless Inc.
"Thousands a day if you can!"
Riedeman and other small companies are considered the middlemen in a system
that starts with buyers snapping up phones at retailers such as Wal-Mart and
ends with resale of the phones overseas.
In Ohio, two men acknowledged last month to authorities that they had
delivered 600 TracFones to a middleman.
Also in August, three Dallas men briefly charged in Michigan with
trafficking counterfeited goods told the FBI that several businesses in
Texas buy telephones "from hundreds of people like themselves," according to
an FBI filing in that case. The phones are then sold to middlemen in
California, New York or Miami.
Another buyer, Bilal Mustafa, 22, of Minneapolis, told The Associated Press
he travels around the Midwest a week at a time in search of phones. He and a
buddy buy four to six at once at small-town department stores, as many as
250 a day.
Mustafa sells them to a cellphone business he wouldn't identify. He says
he's doing nothing illegal and scoffs at FBI concerns that the practice
could aid terrorists.
"If it did, I wouldn't do it," said Mustafa, a Palestinian immigrant from
the West Bank. "I'm not stupid."
Purchasing cellphones in bulk is not illegal. A federal judge threw out the
charges against the men in the Michigan case, saying there wasn't enough
evidence to take the case to trial.
The Michigan charges alleged that by removing the cellphones from their
original packaging, the men made it easier to repackage them with
counterfeit trademarks in violation of federal copyright law.
The men arrested in Ohio in August face a low-level charge of giving
misleading information to police, including changing their story about why
they had so many cellphones when they were first stopped.
Terrorism charges were leveled in both cases but quickly dropped.
The middlemen indicate an apparently insatiable hunger for the phones, with
profits in some cases of 100 percent for a handset that retails for as
little as $20.
The phones are so cheap because TracFone and other providers of prepaid
cellular service sell them at a loss to create a market for their real
profit maker: selling customers more call time.
The Dallas men arrested in Michigan said they had spent $20,000 on phones
within just a few days.
The Riedeman e-mails promise earnings of $10,000 a month for aggressive
buyers. Riedeman offered bonuses to such suppliers, from $120 to anyone
bringing in 400 phones a month to $2,000 for someone buying 2,000 a month,
according to court documents.
Mustafa wouldn't say how much he earns on each $20 Buyers - often young
men - pay cash, frequently making purchases in the middle of the night to
avoid scrutiny and to skirt stores' sales limits, according to affidavits
and other filings in state and federal court.
They make up stories about why they need the phones, move from cashier to
cashier or simply buying the limit from a store, waiting a while, then
returning.
"I have many times used other shoppers to help me," said the Riedeman
e-mail. "You would be surprised how many folks will lend a helping hand."
Riedeman could not be reached to comment.
After receiving the phones from the buyers, often in bulk shipments, the
middlemen deactivate a software lock on the devices so they can be used on
other cellular services. The phones are then repackaged and shipped to their
next destination, records show.
Nokia filed suit in January accusing Pan Ocean Communications of Pompano
Beach, Fla., of buying $20 cellphones from Wal-Mart, Sam's Club and Target
stores, disabling their software, then reselling them for $39 as legitimate
Nokia handsets.
A judge ordered Pan Ocean and another company, Sol Wireless Group of Miami,
to stop reselling the phones.
Where the phones go
Destinations have changed over the years, from Singapore in the past to
Mexico today, said John Walls, a spokesman for CTIA, the cellular-industry
trade association that opposes the practice.
"You're able to deliver a pretty good product that will operate on the
Mexican network, the black market can deliver a handsome profit on that
device, and Mexican consumers have the opportunity to save themselves a few
dollars," Walls said.
Suits filed by TracFone and Nokia also name markets in Latin America and
Hong Kong, where resale prices are higher.
Since TracFones that haven't been tampered with can work only in the United
States, overseas buyers ought to know they aren't being sold legitimately,
said Jim Baldinger, a TracFone attorney.
Lawyers for the men arrested in Michigan and Ohio say their clients were
conducting legal business and are being targeted only because they are of
Middle Eastern descent.
"All these individuals were doing was buying and reselling phones," said
Detroit attorney Nabih Ayad. "There's nothing illegal about it."
Retailers, wireless service providers and phone makers don't see it that
way. "Resale on the black market is never a good thing," said Wendy
Dominguez, a Radio Shack spokeswoman.
How big is too big?
Jason,
In the USA scheme of things, REI or Bass Pro Shops are SMALL businesses, since
they are less than 100 million in sales, owned by less than 100 people, etc... b
ut to the point, they do not compete on price. them plus upscale mom and pop is
your market...
John
I am in the process of locating stores that could potentially sell what
I develop. I have couple ideas I would like to test. I am looking at
the high end outdoors/sporting market.
Question: Because this is a niche market would it be realistic to test
my market idea at stores such as REI or Bass Pro Shops? Too large?
Or should I be thinking more mom and pop?
My desire is to find the stores that will best be my market as well as
network me with quality sales reps. (not to mention like my idea :))
Thanks,
Jason
Trade Policy Hopes
Re: [spiers] Trade Policy Hopes
Maybe along the same lines....
I read that the WTO has warned China.... "that China's
pursuit of separate bilateral and regional free trade
agreements would harm its long-term commercial
interests." The article doesn't say how the "harm"
will happen. Any guesses?
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/business/4166361.html
Does China need the WTO?
Anthony
--- John Spiers
> Folks,
>
> Paul Gigot of the Wall Street Journal interviews
> Pres. Bush on September 9th aboard Air Force
> one, during which, among other things, in the
> context of his policies advancing USA interests,
> the president cites the Egyption Minister of Trade
> Rachid Mohamed Rachid as one of "a
> group of young reformers who are now in government.
> There's an impressive group of
> younger Egyptians--the trade minister and some of
> the economic people--that understand
> the promise and the difficulties of democracy."
>
> http://tinyurl.com/pf7qz
>
> The next day in China, the same Rachid is quoted by
> Xinhua News as saying "Egypt is actively
> seeking stronger trade and investment ties with
> China and believes China can become
> Egypt's number one trading partner, over the next 10
> years, overtaking traditional partners
> such as the United States, said Rachid Mohamed
> Rachid, Egypt's Minister of Trade and
> Industry. ",,, "We want to be China's gateway to
> Europe, Africa and the Middle East, through
> our basket of preferential trade agreements with
> these markets", Rachid addressed the World
> Economic China Business Summit held here Sunday. "
>
> http://tinyurl.com/gj29p
>
> The people the Republicans are betting on to help
> USA are not betting on USA to help them.
> The democrats will do no better, and when the USA
> economy does tank, it won't be
> impossible to find friends, just a lot harder. A
> repeal of the Logan Act might help.
>
> John
Sim Cards
RE: [spiers] Sim Cards
Hi Lily,
I think you are right, and if you have them turn off the lock while here, I
think there probably will be some catch and fee for doing this.
Linda
By the way, on my 2nd last day in China, my cell phone was stolen by a
Chinese teenager girl with her mom standing right there watching. I
discussed this with a security guard. He said she will probably take the
sim card out and have it unlocked, and then resell it with a new sim card.
So they know how to unlock it, and so much for the underworld of the black
market.
Sim Cards
RE: [spiers] Sim Cards
Hi Victor,
To use Skype you download it free online. Then get a pair of headphones and
microphone and you are in business. Skype is huge in China and well used
even in businesses there because the price is so very inexpensive.
World-wide calls are cheap, and if you talk Skype to Skype, it is free. So
now my daughter is in Poland, and if I call her we can talk long time free.
To use it you call from your computer...easily done by pressing the phone
number key board provided with the download. You can call others free who
are on Skype computer as well. Or, you can call any number including home
phones, and cell phones, from your computer, and they will ring and you talk
and hear great. What you cannot do is call someone with your regular phone
or cell to use Skype. You have to use the computer, but you can ring up
cell phones and home phones etc.
The numbers you call do not have to be Skype numbers, but if your relative
also has a Skype set up on the computer, and you call him while he also is
on his computer skype program, it is free. Other calls are only a few
cents.
Details and options are on skype.com
Linda
Trade Policy Hopes
Folks,
Paul Gigot of the Wall Street Journal interviews Pres. Bush on September 9th
aboard Air Force
one, during which, among other things, in the context of his policies advancing
USA interests,
the president cites the Egyption Minister of Trade Rachid Mohamed Rachid as one
of "a
group of young reformers who are now in government. There's an impressive group
of
younger Egyptians--the trade minister and some of the economic people--that
understand
the promise and the difficulties of democracy."
http://tinyurl.com/pf7qz
The next day in China, the same Rachid is quoted by Xinhua News as saying "Egypt
is actively
seeking stronger trade and investment ties with China and believes China can
become
Egypt's number one trading partner, over the next 10 years, overtaking
traditional partners
such as the United States, said Rachid Mohamed Rachid, Egypt's Minister of
Trade and
Industry. ",,, "We want to be China's gateway to Europe, Africa and the Middle
East, through
our basket of preferential trade agreements with these markets", Rachid
addressed the World
Economic China Business Summit held here Sunday. "
http://tinyurl.com/gj29p
The people the Republicans are betting on to help USA are not betting on USA to
help them.
The democrats will do no better, and when the USA economy does tank, it won't be
impossible to find friends, just a lot harder. A repeal of the Logan Act might
help.
John