From the MacMinute front page:<br>Schmoozing the Reds: AOL's secret China plans revealed<br><br><br>What do you think about this?<br><br>I think it's insane that anyone is trying to do business with China... I mean come on, isn't China the last bastion of Communism? Don't they treat their employees (peasants) like they are part of the trash? Doesn't America still have some trade sanctions with them? if not, why not?<br><br>Sorry... I'm the kind of guy that checks the labels when I'm buying cheap stuff at Walmart for "made in China" and puts those things back... I just can't fathom the idea of China getting any further ahead when they are so "unfriendly" to us.... and why does AOL need to make a dime off of them?<br><br>Or, is this part of the Americanization of China, through covert means? Will this help bring down the Red Curtain?<br><br>Your thoughts?<br><br>***<br>"Our constitution was made only for a moral and religious people." -John Adams

Politics aside, I think maybe China is the only place where people who get AOL accounts will think they have a good deal <br><br>And that's true too/--Shakespeare, King Lear

read what the Register has to say: <br><br>Schmoozing the Reds: AOL's secret China plans revealed<br><br><br>~~~<br>"Our civil rights have no dependence upon our religious opinions..." Jefferson

Well, I read sometime back that AOL is coming to India with 500$ million investment. Wonder if they will be any good. <br><br>Vijay<br><br>

Vijay,<br><br>I can understand someone wanting to expand into India. India is a great country, with a good government, great people, and a good tech field... <br><br>but I just can't fathom the thought of anyone trying to help China....<br><br>maybe I'm just too strongly opinionated on this to see the facts for what they are...<br><br>***<br>"The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but the heart of the fool to the left." <br> -- Ecclesiastes 10:2

(i posted that URL earlier before i'd glanced at the macminute page or even read John's first post)<br><br>i'd like to know why the Pentagon has contracts with China to produce articles of clothing for our armed services. the Pentagon may well have contracts with China to produce other items of a non-armament nature, like messkits, for all i know...<br><br>~~~<br>"Our civil rights have no dependence upon our religious opinions more than our opinions in physics or geometry." --Thomas Jefferson

John,<br><br>I was just posting about what I read some time back. Not retorting back to your previous comments. Just wondering if they will be any good. Seeing as they aren't right now, I don't think so to.<br><br>Vijay<br><br>

Actually it's a secret plot to takeover China...Steve Case is gonna be the emporer over there!<br><br>AOL should fit nicely over there!<br><br>Vijay, get India to block AOL from invading! Run!!<br><br>(can you tell that I do NOT like AOL? )<br><br>

i'll say it a million times: "friends DON'T let friends use AOL"<br><br>~~~<br>"Our civil rights have no dependence upon our religious opinions more than our opinions in physics or geometry." --Thomas Jefferson

Here they call it "AOL Australia"... hmm... America On-Line Australia... are we the 51st state?!?! And yeah, I'm praying nobody uses it here either.<br><br>

the best thing you can do for your enemies is to let them buy a windows PC and give them an AOL disk <br><br><br>

Aol Shanghai or maybe Shanghai your Computer with Aol......<br><br>The next thing that you know we will have, Aol International Space Station :-)<br><br>Just think 1.5 billion more people on AOL talk about ssssssllllllllllooooooooowwwwwww !!!!!!!!<br><br><br><br><br><br>this is my signature do you like it?

Careful what you suggest on line, Alex--someone in Washington might read the post and next thing you know you'll be reciting the pledge of allegiance to the flag of the United States of . . . .<br><br>And that's true too/--Shakespeare, King Lear

Actually, I think that Puerto Rico has dibs on the 51st state classification (when they decide to ask for statehood)... then I think there are a lot of "protectorates" out there that come next....<br><br>Since Aus. was a Bristish colony, I think you could ask to be called the 14th colony (but I have a feeling that's a misnomer too).<br><br>Plus you're really in the wrong hemisphere to be called American aren't you?<br><br>Maybe we should have called the Aussie natives "Indians" since nonody asked the American natives what they wanted to be called, and the only got the name wrong by a few nautical miles or so ;)<br><br>John<br><br>***<br>"The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but the heart of the fool to the left." <br> -- Ecclesiastes 10:2

Don't worry John, we're still in the Commonwealth down here! (for now, but that's a whole other topic...) I dunno, our kids are growing up with Sesame Street and Bear in the Big Blue House like the rest of you yanks, it's just we still use the "u" in "colour"... It's kind of nice to be just that little bit out of the firing range though.<br><br>Being closer to Asia, Australia actually is doing some work with China (especially in terms of Taiwan ROC) on political and economic levels, it's just complex and... well, a tenuous link with the "global society", but things are progressing. Over the last century AU has been home to many immigrants from all over Europe and Asia, China included. We've all gotta just remember that they're people too.<br><br>

Alex,<br><br>a few things... being from Texas, I resent being called a "yank" though i understand that from your prespective, I could be lumped into the "yank" group. I'd rather be called a "Texan" or an "American" though - as I'm definitely not a "yankee" <br><br>Also, from my point of view, Taiwan is not part of China... and China is a dirty word... but then again, I'm the one that's too opinionated at times <br><br>***<br>"The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but the heart of the fool to the left." <br> -- Ecclesiastes 10:2

well, though i have no fondness whatever for the NY Yankees baseball team (GO METS!), i am a very proud yankee... and that confederate rag, oops i meant flag, arouses great ire in me.<br><br>~~~<br>"Our civil rights have no dependence upon our religious opinions more than our opinions in physics or geometry." --Thomas Jefferson

I wasn't promoting the confederate flag Dewd, rather the "Republic of Texas" is where my pride comes from... Texas was a true country... the confederacy didn't win, so to me that wasn't a country to have "national" pride in... though I think we've had this discussion haven't we? didn't we agree to disagree?<br><br>heh <br><br>***<br>"The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but the heart of the fool to the left." <br> -- Ecclesiastes 10:2

i did not ever say you were promoting that *ahem* flag... i simply was spouting off, as ever... making a tagential remark... rebels and yanks, ya know... <br><br>~~~<br>"Our civil rights have no dependence upon our religious opinions more than our opinions in physics or geometry." --Thomas Jefferson

Oops, I think I've pushed a button... Sorry for the terminology John, but it's easy for all of us to realise that from a simple cultural misunderstanding things can get out of hand pretty quick too - I for one would hate to be in politics... (I'd have accidentally started a war in 5 minutes, I know it!)<br><br>

Alex, don't feel bad.. NYCDEWD and I have been around this flagpole many a time before... it's a great discussion for a few beers... and really only for then...<br><br>He and I have agreed to disagree... no wars here... <br><br>As for whether or not Australia deserves to be its own country or not, I have a few true British (to the bone) friends who would swear that the majority of the world is still a colony, but that Britain let them forget it for too long.....<br><br>heh...<br><br>***<br>"The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but the heart of the fool to the left." <br> -- Ecclesiastes 10:2