On 6/23/07, Vitaliy wrote: > Xiaofan Chen wrote: > >> - Why should programmers get special protection? What about other people > >> (say, textile workers)? Why don't we just close down the borders (or > >> impose high tariffs on all products), and thus protect ALL industries? > > > > I think this is because US does have an edge in hi-tech industry. > > O-k... so we should protect an industry that is already more competitive > than other industries? A government should protect its citizens and give them means to prosper. Certain protection of certain industry is inevitable. Even for those so called "free trade" countries, there ought to have some kind of protection. On the other hand, for textile workers, they are simple not viable in US except certain higher-end niche market segment. The US consumers are used to the lower price now due to the globalization. Therefore it is not possible to ban the import of cheap clothes/food/etc. Therefore rich countries will have to higher value-added industry and service sectors and leave them to the lower wage countries. I am not so sure how this works out eventually (say 200 years later) though. > > In the days of globalization it is very difficult to be self-sufficient > > even though US is so lucky to have plenty of nature resources and a good > > system. > > What's so great about being self-sufficient, anyway? I meant to say that it is not possible to be self-sufficient in this era. That is why US can not close its borders even if one wants to. > Given the current legislation, workers in question must go back to their > home country after their period of employment (measured in months) is over. The thing is that they can apply for green card and switch job and have better life. And they will try to stay once they are used to the life here and believe that life is better in US. > > I do not know much about the school education system here. However > > I certainly think the children are happier here than in China/Japan/India > > and might be more creative. > > How do you figure? > The Asian mentality that children should do well in exams and overly believe in grades is counter-productive in the long run. They are also too much market-oriented when choosing which field to study instead of basing the decision on one's interests. Therefore often they are not really interested in what they are doing. Also most of the time the children are taught to follow certain rules and do only the right things. Therefore they tend to be less adventurous and less creative. The bags for Asian students are way too heavy and they have too many homework to do. The situation seems to be worse now. 20+ years back I needed not to work that hard to excel in school and 85 out of 100 is very good. Now they need to many books and 95 out 100 is considered average. Life is tough for them. More than 50% of the students here in Singapore has the problem of myopia ( Gameboy, TV and Internet are also to blame along with the homework). Maybe something in between of the US education and Asian education system is better. Maybe PIClist members in Europe can comment on this. Regards, Xiaofan -- http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive View/change your membership options at http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist