Wednesday February 15, 2012

malfupete's past comments

  • 0

    malfupete

    the article is about Car designs and how Japanese manufacturers are losing their competitiveness.. not building silcon wafers, molecule sized transistors or whatever Advanced Manufacturing really means... Oginome is interpreting this headline as encompassing ALL manufacturing when the point of the article is far from this and doesn't mention any of the topics he is bringing up.

    There is no denying that a lot of parts that are made by japanese firms are important to end user goods such as phones, computers, vehicles, etc.. but to say that it is ONLY japanese parts that are the reason why these items work is a gross misrepresentation. For example, Apple is reliant on the inputs from firms in China, Japan, Taiwan, America, Thailand, etc. Could be something like hard drives from Thailand, labour from China, the microchips from Japan, the design from America as an example.

    These firms are one aspect of the supply chain for these products, monopoly or not.

    Posted in: Japan losing its manufacturing edge to South Korea

  • 0

    malfupete

    but GDP per Capita based on PPP (purchasing power parity, which takes into account costs of living and inflation rates unlike nominal figures) has Japan at $34k and S.Korea at $31k according to 2011 IMF numbers.. Can't say which one is more "correct"

    Posted in: Japan losing its manufacturing edge to South Korea

  • -1

    malfupete

    Will Graham Chapman's ashes have a part in the movie?

    Posted in: Monty Python members to re-unite for new film

  • 3

    malfupete

    and actually, I'm somewhat intrigued.. can someone provide a list/source as to which components are only made in Japan that the rest of world relies so heavily on?

    Posted in: Japan losing its manufacturing edge to South Korea

  • 0

    malfupete

    at the end of the day, being specialized in silicon wafers, LCD screens or what have you is not going to sustain or grow an economy by itself. Japan of 20-30 years ago was massive because of all the products they made and exported, cars, heavy machinery, tv's, stereos, electronics, vcr's, the list goes on and on.. the amount of money (and jobs) that this created for the economy was tremendous. Fast forward to today and they are clearly losing their competitive edge to China, South Korea et all where the products may not be of the highest quality, but are cheaper and thus more attractive to consumers.

    So Japan has transitioned to being a creator of components but I can't see this as being the driving force behind the economy nor being able to employ the millions of people like the automotive or construction industry. It's all great and dandy having this so-called monopoly in component production... but so what? While these firms may have steady business (until a chinese firm has the means to do it cheaper) but Its all about consumer goods (and natural resources if the country is lucky and unfortunately Japan is not) and that's what drives the economy forward.

    Toyota isn't going out of business tomorrow, next month or even next year but if they don't innovate and/or match consumers expectations then they will be in a world of hurt. Japanese car companies stormed into North America to take advantage of the oil embargo in the 1970s with their smaller, more fuel efficient cars and American companies suffered. Today, every car maker has or will have fuel efficient models, hybrids, electric engines.. so what is Toyota, Honda, Nissan, etc.. doing to bring something new to the table to remain competitive?

    So what do we have here besides the fact that this discussion has veered so far off topic? Japan is losing its manufacturing edge in one sector while maintaining it in another.

    Posted in: Japan losing its manufacturing edge to South Korea

  • 0

    malfupete

    @Ogi: fair enough but what are you defending here? You're lumping "Manufacturing Edge" into a be all end all thought that next year Korea is going to surge past Japan to take the no.3 economy spot. This article isn't mentioning advanced manufacturing or any other of the myriad of industries that comprise the Manufacturing sector at all, just a perception that Japan is losing its competitiveness in the Global Automotive Industry, to other companies or in this case, Hyundai, that have new designs, better quality, attractive costs, or the thought that a particular car is fun to drive.

    and call me a layman...but what do you mean when you are referring to Advanced Manufacturing?

    Posted in: Japan losing its manufacturing edge to South Korea

  • 2

    malfupete

    One can't deny that Hyundai is becoming a leader in car manufacturing. Their models are fairly well built, their prices are excellent and they have a 10 year warranty to boot.

    If in fact Japan is selling its "old technology" to Korea and they are giving them a run for their money, what does this say about the state of Japanese industry?

    Posted in: Japan losing its manufacturing edge to South Korea

  • 0

    malfupete

    Japan has just reported its first trade deficit in 30 years which may be an anomaly due to the earthquake/tsunami last year.. but on the other hand it does raise questions if Japan can just export itself out of this mess. A devalued yen is good for its exports but its population is aging, the birth rate is low and immigration is non-existant. And as the years roll on and on we are left with a smaller working base to support existing retirees... The future is not bright at all

    Posted in: Noda struggles to conquer Japan's debt mountain

  • 2

    malfupete

    I guess this is what keeps politics interesting but it is such a joke... At this point, none of the republican candidates are doing anything more than personal attacks on each other. No one is bringing ideas to the table how they will make the country better or solve its problems. I'd be ashamed if I were an american citizen because this is what the system has become to be elected president..

    Posted in: Stung Romney discloses taxes as he launches fierce attack on Gingrich

  • -2

    malfupete

    snore...

    Posted in: 36-year-old Harvard law graduate elected Japan's youngest female mayor

  • 1

    malfupete

    Girls in Texas are hot hot HOT!! I don't feel bad for him at all.. well, maybe a bit because he didn't come to Toronto..

    Does he have to pay alimony if he's earning money out of country?

    Posted in: Yu Darvish divorces TV celebrity wife Saeko

  • -1

    malfupete

    I guess if he's not promoting the new movie.. Disney doesn't sue the people who dress up as Captain Jack on Halloween though.

    Posted in: Jack Sparrow takes helm of a Tokyo cake store

  • -1

    malfupete

    I think american car manufacturers are starting to catch on to the smaller car with better gas mileage yet still looking stylish and fun to drive.. altough I probably would never buy one but the Cruze and to an extent the Ford Focus are decent smaller cars

    Posted in: Toyota says No. 1 spot not top priority

  • 0

    malfupete

    I don't understand the education system in Japan.. do kids get into uni based on their grades in high school or is it solely on the entrance exams or do the two compliment each other?

    Posted in: Errors result in highest ever number of entrance exams retakers

  • 0

    malfupete

    Hypothetical question: If you "abduct" your child(ren) out of Japan and go to a country that IS a signatory of the Hague Convention, is there a legal obligation for that country to return the child to Japan given that Japan is hasn't signed anything? There's a post up above about Japan invoking the hague laws when a mother fled Japan due to domestic violence but had to return or the kid would be given over to Social Services. Doesn't seem fair if it only works one way...

    Posted in: Child abduction issue should be key concern in Japan-U.S. relations

  • 0

    malfupete

    yeah thats it... bow your heads and all will be forgiven. what a bunch of crooks!!

    Posted in: Olympus president, 5 other execs to resign in April over cover-up

  • 3

    malfupete

    ...the S&P also gave Lehman Bros a AAA rating a month before it collapsed in 2008

    Posted in: Do you think credit ratings on countries from companies such as Standard & Poors, Moody’s and Fitch carry too much weight?

  • 2

    malfupete

    Virtuoso hit the nail on the head... these people are crooks and should be locked up, but fat chance of that ever happening.

    I'm amazed that these rating agencies still have any credibility!! They made an ABSOLUTE blunder on those CDS's which essentially almost toppled the entire american financial system. Why aren't they held accountable?!

    Posted in: Do you think credit ratings on countries from companies such as Standard & Poors, Moody’s and Fitch carry too much weight?

  • 0

    malfupete

    If Obama stays elected.. can't he just veto it if it passes in the house? The president has to sign these acts into laws, correct??

    Posted in: Wikipedia goes dark, Google blots out logo to protest Internet bills

  • 1

    malfupete

    i only make my wife wear thongs.. the only thing I have control of in our marriage, ha!

    Posted in: Sexy undies yes, G-strings no, say French women

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