Something doesn’t smell right about foreign trade
From the Financial Times comes a story that China has grown into the world’s second-largest fount of ‘‘research knowledge’’ behind the United States, and it is poised to take the top spot by 2020. From Richard McCormack, the editor of Manufacturing & Technology News who spoke in Youngstown last week about the sorry state of manufacturing, comes word that the U.S. consumption of machine tools has declined 23 percent since 1998. China’s consumption of lathes, drills and other machines considered vital to national security has surged 714 percent in the same period. Ditto for printed circuit boards, photovoltaic cells used to make solar panels and, of course, vehicle production, where China is second to Japan, with the U.S. at third. President Obama is planning to cut NASA’s next moon expedition.
» Full StoryTides are turning on China
The tide may finally be turning in the United States’ delicate dance with China.
Recent decisions to slap tariffs on tires and steel tubes was a promising first step by the government.
America must start producing more stuff
Below are some product recalls, as reported by the Associated Press on just one day, De.
» Full StoryHard, fast rules of reporting
Like most professions, journalism has a few fast and hard rules.
Foremost is be accurate, everything from the spelling of names to who sent how much money to whom to influence a decision on spending taxpayers’ money.
Reflections on the world of business
This ’n that from the world of business:
In one of those ‘‘Duh!’’ decisions, General Motors Corp. last week announced that it’s moving away from rebates and other financial incentives to sell vehicles.
Time is right to take the ‘plunge’ for new car, house
If a new car or house are on your wish list, you might not find a better time than now to take the plunge.
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