🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <louis.724990947@aupair.cs.athabascau.ca> louis@aupair.cs.athabascau.ca (Louis Schmittroth) writes:
>fester@island.COM (Mike Fester) writes:
>
>
>>Strange, is it not, then, that our GNP is STILL double Japan's? Strange, also,
>>that American companies ignored the competition for decades. Again, you might
>>read Peter Drucker. He DID warn (in the 50's!) that America would be in
>>trouble in the 70's, due to lack of capital investment. He also details how
>>large US manufacturers ignored foreign challengers, tried to 'cream' the 
>>markets (ie, only selling "top-of-the-line", and leaving mass-consumer goods
>>to those 'foreigners'), and basically frittered away much of our leadership.
>
>>AFTER you have read Drucker, you will be better equipped to take up the debate
>>with some INTELLIGENT criticisms.
>
>No, I have not read Drucker, at least on Japan, but I have read both
>Prestowitz,"Trading Places," and Lester Thurow, "Head to Head."  And
>yes American companies did make mistakes in hindsight.  AT&T *never*
>should have given, or sold, the rights to the transistor to Sony.

AT&T didn't have any choice in the matter.  Part of the price to be paid
for being a "regulated monopoly" was that AT&T had to license technology
such as the transistor for very low prices  (I believe a license for
transistor technology was $15000).  This was because AT&T, in effect, used
public money to develop the technology.  They were not at risk for
profit/loss - they could recover any investment by adjusting phone rates.

Please note that I am not knocking this system at all.  It provided much,
much useful work that probably couldn't/wouldn't have been done anywhere
else - transistor, LASER, artificial larynx, etc.  In my biased opinion,
the Bell System should have been left alone.  The Justice Department (yeah,
right) simply had a grudge because they could not control AT&T.

While not perfect, the old Bell System was filled from top to bottom with
people that truly cared about their customers, company, and country.  Even
though there was great power to be wielded it was rarely, if ever, abused
for the sake of profit or personal gain.  These people were sincere when 
they said their first concern was that when John Doe picked up the phone to
call mom, the thing worked and he got through.

Kennedy (the old man - not John), foresaw the time when the real power
would be contained in the government instead of business.  Well, that time
is here and ain't they doin' a wonderful job?  (What's the biggest lie ever
told:  I'm from the government and I'm here to help you.)

As a side note:  Did anyone see when Al (Ken doll) Gore tried to cow Bob
Allen (AT&T chariman) when he asked if Allen really meant to disagree with
him?  Gore's contention was that the nation should be covered with a fiber 
optic network installed by the government instead of the private sector.

Oh my yes, they do such a wonderful job with every other project they manage.

My opinions only.