A Congratulatory Letter | Green Energy News

October 12, 2003 – Vol.8 No.29

A CONGRATULATORY LETTER.

Dear China,

Congratulations on the success of your first manned space flight - the flight of the Shenzhou 5. And please congratulate Lt. Col. Yang Liwei for his courage and safe return to earth.

What a great achievement for China!

There’s been some speculation here in U.S. that your first flight might start a new Space Race that would create new tensions between China and here in the U.S.

Already our leadership is showing its concern for your technological leap. Instead of offering your country and its new hero a warm and personal congratulation, our President called the flight only an “interesting development” and promised talks with you about the flight.

Talks, emanating from Washington, usually mean our government wants something or wants to stop something from happening.

Our President’s comments, or lack of comment, may show that he doesn’t fully understand the relationship between China and our country.

We need you. Without your low labor costs that allow Americans to buy high-quality goods at bargain prices, our economy would falter - big time. Without you we couldn’t buy compact fluorescent light bulbs, for instance, for a fraction of those made here and elsewhere.

The flip side of bargain-priced goods from your country is that the American industrial work force has suffered, though our consumers have yet to make this connection. They love your products no matter the consequences.

So while you will certainly pursue space flight at whatever pace you find comfortable, don’t worry about those tensions from Washington or Bush. Corporate America, yearning for ever more sales and profits will do everything it can to keep relations with you on an even keel, even if you do launch your own space station, or establish a base on the moon.

So go ahead with your endeavors in space and the best of luck.

Oh, and one other thing. We, the U.S, and the rest of world, need cleaner, more efficient cars as soon as possible. Can you do something about this? Japan’s doing OK but our companies are dragging their feet.

(Note: This editor has purchased compact fluorescent light bulbs, made in China, for as little as a dollar each, on sale. The current made-in-China CFL bargains are 13 watt (60 watt equivalent) Sylvania mini-spirals in a three-pack for about $15 at Lowe’s.)