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WAY OT: New York is NOT the center of the universe
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Having grown up in NY, and having lived there for 39 years, before I moved to Florida (like all NY Jews), I can tell you that NY was NEVER the center of the universe (because my universe is our industry, and nothing else matters). And our industry’s center of the universe is Los Angeles, California, not NY, and it has always been this way.
With that said, China has been the center of the universe for a long time, but just like earth, and our history, “we” often think that “the center of the universe” is the United States and Western Europe. But just look at the ad’s on Creative Cow (which is the center of the universe of publications for our industry) – almost 100% of the products that we get (except from AJA) are manufactured in China.
When my 80 year old mother-in-law starts to complain about politics, and democrats vs. republicans, etc. I love telling her – ITS ALL OVER, the Chinese are taking over, I don’t care WHO gets into office, they win, we lose, end of story.
And for those of you who have grandkids – sorry, they don’t have a chance.
Bob Zelin
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I would argue that Connecticut is the center of the universe. We have the following based in our small but diverse state:
Insurance Companies: Aetna, The Hartford, Cigna, Travelers
These companies seem to be weathering the financial storm, and will be called upon to care for citizens of many countries and their offspring as they age, get sick and eventually die(life insurance benefits). They also offer various financial instruments.
Industry: Stanley Tools, Lego, Otis Elevator, General Dynamics Electric Boat, United Technologies
You may get in an elevator in Hong Kong that was designed in CT. While LEGO has offshored its manufacturing, their world headquarters is still here.
Film and Television: We have film studios, a state film tax credit and a particularly good medical video industry
Wealth and Poverty: CT provides a nice cross-section of wealth and poverty, featuring Fairfield County and Bridgeport – two of the most divergent areas of the country in per capita income and abject poverty in the nation, right next to each other.
Transportation: Metro North railroad provide rail transport into and out of NYC daily, with Amtrak using the same crowded rails. We could use a local option for commuter rail in Hartford, New Haven and other cities. So from this perspective, CT is a possible small area testing ground for new transport initiatives that could one day criss-cross the nation. But we could do better. Our roads are highly congested and in disrepair thanks to too many cars and a few poorly executed improvement projects. Again, we have a developing nation feel to our driving conditions.
Proximity to other centers of the world: You can drive to Boston, New York, Philadelphia in a few hours from any point in CT and our local airport can get you anywhere else pretty easily. So no matter where the center of the universe ACTUALLY is, CT is a good place to start.
I’m Mike Cohen, independent candidate for Governor, and I approve this message!
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Mike –
Connecticut is the New Jersey of New England.
Herb Sevush
Zebra Productions -
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L.A. is the center. At least according to Hollywood…
Shane
GETTING ORGANIZED WITH FINAL CUT PRO DVD…don’t miss it.
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def -
“When a Chinese spokesman can tell a story about a Panamanian or Nigerian or Pakistani cab driver who took him to the airport, then I might concede NYs right to considered the “center of the universe.”
Almost any large European city can say the same thing….Not sure it’s much of a statement to claim you a “melting pot” anymore (or in the last 30 years).
The Brit in Brisbane
The Pomme in Production – Brisbane Australia. -
I haven’t read through all of the responses to your post Mark, but I have to say; Despite its thousands of years of history, China still is still severely lacking in the western civilities, social behavior and ways of conducting business to which we are accustomed.
I’ve only been in Beijing since September of ’09 but that length of time is, in my humble opinion, long enough to know this country has a long way to go before it can truly be considered the “center of the universe.” I think the culture attempts to emulate (or maybe ‘copy’ is a better word) the West in many ways but lacks its maturity and sophistication. China is still a second-world country.
Chris Dolan
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Gav –
Almost any large European city can say the same thing
That’s exactly right, many large western cities can say the same thing, but can China? NY is a center, no more so than London, Paris, Berlin – the question is weather a closed society like China’s can produce a city that wields the same influence.
Herb Sevush
Zebra Productions -
[Chris Dolan] “ways of conducting business to which we are accustomed.”
That’s the POINT! They aren’t conducting business in the ways to which we are accustomed. Old rules don’t apply, and the west hasn’t figured out yet how to deal with it… other than to take advantage of the cheap labor. What’s lurking in the future is the fact that we’ve transferred lots of our technology and lost access to many raw materials. When nobody in the west has a decent paying job anymore, all those cheap chinese manufactured goods are going to look pretty expensive.
In many ways China is playing the classic “colonize” and plunder game better than the Europeans did last century. Why do I say better? The Chinese aren’t bothering with the messy aspects of actually “governing” those poor states. They just want the natural resources or minerals and they’re getting them. All of the infrastructure they’re building in those countries is primarily designed to aid in the EXTRACTION of resources. The roads or railways usually go right to the ports, and therefore, right back to China.
Back to my original post. The “Center of the Universe” isn’t necessarily the best place to live. It IS a place that can’t be ignored.
Mark
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“Despite its thousands of years of history, China still is still severely lacking in the western civilities”
“…I think the culture attempts to emulate (or maybe ‘copy’ is a better word) the West in many ways but lacks its maturity and sophistication. China is still a second-world country.”
Hmmm… western civilities, I’m not sure I understand what you mean here. For a second-world country, we sure seem to borrow a lot of money from them. And how is it that an immature, unsophisticated country like China can maintain a 228 billion dollar trade deficit with the US?
Shawn
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