Now we're down to 2 US automakers

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

That's probably true, but it brings up an interesting point. If Fiat has already owned the controlling interest in Chrysler for the past five years, what has changed? What will change? Will Chrysler start building Italian cars? Probably for the average car owner nothing will change at all. Perhaps construction techniques will improve. Perhaps the opposite. Perhaps more jobs will be sent overseas. Perhaps not.

That video on British manufacturing was startling, to say the least. I'm reminded of a conversation between my friend Rocky and a biker. The part of the talk involved the fact that, until found out, Harley-Davidson used Keihin carburetors, along with several other Japanese-made parts. Harley had to spend some money overcoming that embarrassment. The point of the argument was that when the biker proudly said "My Harley was made in America!", Rocky replied "So was my Kawasaki."

And it's true. In 1974 Kawasaki became the first foreign company to manufacture motor vehicles in the United States with their plant in Lincoln, Nebraska. They save time and money not having to ship products from the home country to the point-of-sale, and employ local workers and management. Only the ownership is actually overseas. So what is the difference between that and Chrysler now being owned by a foreign company? I don't know.

I find it rather embarrassing they can buy our companies and run them for profit in the same country we couldn't. It's not just car manufacturing either power and water companies as well a host of others are joining an ever lengthening list.

Pretty soon there'll only be the crown jewels left...or have we already sold them?

[Sailor Steve]

Originally Posted by Jimbuna

It's not just car manufacturing either power and water companies as well a host of others are joining an ever lengthening list.

Funny, our own Utah Power and Light is wholly owned and operated by Scottish Power.

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

Funny, our own Utah Power and Light is wholly owned and operated by Scottish Power.

Not funny at all if Scotland gains independence and cuts off your supply for being allied to the English

[Sailor Steve]

Originally Posted by Jimbuna

Not funny at all if Scotland gains independence and cuts off your supply for being allied to the English

I'm sure there's some Chinese firm out there just waiting to take over.

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

I'm sure there's some Chinese firm out there just waiting to take over.

They wouldn't dare or we'd close all the takeaways

[Schroeder]

Originally Posted by Jimbuna

They wouldn't dare or we'd close all the takeaways

But then half of England will starve.

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by Schroeder

But then half of England will starve.

Maybe so...but not the English

[Aktungbby]

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

Funny, our own Utah Power and Light is wholly owned and operated by Scottish Power.

Polygamists in kilts!!!

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

I'm sure there's some Chinese firm out there just waiting to take over.

Antactica today!; tomorrow, the imperialist round-eyed dogs!

Originally Posted by Jimbuna

They wouldn't dare or we'd close all the takeaways

No wonton tacos!!!

[Tango589]

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

I'm sure there's some Chinese firm out there just waiting to take over.

They already own UK Power Networks, the electricity company in SE England.

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by Tango589

They already own UK Power Networks, the electricity company in SE England.

They are also going to finance the next super nuclear power station.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/n...ear-power.html

[Oberon]

Originally Posted by Jimbuna

They are also going to finance the next super nuclear power station.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/n...ear-power.html

Indeed, they're looking to invest outside of the PRC now, since the new Five Year Plan looks to try to stabilise the economy of the country. Furthermore, the experience and knowledge gained through helping the UK build its next gen power stations will go towards the PRCs power station construction spree.
I was chatting to some chaps from our local NPP and they told me about a design of reactor that was imported from the French in the 1990s, the 900MWe class, which produced (surprisingly enough) 900MWe, but this was not quite enough for the Chinese, who took the design, improved upon it and got it putting out 1000MWe. Their latest development of it, the ACPR-1000 will get rid of the final vestiges of the French design and enable it to be marketed abroad (since the French still own the design rights of the 900MWe).
So it's win-win really, we get our NPPs, they get their NPPs, and they get ideas they can use for their next generation of NPP.