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[murakami]

I'm surprised that there isn't a lot of discussion about this:

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/4394002/

Summary blurb:

"In January 1982, President Ronald Reagan approved a CIA plan to sabotage the economy of the Soviet Union through covert transfers of technology that contained hidden malfunctions, including software that later triggered a huge explosion in a Siberian natural gas pipeline, according to a new memoir by a Reagan White House official."

Kinda scary when you start thinking about the blackouts last year.

[astcell]

Such is one of the issues when dealing with foreign suppliers. I am more worried about firearm parts for our military which are supplied by other coutries. Talk about breaking the supply chain, one cannot afford to bite the hand which feeds it.

[JiTRiF]

Yeah just wait, pop items such as Furbies, Tickle Me Elmos, and Xboxs have a built in self destruct timer set to explode in the year 2005!

[astcell]

So set the date to January 1, 1900 and it's someone else's problem.

[ch0l0man]

this is why outsourcing, when it comes to certian things, is not a good idea.

[murakami]

There is also an interesting historical aspect. Its almost gospel that the soviet union fell because of its inefficiencies in its economy. It seems like we gave them a healthy push down the stairs as well. The explosion was the largest non-nuclear explosion on record.

I have new found respect (not admiration) for Reagan and Casey.

[JiTRiF]

I have new found respect (not admiration) for Reagan and Casey.

Respect, meaning fear. Fear of what else they could've messed with.

[murakami]

Respect, meaning fear. Fear of what else they could've messed with.

Hardly, nothing to fear about gerrys in diapers. You've got respect the effort that it took to coodinate that action.

[staticblac]

this would be an intresting one for the y2k bug

[noid]

The Soviets also really fucked themselves during this time period. After the cold war was over there were all these ex-soviet generals and millitary folk talking about how they only had about 1/3 of the nuclear capabilities they claimed and how a lot of those missles seen in Red Square parades were actually facades. I think the original intent was to put 'the fear' into the US and western europe, but it only served to screw themselves when we took it at face value, deemed them a greater threat than they were, and reacted accordingly. If we had truly and accurately known what sort of threat they posed, we probably wouldnt have spent the kind of time, money, and effort we did to keep them in check.

[bascule]

I'm surprised that there isn't a lot of discussion about this

There was more discussion when William Safire originally wrote the article on this over a month ago.

[murakami]

There was more discussion when William Safire originally wrote the article on this over a month ago.

Wow, didn't see that article and I usually skim the Times. Just saw it on the Washington Post last week. I guess it was to pimp the forthcoming book on the subject

[Gadsden]

this is why outsourcing, when it comes to certian things, is not a good idea.

But it is profitable.. that that seems to be the bottom line in this day and time..

I forsee the day when all the outsourcing we are doing comes back to bite us in the ass in one way or another..

[Grifter]

I'm waiting for the book. Looks interesting to me.

[bascule]

But it is profitable.. that that seems to be the bottom line in this day and time..

At least some of the Democrats have their heads on straight about this and want to end NAFTA. Free trade just provides corporations a means of circumventing minimum wage and free labor laws here. The best way to correct this while still benefiting Mexicans is to implement a guest worker visa system for Mexicans who have found employment in the US. This would allow the government to ensure that fair labor standards are applied to Mexicans working in the US.

I forsee the day when all the outsourcing we are doing comes back to bite us in the ass in one way or another..

One big plank in Kerry's platform is eliminating government contracts to companies who are moving offshore, or have a record of accounting fraud, as well as passing laws to prevent companies from setting up a puppet headquarters in another country to avoid paying US taxes, as well as eliminating corporate welfare and tax breaks for companies who are outsourcing jobs.