Paris Hilton Reveals NASA UFO Secrets (Sort Of)
Buzz Aldrin was scheduled for a phone interview on the Friday, June 8, 2007, edition of Your World with Neil Cavuto on the Fox News cable channel. Originally booked to talk about the latest space shuttle launch, he suddenly found himself being asked about Paris Hilton and had some very interesting things to say.
Friday, June 8, 2007, should have been a big news day. A former Preacher’s Wife was sentenced to three years in prison for shooting her husband in the back while he slept. A Tax Protestor couple in New Hampshire discovered what happens when you challenge the authority of people you elect to office: You get state police and an army of federal troops with tanks and federal agents with submachine guns at your door. The space shuttle took off on a mission to support the International Space Station. It was announced that the current Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff was stepping down. East Coast air travel was practically brought to a stand still by a computer glitch.
None of those news pieces ended up being the biggest story of the day. Instead it was Paris (Hilton, not France). Yes, it apparently took Fox and other news gathering and reporting organizations eight hours to tell the tale of Naughty Paris and the Nasty Judge. It didn’t seem to bother the news pundits that Paris was ordered back to jail to serve a forty-five day sentence for a probation violation, when other celebs have spent as little as five hours in jail for the same thing. I mean, give a gal a break! Don’t billion dollar babies get an automatic pass? Regardless of how you feel about the Paris Affair, it may have paid off in an unusual way for UFO Researchers.
Buzz Aldrin was supposed to be talking about the latest Space Shuttle Mission. Imagine his surprise when the famous astronaut’s guest spot was jammed into the middle of the never-ending discussion about Paris. An experienced media guest, Buzz is never at a loss for prefabricated words. Years ago I appeared on the Sally Jesse Raphael Show with him and a few other UFO Researchers. As long as you didn’t ask him anything out of the ordinary, he had some terrific prepared responses. If you did, he stammered and stumbled. That’s what happened on Your World with Neil Cavuto today around 1:30pm Arizona Time.
Asked to comment on how he felt about living in a world where Paris dominates the news for hours on end, he began by stammering on about some science fiction book he once wrote. The story was about a civilization that was going to be destroyed in exactly 140 years by a terrible calamity. He point was that everyone knew about it and did nothing until the very last minute. Huh? Like I said, not good without the prefab responses.
Buzz continued and finally made a lucid point. He apparently feels that we have lost our focus. Instead of worrying about how the Russians, Chinese and Japanese are slowly overtaking us in space research and exploration, we sensationalize and promote non-events like today’s Paris debacle. Just as Your World was headed to a break, Aldrin reminisced about the days of the Apollo 11 Moon Mission and said, “Suppose Neal and I said, ‘Look at what’s outside of our window! It’s a UFO!’ Instead, we said, ‘It’s unusual to see a booster rocket outside of our window.’ Think about what people would have said and what they would have done if we told them it was a UFO following us? That’s what it was.”
This was not Aldrin’s first statement about UFO encounters during the Apollo 11 Mission. He appeared on a Science Channel program entitled, “First on the Moon: The Untold Story” in 2005 and made this unusual observation: “There was something out there that, uh, was close enough to be observed and what could it be? Mike (Collins) decided he thought he could see it in the telescope and he was able to do that and when it was in one position, that had a series of ellipses, but when you made it real sharp it was sort of L shaped. That didn’t tell us very much.”
While interesting, it was carefully worded and left the door open to various interpretations. Compare that to the statement he made today, “Think about what people would have said and what they would have done if we told them it was a UFO following us? That’s what it was.”
Throwing caution to the wind, Aldrin brings up two points that involve accusations UFO Researchers have made against NASA and the Government for years:
1. The U.S. Government is hiding information about UFOs for fear of public reaction to the affirmation that Aliens exist and are visiting our planet at will.
2. The U.S. Government knows all about UFOs and has the ability to identify them.
To my knowledge, Aldrin has hardly ever used the term, “UFO.” Astronauts have avoided that term like the plague. Deke Slayton, an Astronaut and Chief of the Astronaut Office made this statement in 1976: “I don’t recall any of our astronauts ever reporting UFOs.” Why would he say that when there were already so many Astronaut sightings and UFO photos on record by then? Simple. They were already IDENTIFIED, not UNIDENTIFIED. And as far as word games go, the use of the term UFO by government or military personnel officially ended with the close of Project Bluebook (the official U.S. Government investigation into UFOs) in 1969.
As indicated by Buzz Aldrin’s latest statement, NASA already knew how to recognize UFOs in 1969. Aldrin: “Think about what people would have said and what they would have done if we told them it was a UFO following us? That’s what it was.” However, Aldrin hasn’t always been so forthcoming. I recall Aldrin’s trademark Cheshire cat smile on the Sally Jesse Raphael Show anytime we asked about UFOs or Aliens. It was his preprogrammed defense mechanism. Anytime he’s asked about UFOs during a television, cable or film interview, the smile pops up. Other times he’ll substitute the smile with handy comments like, “It’s a big universe” or “I guess someone else has to be out there,” but it’s still more than we ever hear from Neil Armstrong.
The world is still waiting to hear what the first man to walk on the moon has to say about what happened during the Apollo 11 Mission. Described as a deeply private and honest man, Armstrong has been virtually silent since returning to Earth except for a few interviews almost immediately after the mission. The question that has always bothered me is why?
The only sensible answer is that things happened on the Apollo 11 Moon Mission that Neil Armstrong doesn’t want to talk about. It’s likely that he would rather say nothing then lie to people, mislead them or deliver a series of NASA approved responses. It’s impossible to say exactly what happened, but there is a decent body of evidence to indicate that it was anything but a routine flight.
During a time when the media was allowed to monitor most radio transmissions from the mission, odd noises and allegedly unknown languages were heard. Various statements regarding unknown objects and particular incidents were made by all three of the Apollo 11 Astronauts. Some photos taken during the mission appear to show a number of odd lights and strange objects in various positions near the moon.
Armstrong’s overall lack of enthusiasm for press events brings up another question. Why would NASA choose a quiet guy like Neil Armstrong to be the first man to walk on the Moon? They had to know that everyone in the world would want to interview him for years to come. That could have been a major publicity boom for NASA; instead it turned into a bust that probably contributed to the eventual gutting of the Space Program. That leaves the door open for all kinds of speculation.
Whenever he’s asked a question about something that Neil Armstrong said or did during the Apollo 11 Moon Mission, Buzz Aldrin always says, “You would have to ask Neil about that.” We would love to Buzz, but he ain’t talking! The best we can hope for is a final disclosure from Armstrong while he is alive or some kind of written or recorded statement left behind after he passes on. Now almost seventy-six years old, his last public appearance was at the White House in 2004 for the 35th Anniversary Celebration of the Moon Landing. As usual, he had little to say during that occasion.
On a day when all the news cameras were focused on a tearful Paris Hilton being dragged off to jail (again), Buzz Aldrin’s latest statement was the real bombshell. But those precious few and very important words from Aldrin came about all because of the Hilton court date coverage. So I say, Thanks, Paris! I’ll send a cake with a file in it and a Get out Of Jail Free Card from my children’s Spongebob version Monopoly game if that will help. Read more and view UFO photos taken during the Apollo 11 Mission at http://www.CanYouStandTheTruth.com
Bill Knell
Alternative Fibroid Tumor Treatment
Alternative fibroid tumor treatment is becoming more and more popular as women are realizing that there is a viable alternative to painful and potentially expensive surgery for treating fibroids.
The main reason why alternative fibroid tumor treatment is a viable option stems from the fact that fibroids are very rarely life threatening. Under normal circumstances, tumors should be dealt with quickly to avoid the potentially dangerous conditions. Fibroid tumors are different though. Only 0.1% of all fibroid conditions are ever life threatening. This means that once you receive confirmation from your doctor that you are one of the vast majority who have fibroids which are completely harmless, you have various treatment options to consider.
Alternative fibroid tumor treatments include eating anti-inflammatory foods as it is believed that some women are simply prove to internal bodily inflammation and that this can contribute to fibroid growth. Foods such as hops, cumin and rosemary are soothing and have anti-inflammatory properties.
Another treatment is to try to lower the amount of estrogen in the body,as this is thought to “fuel” fibroid growth. Although estrogen is naturally present, it is known that overweight women have higher levels, so keeping weight under control can help.
Certain Chinese herbs are renowned for “cleansing” the reproductive system and have been shown to have a beneficial effect for women with fibroids.
One option you have is to simply leave the fibroids as they are. Most women find that after the menopause, the fall in estrogen levels naturally causes the fibroid tumors to shrink naturally. Now for women with minor fibroid conditions who may be nearing the menopause, this is worth considering.
The conventional treatment is surgery. There are various options which may be made available and these will depend largely on your age, the condition and size of the fibroids and whether or not you wish to have children. For example, there are surgical procedures which remove individual large fibroids, leaving the womb intact. Another alternative is where the whole of the lining of the womb is removed. Another option is that you have a procedure performed which cuts of the blood supply to the individual fibroids, causing them to shrink and die off. There is also a hysterectomy, which is the complete removal of the womb.
If you would like a detailed explanation of the types of fibroids and the surgical procedures available, you may like to take a look at Types Of Fibroids. One of the main issues with surgical procedures is that they are simply treating the symptoms of fibroids and not the actual causes. This means that once the operation is over and the body begins to return to normal, the fibroids are likely to return following all procedures other than a hysterectomy. In addition, surgery always carries risks such as anesthetic risks, risks of infection and general surgical risks such as blood clots, excessive bleeding etc. A good alternative fibroid tumor treatment will begin to get rid of fibroids very quickly and will take into account what could have caused the fibroids in your individual case and give you sound advice which will prevent them returning in the future. If you are considering fibroid surgery, consider the fact that fibroids are not a dangerous condition and this means that it is well worth giving an alternative treatment a try first. If followed correctly, this treatment works for over 87% of women, with most beginning to see results within a very short time. Take a look at Shrink Fibroids Naturally for details of a recommended alternative fibroid tumor treatment. If for any reason you are not delighted with this treatment, you can receive a full, immediate, courteous refund.
Bernadette Hopkins
http://www.articlesbase.com/women’s-health-articles/alternative-fibroid-tumor-treatment-700073.html
Chinese Herbs – Alternative Medicine
for more info, visit this site:
http://www.createyourhealth.com/wordpress/herbalist
JANE DEMIAN, L.Ac., M.A., R.N. (Acupuncturist/Herbalist)
An herbalist uses formulas comprised of substances such as plants, seeds, fruit, roots, shells, and stones which have energetic properties that resonate with different organs of the body. These ingredients are prescribed to the patient either in pill or powder form after reviewing the patientâ??s history, physical examination including checking and â??readingâ? of the patientâ??s pulse, their tongue, abdominal assessment, palpation of meridians, skin color, eye color and assessment of their emotional status. Once the diagnosis is complete, a formula is created which is designed to treat specific organs as well as harmonize and balance the Qi (life energy) of the body.
Jade Pearl Chinese Medical Arts
http://www.createyourhealth.com/wordpress/herbalist
Duration : 7 min 38 sec
ALTERNATIVE FUEL SOURCE: Can we use the Algae in Chinese waters to develop carbon-based fuels?
Has anyone seen the news broadcast about the massive tons of Algae floating in Chinese waters, and how many volunteers are helping to remove it, for the Summer Olympics in Beijing?
I wonder if any of this could be used to develop alternative fuels in addition to ethanol-based gasoline. Some countries are already using sugar-based ethanols and corn-based fuel. Why not this Algae, there is a huge surplus of it?
Is it theoretically and chemically possible?
Jasmine 215
It’s already being done, here in Florida, and the guy that developed the system can produce 10,000 times the biomass per acre than the current plant products that we are using to produce biodiesel.
The name of the company is New Green Technologies and his name is Craig Huffman. I met him at the Green Earth Expo in Orlando last month.
Is a one world governent and a new world order good?
Is a one world governent and a new world order good? would it help us citizens around the world better?
James, you are obviously very astute, and wise to the obvious advantages. One currency, one set of laws… (though we may want to keep those chinese isolated until we figure out how to handle all those chinese voters )
For more insights, check out:
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AoRgOXj4ZRQjRaT9wHUJ3EXsy6IX;_ylv=3?qid=20081213090632AAlTufj
WHy didnt the united states do more to prevent the tyranny of communism during the cold war?
the united states was the only country after ww2 to have nuclear weapons so why didnt they nuke all of china and soviet union to put an end to those communists pigs once and for all?
We were loosely allied with the Soviet Union and China during the Second World War. And after the war, we were much more concerned with the return of Fascism than Communism. The Soviet Union wasn’t a big deal until they learned how to build nuclear weapons from scientists at Los Alamos National Laboratories in New Mexico. The US didn’t know the Soviets built a nuclear weapon until they tested one in 1949.
Don’t forget that the Soviet Union doesn’t exist anymore. And China is our friend now. They provide us with cheap consumer goods. And they’ve loaned us almost a billion dollars. The only thing they don’t sell to us is oil. The American lifestyle would not be possible without Chinese worker doing 12 hours a day, 6 days a week for $125 a month.
Slaying the Evil Dragon
Like the Loch Ness Monster of Scotland, China has its myths and legends of dragons, some helpful and benevolent, and some not so. Of the evil variety, there’s one that’s been slain on stages around the world during the 2006 NTDTV’s Global Chinese New Year Spectaculars. The performance is called “Nine Swords,” and it obviously was one of the audiences’ favorites as it receiving roaring applause.
I hope NTDTV will bring this performance back in its 2007 shows for it’s a drama worth seeing repeatedly as it is more than a myth or a legend. The evil red dragon symbolizes the specter of communism in China and its brutality of repression and bloodshed. And in a ritual drama nine dancers from the New Tang Dynasty Performing Arts Center, wielding their swords of truth, fight the dragon in a magnificent martial arts performance.
The dancers’ nine swords represent the “Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party,” an editorial series published by the Epoch Times which has inspired a huge “Quitting-the-CCP” movement in China. Within two years more than 16 million Chinese have now quit from the party.
As I was watching this battle between good and evil, I felt moved by the courage and dedication to justice and freedom of the people behind the scenes, NTDTV and its over a thousand volunteers worldwide making this show possible.
I flashed back to my childhood in Germany when my country was divided and how we suffered under communism. The fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 was one of the happiest days us. After that, communism collapsed in Eastern Europe and Russia.
But it didn’t all happen by itself. It took the effort of tens of thousands of activists. At the time the Berlin Wall came down, there was the same spirit of freedom in China. Students were protesting. However, they were not able to ending the tyranny of communism, as the CCP brought in the army and tanks and massacred the unarmed students.
The communist elite in China made use of the Chinese people’s ancient value systems, in particular their obedience to authority, to enslave and exploit them. During its 57 years of one-party dictatorship 80 million Chinese have died violent, unnatural deaths.
Many people in the free world think that things are getting better in China, but economic and human rights conditions for the masses of Chinese is getting worse and worse. As the CCP has adopted more and more capitalist money making strategies, it has also faced more and more difficulties keeping the Chinese people under its absolute control. Instead of moving toward democracy and improving human rights, as it has been promising, it has actually done the opposite. Afraid of losing power if people were allowed to freely speak, vote, assemble and worship, the CCP has chosen to suppress even more tightly all independent thought and belief by putting up the internet blockade, censoring all media, incarcerating anyone with a grudge about the government, including human rights lawyers.
Now Chinese are trying again to get basic human rights and democracy, and they are hoping for a peaceful fall of communism by quitting from the party. They are also calling it, “wiping away the mark of the beast.” This “Quitting-the CCP” movement has become the biggest headache for the CCP, as the “Nine Commentaries,” the swords of truth, tell the true history of the CCP, not the state controlled propaganda version.
I hope you will watch the NTDTV Global New Year Spectacular. And take your family. It’s a great magical show that also supports an important human cause.
The 2007 New Year Spectacular will be touring Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Washington, DC, plus major cities in Canada, Europe and Asia.
Gisela Sommer
http://www.articlesbase.com/art-and-entertainment-articles/slaying-the-evil-dragon-86542.html
Chinese Negotiation 101
Will your negotiation skills back home equip you for negotiating in China? Well they’re important, but they’re not quite enough. You’ll also need a good grasp of the cultural differences or you’ll be mystified by unexpected responses and they’ll run circles around you. So here are a few key principles for negotiating in the land of the dragon.
1. Be Objective
Many stories about China are exaggerated, one way or the other. We’ve heard of fabulous deals, providing goods and services at a fraction of local costs. We’ve heard of toxic Chinese products and business tycoons who will cheat you at the drop of a hat. But China is neither black nor white, and a successful business person needs to strip away the political agendas that get in the way of sound business decisions.
We should also be wary of snap judgments by people who bail out impatiently with accusations of rampant deception and contracts never honoured. Certainly we should heed all warnings of danger, and be constantly on our guard. But we must seek a realistic view, neither wearing rose-coloured glasses nor seeing treachery in every misunderstanding.
It’s important to be realistic regarding issues of honesty. As in any country, there is no shortage of scoundrels in China. Neither is there a shortage of good and respectable citizens at all levels striving to meet high standards. Nothing unusual about that. But cultural differences make it easy to misinterpret strategic manoeuvres on their part. We may see it as outright deception when – in their own view of proper behaviour – they are acting honourably but cleverly. And they may see our own clever manoeuvres as questionable behaviour within their ethical system. The point is not to judge each other and kill the deal, but to find that common ground which produces a good contract for both parties. That requires us to find a delicate balance between giving our opponents the benefit of the doubt when we fail to fathom the purpose of their actions, and avoiding the risk that someone will take advantage of our trust.
We need to be careful about old advice. Any economy, in the years before it gets properly regulated, has a lot of leeway, and plenty of opportunities for unscrupulous dealers to rip you off. So consultants used to give sound advice to clients – watch out for treachery and dishonesty. Serious caution is still good advice, but times are changing at an amazing pace. The Chinese have aspirations of becoming world economic leaders, and they fully recognize the need for strict professionalism and integrity to meet their goals. It’s not much of a stretch, since there’s no lack of professional pride in Chinese history. You’ll find that your major cautionary task in this century, apart from normal vigilance, is to identify the modern high-quality firms and separate them from the rogue elements. At the same time, the Chinese economy is still in flux, and there are still enough bandits out there to warrant serious caution.
2. Ease In Carefully
Think you can leap in, sign a great deal, and move on? Not likely. You need to get the feel of negotiating in China. You have to get to know your partners, to determine who can be trusted and where you need to be careful. You need to make your first mistakes on low-value and low-priority deals. This can be good advice in any case, but it’s especially important if you don’t have much experience in the treacherous waters of inter-cultural negotiations. Try out a couple of low-risk transactions before plunging into the deep end.
You need to rein in your western tendency to jump in, cut to the chase, and score a deal cleanly and quickly. The Chinese don’t quite work that way. Nonetheless, they’ve learned how to deal with we cowboys with money to burn, barging in to do serious business on the spot. We’ll get the runaround, as befitting someone who isn’t serious enough to develop a trusting relationship first. In their view – some barbarian who won’t take the time to build relationships deserves to be outfoxed.
At the same time, this isn’t universally the case. If you’re dealing in Beijing or Shanghai or any other highly developed centre, they’re more familiar with western styles of business. In fact, they’re quite sophisticated. They’re a little more willing to play the game your way, and make some compromises to western impatience in order to move the process along efficiently. In the less developed regions, they’re often a little more steeped in traditional Chinese ways. But they both know how to deal with your eagerness and get what they want. In either case, learn the culture first, and take your time.
3. Work with the Right People
Here’s where a good knowledge of Chinese relationship structures is important. Certain people are authorized to make a deal, while others are only intermediaries – and you may not find them in familiar positions. In your first set of meetings, perhaps even for a long time, you may be dealing only with the intermediaries. They won’t tell you that at the start, and you’ll be frustrated when you find out that nobody has the authority to cut a deal. This may be offensive in the west, but it’s proper protocol in the east. You’ll probably be escorted to several meetings and banquets, and the key officials will be present at some of them, but you won’t really know who’s who until late in the game. This is where you need your diplomatic skills, to show your respect for Chinese traditional ways at the same time as you badger them to get the proper authorities at the table.
Actually, the intermediaries do have considerable importance. They’re there to do the grunt work of finding out what’s possible, and to iron out the initial proposals, so that their superiors need only deal with the final decisions. So treat them with respect, or you’ll never get to see the key players. At the same time, be careful to determine if they really are properly connected to do the job. You may end up with some peripheral agent – who cites great experience in dealing with western business, but who really has little stature – because they want to feel you out before they have to deal with you directly. Beware if they send you a westerner who is really little more than an English teacher with grand aspirations. They don’t trust him any more than you do, but he’ll keep you at bay until they’re ready to move.
Check references, making sure they’re all in the same industry. Make the call to confirm. Be a detective, with an interpreter if necessary. Ask about track record. Did they meet deadlines? Did they understand the meaning of a completed job? In any environment of economic development, expect incompetence to be common, and search for the competent ones. Incompetence and inexperience are just as much trouble as dishonesty. Avoid firms dealing with westerners for the first time – they’ll be out to establish their cleverness by taking you for a ride. Your best bet is a western-invested company with western executives at the highest levels. Check out everything.
4. Seek Clarity
A good western negotiator, with any sense of strategy, will not offer his opponent a clear picture of his ultimate goals or what compromises he will accept. Chinese intermediaries have an even greater incentive to disguise their specific objectives and, in fact, to keep shifting them as the negotiation proceeds. They don’t feel obligated to adhere to their proposals from session to session, since they’re not the deciders. They don’t think it’s beneficial for either party if they stick rigidly to some “deal” they made with you yesterday. That would be viewed as irresponsible, since only the higher authority is entitled to make final decisions. They don’t delegate authority as readily as we do. Don’t expect to sign off some clause and then move on to the next, secure that the clause has been finalized, as you would back home. It doesn’t work that way. Intermediate deals are flexible, and can be sacrificed unilaterally in the end game. Since everything is tentative until the final act, they may be quite evasive in the early stages. Or they may overstate a verbal agreement due to difficulties in understanding our language and our culture. So during these intermediate stages, you may have to fight tooth and nail for clarity.
But don’t just treat it as fighting the culture, or trying to educate them in the straightforward ways of the west. The Chinese are indirect and group-oriented in ways that serve them well, even in business. They are rooted in a pre-market family-oriented culture, in which social harmony is maintained through a gentle style of communication – where individuals are not assaulted too directly with brutal facts. It’s a communication style that comes into sharp conflict with our blunt and unfeeling western directness. The Chinese view their communication style as the essence of civilization, as distinct from us barbarians, and they will not abandon it easily. So don’t just dismiss them – “The Chinese don’t do clarity”. Learn the language of indirect communication, and you will elicit much greater cooperation in finding what you need to know. Learn the trick of assertive indirectness.
5. Bargain Strategically
To begin with, get control of the agenda. They may use their position as host to load you down with meetings and banquets, especially if they are old school – though in the modern centres they’re more inclined to get straight down to business. Still, if you’re spending the money, you’re in charge. Determine if the meeting or banquet is important, if the officials you’re meeting are really relevant to the discussion, or whether they are just window dressing to show off their connections and keep you tied to their agenda. You have to find a balance between receiving their hospitality graciously and getting down to business. Overall it’s a polite power struggle right from the start, and you need to make it clear you want to negotiate the agenda. At the same time, remember that they want to deal with you and keep you away from their competitors, so leave the exit door open a little in case they’re too inflexible. If you come in wide-eyed about making a China deal, you’ll end up playing their game. Have a Plan B – an alternate source of supply will boost your confidence enormously.
Many western advisors will tell you to expect deception in China, but it’s often just a different vision of what’s legitimate and honourable in the competitive arena. It’s only deception if the other party expects something different. That doesn’t help you much. If you don’t know the culture well, it’s going to be deceptive in your eyes. So it’s safer to follow the rule: expect deception. But don’t express disrespect unless you catch them blatantly cheating or lying – and give them the benefit of the moral doubt if they’re just backtracking because they got into trouble. It’s a delicate game. Protect yourself without being offensive.
It’s important not to automatically accept any claims at face value, without good reason. Are they really an old established company with a healthy market valuation, a strong market share, exclusive rights and patents, all the proper certifications, and plenty of orders from Europe? Better check these things out, since their definitions may be different from yours. Is the new plant they’re preparing to build really going to bring dramatic improvement in quality and costs? You’re putting up the money, so you should be allowed to see the books, though sometimes their claims of inadequate bookkeeping may be valid. You may need help here, since legitimate Chinese accounting practices are different from ours, and in some ways hard to fathom. And finally, don’t accept the claim that they have the powerful connections that will make everything work out just fine in the end, because you have no way whatsoever of checking that out. Perhaps at this point they will throw the trust argument at you, claiming that your doubts are undermining a valued relationship. Don’t fall for it.
If you’re not picky, you’ll leave holes they can drive a truck through. “Best effort” sales agreements are not enough. Get the details on their marketing network. Cash in advance is dangerous, no matter how much they throw the trust argument at you. Present it as a strict matter of policy, and point out safer payment vehicles which are readily available. If they can’t get a bank to cooperate on a letter of credit, run for the hills. If you’re a buyer, insist on a test order. They will talk about not doing test orders because they’re building long-term relationships, but don’t buy that argument. Chinese firms will do test orders when pressed. Look behind the facade to see if there’s real brick and mortar and infrastructure in place. And remember that, if a firm is not very cooperative before the money has been transferred, they’ll probably be even less cooperative afterwards. So get everything you can firmed up in advance, even if it threatens to sour the deal. The politeness and respect that you demonstrated from the beginning of the process will serve you well when you have to hold the line at the end.
Even when you reach an agreement, you’ll find that many more things than you thought were unclear, or interpreted differently. Be prepared to renegotiate often, and get their agreement on a renegotiation process before you sign.
6. Learn the Price Game
In a country where they bargain for apples on the street, they’re not shy about bargaining, and they bargain hard. Don’t be put off by an outrageous initial price. It’s all part of the game. Whether or not they move to a reasonable price in short order is a clear indication of whether or not they’re ready to bargain seriously. Let the opening moves play out. With apples on the street, some will overcharge a foreigner just on principle, as well as to defend their national pride and to save face. So keep a clear eye on your own range of acceptable prices, and stick to it rigorously.
If you’re putting up the money, don’t let them talk you into quoting the first price. The first move should be theirs, though exceptions may be allowed if you already have a good relationship with them through past dealings. Present it as your firm’s policy, and refer to proper procedures. It’s a game of polite assertiveness, and this may be the opening power struggle. Insist they provide figures to back up their price, and eventually settle for just a first price offer. But keep up the demand for backup data as the price discussion progresses. Don’t let them win this opening round, or they’ll have the upper hand.
Be prepared to deal with an outrageous price, which will be especially outrageous if they’ve lost the battle over the first offer. Match an outrageous price with a fairly-outrageous counter, because they may only inch their way down and you need room to manoeuvre. Be prepared to walk if their moves are only tokens. Do your homework, and know the market, so that you can confidently hold the line until they bring it into the ballpark. Then the real bargaining begins.
Don’t accept a high price on a promise that they’ll lower the price in the near future,
“when we get the new technology online”,
“when we move to the new facility”,
“when we develop the new product”,
“when we hire the new engineer”,
“when we get approval from the government’,
“when we finish the merger”.
Maybe they’re sincere. But maybe they’re wishful thinking. Hold out for the price you need. Cut them off quickly. “Not a chance. We don’t do speculation. We need to work with real prices right off the bat.”
And you may have to leave your fancy management theory behind. It’s quite fashionable in the west to seek win-win solutions. But China’s a developing country, not long out of poverty, in a brutal marketplace. They’re quite accustomed to win-lose, and they’re quite happy to win. But again, you’ll find them somewhat more refined in the major centres.
7. Pay Attention to the Non-price Issues
Many traders will tell you that Chinese are motivated by price alone. They will attach little importance to issues of quality or delivery or service, assuming these are secondary issues that can be put aside. That view of Chinese negotiators is someone outdated. A narrow price orientation is not as prevalent as it used to be, but you will still run into it often enough, and you may need to insist that the price is contingent on the whole package. Insist that the price agreement will be void if certain conditions are not met. Price cannot be negotiated in isolation. Some may try to brush that off, figuring that you won’t push it. Push it. Be picky. Insist on engineering specs on the useful life of the product. Have them explain their quality control procedures, and their warrantee policy. Get a precise definition of how satisfactory performance is specified, and what constitutes a completed project.
8. Understand Networking and Contracts
This is a tough one. Networking isn’t the same in China. It’s a much deeper and more complex phenomenon, with implications that we westerners cannot easily fathom. The potential for misunderstanding is enormous.
It can be simplied a little. Think again of a pre-market society. How would a pre-market society organize themselves without benefit of the marketplace? They organize themselves into trusted circles of family and friends, and they exchange favours. The rules are strict – if someone offers you a favour, you owe an equal favour in return. These circles overlap and interconnect into complex networks. Over time some of these circles become more important than others, and if you find yourself linked into an important circle, you have “connections”. The Chinese call it “guanxi” (pronounced gwan-shee), and there are two main rules as far as you’re concerned. One, any favour or gift is a debt which must be repaid in full measure, or more if the giver belongs to a more important circle. And two, people with the right guanxi can accomplish anything for you, but it won’t be free. And it’s not guaranteed. Do him a favour and he will owe you something. But don’t count on him to spend his guanxi capital to repay you.
Connected with that is an attitude toward contracts. The guanxi circle is a relationship of trust among colleagues. To overstate the argument a little – it’s a western aberration to demand that all relationships be reduced to an impersonal rats-nest of contracts, as if no one can be trusted. For civilized people, your word is your bond. While in the modern Chinese business centres they’ve come to appreciate the value of a contract, and will even initiate it, there are still some who will try to convince you to make a commitment (and transfer your money) without one. They may play the trust card, so know how to deal with it.
Recognize that a westerner like you will never become a full member of any Chinese guanxi circle. You will always be an outsider, and a second-class citizen, with no rights and no recourse. “My guanxi is your guanxi – don’t worry, I can get it for you” is not in the slightest degree a commitment you can take to the bank. You need it explicitly detailed in black and white, no matter how much that may brand you as a western barbarian. But I hasten to repeat that, the more progressive Chinese managers are on the same page as you and I, fully appreciating the need for a water-tight contract. Those are the ones you should look for. But if you’re in a more traditional centre, you may have to fight for it.
9. Understand Indirectness and Face
China is a relationship based society, developed long before the market turned our European ancestors into disjointed individuals competing with each other in the marketplace. Again to overstate for the sake of argument – we have no need for relationships. Market contracts regulate our lives and how we interact with each other. But for the Chinese, relationships are everything.
So how have the Chinese kept it all functioning smoothly? We have civil order based on a system of contract law to keep us in line. How have they kept people in line for thousands of years without that? They have established a mature and stable hierarchy of status relationships, and they maintain certain strict norms of behaviour. Chief amongst these behavioral norms, essential for maintaining order in a relationship-based society, are the following two. First, never provoke a confrontation by issuing direct challenges to others – which results in the famous Chinese indirectness. Second, never undermine someone’s status in society by causing them to lose face. Understand how these rules lies at the root of the Chinese psyche, if you want to understand their reaction to our western brutishness.
So don’t wonder why sometimes they seem to be running around in circles, and never seeming to get to the point. Bluntness is insensitive and uncivilized. A way must be found to press the point gently. You’re just not understanding the language of indirectness. And don’t wonder why they seem so concerned about losing face. Humiliating others is insensitive and uncivilized. Actually they are insensitive and uncivilized, when you come to think of it. In the midst of a frustrating negotiation session, take a moment to look at it from their point of view. Then look for a way out of the impasse which will not put them on the defensive, and which will grant them face. In fact, face-giving is the key to success. Find ways to make them happy, and they’ll make you happy.
10. Play the Game, but Cleanly
China has a sophisticated set of laws. She’s come into the market only recently, but she’s done a remarkable job of setting up a legal framework for commerce in such a short time. However, there’s a Chinese way of doing everything, reflected in those laws and regulations, and you would do well to learn to play the game. At the same time, China still has a long way to go, and not everything is fully covered by laws and procedures. There’s a lot of leeway everywhere, in the gap between the socialist regulation of society and the law of the market.
Corruption ranges from black to shades of grey. There are many kinds of activities which anyone, east or west, would call corruption. And China’s come a long way in routing out real corruption in the major centres. At the same time, there are many activities which fall into a grey area – they’re not strictly illegal but not quite legitimate. Or the paperwork is lax, and nobody really knows what’s going on. How do we deal with those?
It’s often not so simple. The guanxi system runs by different rules, and it may be unclear what’s legitimate and what’s not – in their terms. What do we do when something is perfectly legitimate and honourable in Chinese eyes, but outright corruption in ours? After all, exchanging money for various considerations among in-groups is the essence of sound relationship economics, but we tend to view it in a market context as unethical. Do we call it corruption? Here’s where we have to find a balance. Don’t insult your adversaries by denouncing every favour that facilitates a transaction. But don’t agree to anything illegal or clearly unethical. You’ll have lot’s of company. In modern Chinese society, there is a strong sentiment for rooting out corruption.
It’s hard to know the prevalence of corruption. The government is probably correct to say that their anti-corruption campaigns have been effective, and there’s a critical mass of influential people who pride themselves on clean practice. In that view, widespread corruption is old news, and you may well get caught. But there are also people in many places who still credibly claim they can’t do a day’s business without passing the red envelope under the table, and you just have to play along if you want to get anywhere.
So you’ll have to play it by ear. Your general stance should be that you refuse to pay bribes. You run a clean ship with a clear set of transparent practices, and you want to keep it that way. At the same time, you may feel some need to look the other way when discretion dictates. But if you find yourself in a situation where bribes and kickbacks are the only game in town, you’ll have to make your own decision whether to hold your nose or bail out.
11. Do Your Due Diligence
Any economy like China, rapidly pulling out of underdevelopment, is going to be a contradiction containing many advanced firms with high standards alongside a significant still-backwards sector. So your primary due-diligence task is to sort them out. If you deal with a firm which is still trying to remain back in the lawless days, not only will you be propping up regressive forces, but you’ll get ripped off. And you may get in trouble with the authorities. In recent years, Chinese authorities have been pretty effective in using enhanced enforcement and professional peer pressure to shift the centre of gravity toward ethical practices in the major centres. If you’re working in the less developed areas, you’d better be on your guard.
In either case, you need to check their references rigorously. Conditions vary in China, and that dictates process. As a still-developing country, you can still expect to find many firms functioning at low levels with low standards. The days of poor quality, deadlines not honoured, work not finished, inappropriate substitutions, financial rip-offs, etc. are still alive in some quarters. It’s true enough that the famous Chinese national pride is impelling them to develop higher standards and join the world community of top-level professionalism. So don’t underestimate them, or the rapidity of their progress. Just don’t get caught with a dud.
Of course there is the matter of the language and culture gap, which is why you need to work with knowledgeable consultants. But these consultants themselves will vary in quality, so there’s the first item for strict reference checking. Who have they worked for? Contact past clients and ask how satisfied they’ve been. These are probably people who speak English, so you can readily get a useful reference. Stick to professional references, not just friends and colleagues, and look for a track record of successful international deals.
When checking out Chinese firms, specialize in naive questions and keep asking until you’re satisfied. Don’t let them deflect you with embarrassment. There’s no such thing as a stupid question, and there’s no shame in questioning repeatedly until you understand. Persistence may be effective in breaking through a runaround, and it’s helpful if you know how to use indirect language in a passive-aggressive manner. But you’ll do best when you can deal with the higher-quality firms that will be straight with you and won’t give you the runaround in the first place.
Got this all down? Done your homework? You’re ready to meet. Good luck.
Dr. Gary Russell
http://www.articlesbase.com/negotiation-articles/chinese-negotiation-101-382938.html
Sparkling Singapore & Ancient Vietnam Trip Journal
I have always loved aircrafts and long haul flights. We boarded award winning Singapore Airlines in LAX with about 30 hours of travel time ahead of us. With 8 magazines, 6 movies, 4 meals and a sleeping pill, the time went quickly and I arrived relaxed and ready to explore. American airports are not very people friendly. Singapore’s ultra-modern airport invites you to linger with free internet terminals, a cinema, rooftop swimming pool, aromatherapy spas, oxygen bars, indoor nature garden with waterfalls and koi pond.
I’m part of a group of 28 singles. This was a smaller group than expected, but I understand several people dropped out claiming fear of bird flu. I could sense I was part of a quality entourage of seasoned culture-vultures.
We began with an orientation tour at the top of Mt. Farber and its spectacular views. The group was impressed by this sparkling metropolis located between Malaysia and Indonesia. Singapore is the leader of S.E. Asia, a bustling port that was modernized by the East India Trading Company and the British Empire. It’s called the Lion City and inhabited by 4 million souls. 76% are Chinese and the other minorities all blend harmoniously. Singapore is a city, state, capital and country all in one and draws 8 million visitors per year, yet few Americans have yet discovered it.
We checked into the opulent Regent Hotel of The Four Seasons. I’m given a suite and swear this hotel wins the award for the most gracious staff on the planet. We’ve arrived at a perfect time with the “Great Shopping Festival” on full swing. There’s nothing like “retail therapy” to soothe our jet lag minds. Orchard Road, like a tree lined Fifth Avenue, was only a block away and center of all life. Shopping is the national obsession here and bargain hunting a blood sport.
There are 150 mega-malls with some that never close. I’m a label slave and purchased a used authentic Rolex with documents, for a fraction of its original cost. We had only 4 days here. So I had much to do, it’s like Hong Kong on steroids. The Arts Festival was on with many venues from painting and sculpture to music and dance. At night Clarke Quay on the river became party central with its trendy clubs rocking until dawn.
We had an astute and friendly guide named Farida who showed us all the sights with a wonderful sense of humor.
We visited the lush National Orchard Gardens with its 60,000 orchids, China Town with its markets and temples and Little India with its intense aromas and vibrant colors. Then we went to the ultra-contemporary financial district, Merlion Park with its landmark fountain and the historic colonial area that was established by Sir Stanford Raffles.
We stopped to sip a Singapore Sling at the famous Long Bar of Raffles Hotel where rooms start at $700 per night. Our other tours included Jurong Bird Park and the Night Safari at the zoo, considered the best in the world with its free roaming enclosures for 2500 animals.
In our free time, we rode rickshaws around town and took the cable car over to Sentosa Island.
Some of us opted to head back to the zoo for a Jungle Breakfast with the Orangutans. At night Terry & I dinned on jumbo chili crabs and rice cakes.
This vibrant island-state of Singapore is glistening clean with purple bougainvillea bushes lining the highways. All cars are equipped with alarms to sound if one exceeds the speed limit. No graffiti, no gangs and in this tightly “controlled democracy”, it’s the death penalty for drug traffickers. We all made jokes about getting caned for chewing gum or jay-walking.
It was a nice leisurely visit here. I usually feel like Jack Bauer on the TV series “24″ on my trips with non-stop itineraries. Here I felt well rested as I boarded for our 3 hour flight to Vietnam.
Arriving in Hanoi is like stepping into another world with rice paddies, sampans, lotus blossoms, coconut milk and noodle soups. It’s like a time machine dropped us back to the 15th century in this graceful land steeped in history. It was far poorer than I anticipated. There was however, an alluring charm which was found in the gentility of the people with the sincerest of smiles.
I’ve always been a fan of the Third World. Whereas Singapore was dynamic, Hanoi was culturally stimulating. The city was studded with lakes and shaded by tamarind trees. It was a dichotomy that bustled with Chi-energy and yet was tranquil at the same time.
We checked into the deluxe Sheraton Resort, an oasis of calm amidst the chaos. Our fabulous guide named Hong was with us for 6 glorious days.
His first lesson was to teach us how to cross the streets. The traffic here is horrendously busy with 7 lanes packed with 2.4 million motor scooters. “It’s called the Chicken Game” he explained. “Don’t run, don’t stop, just walk slowly so the drivers can predict your direction. They will miss you!” That afternoon I stood in fear stranded 20 minutes curbside realizing this “lesson” went against every one of my survival instincts. Entire families passed by on a single scooter; I understand this is called the “Vietnamese sandwich.” Everything was transported by these mopeds, 8 piglets, a dozen chickens upside down, a TV, a tree and more. The pollution was thick and heavy. The inner city looked tired and worn. Suddenly there was a monsoon downpour. People draped ponchos and it became raincoat city. The traffic never slowed. I ducked for cover. It dissipated as quickly as it began, life went on and the air was temporarily washed clean. I finally crossed the street by walking slowly at an even pace. Everyone missed me.
The sun shined every day on our tours which included the Temple of Literature, One Pillar Pagoda, the French Quarter and the Ho Chi Mihn memorial. We lined up with hundreds of people and entered the tomb where Ho Chi Mihn’s preserved body is visibly encased just like Lennon in Moscow. Armed communist soldiers commanded us to remain in silent reverence, no cameras, umbrellas, sunglasses allowed and arms at our sides at all times.
Later we visited Hoa Lo Prison, or the Fiery Furnace. Built by the French in 1896, thousands of political prisoners were tortured here until 1954. We viewed the dungeons with leg irons, torture equipment and “head cutting machines.”
In the 1960′s the Vietcong used it as a prisoner of war detention center for American pilots shot down during the Vietnam War. It was our captive pilots that sardonically named this place “The Hanoi Hilton.” We also did a walking tour through the Old Quarter where each narrow lane was named for its ancient craft: Silk St., Coffin St., Grilled Fish St., etc. Hong led us to a food market with turtles, sea slugs, pig heads and other unmentionable creatures for sale. “Thit Chow” is dog stew which is considered peasant food here and “country rat” is ceremoniously served at all birthday parties. They say it’s much healthier than “city rat.”
Most of our meals were included and thankfully rodents were never offered. We enjoyed elaborate American and Japanese breakfast buffets and 10 coarse lunches. Every restaurant was affordable. One evening my dinner menu presented salad of jellyfish, deep fried eel, ginger crickets and sticky rice with tender roasted pigeon. It seems the Vietnamese will eat anything that moves because it all “tastes like chicken.”
We attended the Water Puppet Show, an ancient art form unique to Hanoi. This blend of music and dance on water was has been the source of entertainment of villagers for centuries.
We then scattered to explore the city, Asia’s oldest capital. Some went for massages and pedicures at prices that couldn’t be resisted. Some shopped for souvenirs while others had clothes tailor made for them. I had an embroidered silk dress cut to my body in 4 hours for only $45. We also visited the handicraft villages for bargains in art. Want a “Monet?” No problem, just $25. Be careful, it’s wet. There were also ceramics and beautiful lacquerware. The currency was a great challenge for us as $10,500 Dong equals 65 cents. We felt like millionaires, yet it was disheartening to learn that the annual per capita income is just $320! We tipped generously throughout.
Vietnam’s pulse is found in its cities whereas its decorous grace is found in its villages. We headed out through the countryside for a full day cruise on Halong Bay. The air was fresh as we passed rice paddies, duck and prawn farms. It was rice harvest time and hundreds of rice farmers were laboriously bent over their ponds. Timid children smiled and waved as we drove by.
We arrived at this natural UNESCO World Heritage Site and boarded our private wooden junk boat. Quietly we sailed into a peaceful dreamscape that looked surreal with 3,000 islands of sheer limestone cliffs emerging from the calm emerald sea. There was a timeless, haunting quality to this scenery. Nat. Geo. called it “magic in stone and water.” We enjoyed a fantastic seafood lunch with fresh caught crab and prawns. It was a perfect day in the sun in the land of escapism and serenity.
The highlight of the trip for me was our group’s cyclo-tour through Old Hanoi on the last day. We turned a corner downtown to find 28 bicycle-rickshaws lined up to peddle us individually for an hour through the narrow scooter filled lanes of oncoming traffic. There were some near-misses at the red lights which were always ignored. We all laughed as the locals stared. Terry at 6’4” is considered huge even in America. Here he looked like King Tut seated on a throne as his 90lb. driver peddled him effortlessly in line with our group.
Later we went our separate ways for independent exploration. After several hours, I found myself lost in an area of town with no taxis. I had to get back to join others for dinner. I had no choice but to hire a ride on a scooter. Dressed in a skirt with my arms full of bags, I mounted the tiny seat and off we went. On the highway, I wrapped my arms and legs around my driver like an octopus. He laughed the entire way to the Sheraton.
We flew back to Singapore for a good nights rest at the Le Meridian before our long flight home to Los Angeles via Tokyo. I reflected on journey well done with new insights gained on history and culture. It was like visiting two different planets within one vacation. The contrast of this trip is evident in our photos from the contemporary garden paradise of Singapore, to the new renaissance of traditional Vietnam. This is certainly an Asian affair to be remembered.
Susan Davis
http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/sparkling-singapore-ancient-vietnam-trip-journal-118762.html
Do laws restricting immigration have in direct object the establishment of an absolute tyranny over the states?
That’s what the Declaration of Independence of the United States says.
I quote it:
"The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute tyranny over these states. To prove this, let facts be submitted to a candid world.
(…)
He has endeavored to prevent the population of these states; for that purpose obstructing the laws for naturalization of foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migration hither, and raising the conditions of new appropriations of lands."
What do you think?
I think you are mixing two very different situations in very different times in order to bend to your own theory on immigration.
I can speak from experience working with immigration and having in-laws who immigrated legally to the USA.
The facts are that the USA has the largest number of legal immigrants in the World. Over 1 million every year.
The laws that were in place before 1922 were discriminatory in many ways and absurd rules like women losing their US citizenship if they married a non-citizen. But since then the laws have been refined, modernized and otherwise improved to provide as open of a door to legal immigration as possible. In certain countries where there are immigration visas left over they are moved to places where needed and some cases a lottery is held to give away the visas.
Each country is allotted a certain number of immigrant visas which has been sufficient to cover the immigration demand in all except 3 countries – Philippians, Dominican Republic, and Mexico. In the case of the Philippians the wait for a brother or sister of a US citizen is 20 years. The other two are not nearly as bad. That said the folks at immigration do their best to find available visas and to keep families together in legal ways. In one case some Chinese caught entering illegally. The situation was not good for them and they found legal ways for all to stay. A few remaining ones made some art sculptures out of bamboo while detained and the immigration folks got the bright idea to give them artist visas.
Yes there are a lot of people in the USA illegally and they have heart breaking stories, there are incredible hardship cases across the globe and the USA does in the end do more then any other country to help the immigrants of the world.
To paint them as tyranny for having immigration laws is wrong and to compare it to the British immigration policy of 240 to 400 years ago is just not honest or just. The British put in place a system that sent lots of the local rift raft to the New World away from the King and the Home country the only problem was that they were building a land filled with disaffected citizens.
My own family history is that despite having been a son to an indentured servant shipped over at age 12 and sentenced to 10 years for God knows what my 7th great grandfather took what God had given him and became a successful businessman buying, developing, and selling land, was a Merchant, lawyer, Justice of the Peace, City Council Member and owner of ships. He too butted heads with the British in 1771 taking his ship for violation of some importation law most likely the stamp tax and had a friend contact a Virginian named George Washington for help to get back his ship. He also ticked off the British for daring to sign a petition to keep the election of the town council in their town instead of holding it in a town 20 miles away where most voters would not be able to vote.
As many immigrants do today he took what was dealt to him and made his future happen.