"That's simply false. Most of the products manufactured in China were (and still are) designed in the U.S. or Europe. "

No. Most electronics manufacturing moved to China by the mid 90s and it wasn't long before the design jobs went there too. I spent 20 years as a circuit designer. By the late 90s, most of those jobs were disappearing. I switched to software.

"America has NO shortage of graduates in the sciences or tech workers."

Now that I agree with.

Except the only reason China knows how to build a stereo is because we showed it. America invents the technology, then shows the Chinese robot race how to assemble it like drones. The best they can do is steal it.

That's how it started but lately they have been coming up with the new products. We haven't done much product design in the US for the past 2 decades. Most of the people trained to do that are old now and we haven't been training replacements because there are no jobs here for them.

It's harder to get a license today and most young people don't until they're 18. Even then, their parents have to pay for their liability coverage.

It's way more expensive to obtain and operate a vehicle than ever before. Most young people don't have incomes these days. Unless their parents provide them with a car, they don't have the money for one.

All the kids seem interested in is their smart phones. Even when they are at the dinner table, they text incessantly. They don't drive to see each other. They skype each other and play games online.

They don't have jobs and they have instant communications. So they have nowhere to go anyway. So they probably don't feel much need for a car.

  What would people do without jobs?

They would find something to do. Perhaps it would be something counterproductive or criminal but they would find something to do.

  The majority however would do nothing but become restless, and that would lead slowly to fighting each other.

Fighting each other is a job of sorts and I'm so not sure that the process leading to people fighting each other would be all that slow.

Yep, it's about time the Japanese gov't steps in and takes charge of this mess. TEPCO has demonstrated they don't know what they're doing. Matters can and will get much worse. There are experts worldwide who can be brought in to help. The Russians have some experience with a meltdown. There are probably some TMI era consultants still around. It's going to get very expensive.

We might ought to help them. It's not just their problem. If those fuel rods catch fire, that radioactivity will be drifting towards our Pacific coast.

"But, tempted though I might be to cancel mail service, you normally have to give mailing addresses for a few critical life elements: job applications, credit cards, bank accounts, taxes, and children school forms."

Don't forget mail from DMV, court summons, legal correspondence and stuff like that which unfortunately comes mixed in with the junk mail.

Madoff operated under their noses for years despite numerous warnings by competitors that his results were impossible and likely a fraud. Wall Street itself is a ponzi scheme.

For several years, one big financial firm after another cratered or had to be bailed out and all we heard from the SEC was crickets. And now they're on the warpath against bitcoin.

This water quality official is projecting his frustration onto the people he is supposed to serve. If he can't do his job, he should resign. Instead, he's trying to play the terrorist card. Embarrassed by this outrage, his superiors have gone into damage control mode saying his remarks were taken out of context and that he later clarified his position.

Wow. Is this what we have to look forward to?

It's amazing how advanced the Romans were and how some of their technology stayed "lost" for so long. The fall of Rome was a great societal reset. There may be another at hand.

If your consumption is much higher than the norm, they'll notify the police of a possible grow operation.

Yes, a shortage at the nice price. That is what this has always been about.

Industry groups have been bellyaching about shortages since the 70s. Dire predictions of shortages are regularly made. Only now, they may finally be right. So many citizens have been displaced for so long, the H1-Bs may be the industry's best source of technical talent. It's a self full-filling prophecy. They may have run off so many older citizen engineers, developers and what have you that the young ones see that and opt for a more stable career path. So they may have produced the shortage they've been predicting for so long.

On the other hand, around here all of our best engineers are H1B people originally, most of them now on green cards or with citizenship, and split equally between continents.

That's because the displacement of citizens has been happening for decades.

"How do you know he's king?"

"He hasn't got shit all over him."

-- Monty Python, The Holy Grail

... like Forrest Gump? There are short term problems like perspiration to deal with unless you and those around you don't mind you smelling gamey.

Then there are long term issues like joint wear. I used to enjoy running but my knees wore out and knee replacement really doesn't fix that.

  Don't agree to the terms of employment if you don't mean to stand by them.

Such terms of employment are industry standard. For most of the rank and file, you sign or you don't work. Sure, these have been ruled null and void in court in this state or that but nobody wants to be the test case. It's an intimidation tactic.