Toyota -- Japan

The current Toyota debacle reminds me of problems both Ford and GM faced in the past. All this reminds me of days long ago, when various "bosses" went on what they called an "excellence" kick. In reality, it was just a way to get us to get us to work harder, go to more "team meetings", for the same -- or less -- pay.

Every one of those companies is now OUT OF BUSINESS. It seems the employees were held to a "standard of excellence" that management could not begin to approach. I wonder what they thought they were doing. One place could not even get the payroll right. I was removed from a "management training course" for pointing out that simple fact. It took a near strike by all the salespeople to even bring minimal reform.

That was all part of the "love affair" we had with the vaunted "Japanese business practices". It now seems those "practices" worked because they had a hungry, hard working population, not accustomed to prosperity. In addition, their industrial plant was brand spanking new, as was most of their infrastructure.

They were also not as frightened by the idea of taking chances, had some real leaders, and actually improved products -- instead of passing flaws up the line (after all, "the nail that sticks up gets hammered down".).

Right now, it looks like the good old USA might be looking at ANOTHER "lost decade", just like Japan has, and is, suffering (remember, when you look at it 2000 to 2010 was a "lost decade" for us). If 2011 to 2020 is another of those things -- the USA is in really serious trouble.

Heck, by then, even those folks living in their compounds in Arkansas (owners of "America's Company Store") might just move to another country -- possibly one they can own outright -- along with a bunch of investment bankers, and sundry other "Super-Rich" folks.

"Lost decade" would be even worse than "double dip". If there were a God, I'd ask for help -- but, I think we're on our own.

Maybe save the planet, stop demonizing "teh gayz", and try to build a more egalitarian society -- bottom up, and all that other stuff called "class warfare".

What they call "class warfare" is just a return to real traditional American values. Too bad no one knows history anymore.