Greg,

Your textile story is abysmal.
I wonder if "making a stronger American company" is what's really going to happen in this merger????

It would be interesting to know where the hardware is actually manufactured today by IBM and Sun and HP and Compaq.
Is Nike really a "strong American company"? It surely is an American company, and it is strong. But what does it really *do* for America?? Jobs in the advertising/marketing industry is certainly a contribution, but what do they *make* in America, FOR Americans? (it can be said that what they make for America is *trouble*, by exploiting people and the environment in other countries, adding to the growing distaste for America through the world)

EFFICIENCY is the watch-word in today's business, like never before. "Efficiency" was always an important factor in business decisions, but it was always tempered (wittingly or not) by other factors.

An important ingredient in the old equation for "efficiency" was keeping the country strong - as in direct opposition to COMMUNISM. Not only strong in the military sense, but also keeping us (the people) happier with capitalism than with communism.
The fall of communism took away the only "competition" that capitalism really had. Worse, it took away the important benefit for THE PEOPLE - that they had to be considered/satisfied in measures of "efficiency".

Now the equation for efficiency totally excludes impact on country and impact on people. It is all strictly dollars and cents, where dollars always win and sense always loses.

Unless things change there will be very little made in America sooner than you think. And who will profit by this? Not the average citizen, that's for sure. They'll just lose their job and move to slinging burgers or delivering pizzas. The wealthier will win, because their shares will rise in value, at least in the short term.
It will be interesting to see how a base services economy can sustain purchasing at today's rates. It won't be able to, of course. So then advertising/marketing will be done for no benefit because people can't buy when they have no money nor time to enjoy what might be buyable. So advertising and marketing, probably, along with security, the fastest growing economic sectors, will disappear. And who will need much security when they have very little to protect. The small percentage of rich people will, but they can't sustain a sector by themselves, so it too will dwindle.

We truly are crazy to swallow all this "globalization is the answer" crap, but it looks like we will only come to realize it when it is too late and things have deteriorated to (probably) unrecoverable levels.

All because "efficiency" has had a minor re-definition that hasn't been shared with people at large.

>>I wish them luck. If they can find a way to sell computers as well as they sold Billy Bass that singing fish we'd all see a recovery. I just doubt its gonna happen.
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>My Company::::::In business since 1940 (TEXTILES ie.low profit margin)
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>In 1998, our best year ever, gross sales (rounded) $900,000,000. Profit $45,000,000.
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>In 1999, Wal-Mart went overseas.. gross sales $300,000,000. Profit $12,000,000
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>In 2000, Wal-Mart gone, Asian countries de-value their curruncies..gross sales $15,000,000. Profit $0.00 cash flow -$10,000,000.
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>In 2001, Bankruptcy......3000+ employees out of work.....Wal-Mart, record Year.
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>If they want it, they'll have it. True.....We can't compete on labor costs and they may never get the big boys but there will be no more small dealers.
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>>This is the path that we should be on; I see the merger making it even more interesting.
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>I agree.....Make a stronger American company.............
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>Again....just my thoughts......