[fred]

I was sort of torn on the speech also I was agitating over Chairman's, so I didn't quite get anything. About outsourcing (THIS IS JUST MY OPINION!), Dean Kamen can talk all he wants about how we need to come up with new technology and that once we do this simple little thing like coming up with a machine that can make food out of air particles or something, we'll be fine. I hate to break it to Mr. Kamen, but not everyone is as brilliant as he is and not everyone is going to come up with these new technologies. Just because we're in FIRST doesn't mean that there aren't other intelligent people out there. Mr. Kamen said that America has always led in technology and that this can continue. Once again, I hate to break it to Dean, but the fact of the matter is that China and India are catching up very fast and I expect them to catch and overtake America soon if there aren't wholesale changes (we can have our MIT's, but check out the competition to get into a university like IIT in India).

Plus, you tell the average American who doesn't have a job to "go invent new technology." There are just so many things wrong with that that it's sick. "Sure, Mr. Kamen, let me just go invent new technology with umm, what resources? I don't have a job you know."

I'd also like to reply to phrontist's comments because he had some interesting ones. When I lose my job to someone in India because he works for less than I do and I'm living on the street, I don't think I'm going to be saying, "At least it's feasible that I lost my job."

Comments on nationalism. You say it's bad, but since 9/11, what do you think the movement with all of the flags and stuff has been. Yeah, it's not militaristic, but it is nationalism. I am NOT saying that nationalism is a bad thing. You can look at history, but I don't think it's going to help a lot. What the US may need is economic nationalism. How would that work? What are the ins and outs? I don't know. I'm just stating my opinions right now. I don't have a solution and AP European is calling.

In conclusion, I am certainly not trying to offend anyone or bash anyone else's statements. My comments do not represent Team 341 at all. It's just my spin on things right now.