Near the Forge

The Consumers Delimma

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May 23rd 2010
How much would you pay for silk? How about wood? Or gold? The last few days have centered on the value of “stuff.” Unfortunately it seems I have more questions than answers. We went to a steel mill to see how “modern” the Chinese had become. I was shocked, pulling up to the mill, how quickly the scenery changed, from a bustling town to an industrial structure hidden behind a welcoming ... read more

Asia » China » Beijing

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For centuries China stood as a leading civilization, outpacing the rest of the world in the arts and sciences, but in the 19th and early 20th centuries, the country was beset by civil unrest, major famines, military defeats, and foreign occupation. A... ... read more