It was not my intent to bash the Japanese.
It was only my intent to say that I don't know of anything in my home,
workshop or any car or motorcycle I've ever owned that was an exclusive
Japanese invention.
I'm sure that they have made great strides with Robotics as in the Seiko
robot built watches and other purely Japanese products used in industry that
are not of common knowledge to many of us.
In reality we contracted the Japanese to build "Stuff" for us after the war
just as we contract the Chinese to build "Stuff" now.

Stan Wilder
Engine Ceramics
214-352-4931
www.engineceramics.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "Mark Tuovinen" <mst@AK.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Tuesday, October 18, 2005 8:39 PM
Subject: Re: Confused owner?

>      RE:I think you'll find that the Japanese aren't famous for inventing
anything new."
>
> ??????????????????????????????????????
>  No offense, but I do not believe that this comment is very accurate.
>
> I have studied the history of Honda Motor Company and while I am sure that
Mr Honda analyzed other manufacturers products there is very little in
common between early Hondas and vehicles from the US or Europe.
>
>  Henry Ford himself was known to purchase and disassemble competitors
vehicles inorder to learn how they had overcome some difficulty that he was
facing.
>
> It is easier to build a better mousetrap once you have seen how someone
else approached the problem, but you do not have to.
>
> Mark in AK