Control Engineering

Paul Grayson

National Independence
January 16, 2008

Department of Defense photo

NATIONAL INDEPENDENCE
Many have told me no.  One said I cannot use their product in my design even if I purchase it retail then took the part I wanted to buy off the market worldwide - except for a customer who is already using it for other purposes.  Several feel "uncomfortable" that I mentioned US Army.  There have been several cases of salesmen enthusiastic that their products could be used as part of an autopilot for US Army supply trucks but then were overridden by the home office mumbling something about not wanting to be embarrassed.  What do all of these companies have in common? They used to be US companies but now have foreign owners.  Look down the list of companies that make parts that are used to build things out of... how many of them are still owned by US citizens?

I am just an engineer.  I don't have a political agenda, I just want to design and build things that are useful to me and my neighbors without running into brick walls.  I want our government to be able to protect us.  Working on the DARPA Challenge series for over six years has given me the chance to talk to thousands of companies both here in the USA and overseas.  The impression I get is that we as a country are in trouble.  There were hints of it back during the Cold War.  The sonar on the US Navy submarine I worked on was made in France.  When the shouting match broke out between the USA and France, I was wondering if spare parts would still be available.  Since then it has gotten worse.

Look at the national content of the six vehicles that were able to cross the finish line in the 2007 DARPA Urban Challenge.  Look at the national allegiance of the teams, only the team leader was required to be a US citizen.  I got e-mails from several foreign teams asking if I knew a US citizen who would be their “US” team leader.  When I sailed around the world in the steamship business, it became quite clear to me and the others in the crew that Americans are not well liked around the world.  There may be some debate about whether or not the hatred is deserved - that is outside of my control but the fact remains.  Now try to get spare parts or in my case, the components to even start with.

SOLD THE FARM
When I lived in Hawaii, all the land was being purchased by Japanese people.  I don't mean Americans of Japanese descent, I mean people who are citizens of Japan.  I asked one of the real estate agents if that concerned her or not.  She said they had tried to take the islands by force in WWII and it failed so now they are buying them.  She also said that foreign ownership of US land was not a problem because the land is going to stay right where it is.  Her implication was that we could always nationalize it at some time in the future.  Mexico has a rule that no foreign national can own Mexican land.  This week in the news: foreign interests now own the US’s largest banking intuitions.  I do not know what this will mean, this is not my specialty, but someone needs to see if the canaries in this mine are still alive.  Are those warning bells I hear in the distance?

AIM AUTOMATIC TRUCK
As part of my searching for sponsors I contacted every truck company brand name.  What I got back was a web work of ownerships that end up overseas.  When I talked to the old US standard, Mack Trucks they explained to me that they would like to help me but cannot because Volvo now owns them.  I have to take it up with the home office in Sweden.  Also to get permission to put a picture of a Mack truck or the bulldog logo here I was told I have to apply in writing to the home office in Sweden.  Maybe I will do that later.  Are there any US companies left?  Are there any companies that would not be "embarrassed" if their product was used to help defend the people of the USA?  I need to find these companies and discuss building a driverless system for the United States Department of Defense.

UPSIDE
There is an upside to all of this.  Once citizens of other countires own the USA they will have to protect the USA because it will be in their own best interest to protect their investment.  Right? 

TAKE ACTION NOW
If you represent a US owned company, of any industry, contact me as soon as possible.  I would like to hear from you and get your opinion of what we might do about defending the USA, finding jobs for US citizens, and other matters of national interest.  I am sure that the readers of this column would like to hear what we chat about.  Because of the urgancy of the situation, phone my direct line between 0700 and 2330 Eastern time or e-mail me any time.  I am standy by.

GO ROBOTS !
 
Paul F. Grayson - Chief Engineer
AMERICAN INDUSTRIAL MAGIC, LLC
Racing to build technology that saves soldier's lives.
390 4-Mile Rd. S.
Traverse City, MI 49686-8411
(231) 946-0187, (231) 883-4463 Cell
pgrayson@aimagic.org
http://aimagic.org
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/robotcluboftraversecitymi/
http://www.controleng.com/index.asp?layout=blog&blog_id=1180000318

Posted by Paul Grayson on January 16, 2008 | Comments (0)