On Monday 12 March 2001 16:50, you wrote:
<snip> 
> 	If one took a close look at Japanese companies, I'm sure there's a
> great deal of hidden guilt there, in some people's eyes. Just about
> everybody is guilty of something; by commission, omission, or association.
> I prefer to judge based on the present and predicted future, rather than
> the distant past.
>

My father used to work for Sony and teach Marketing at NYU at night. There 
was a book on his shelf I always meant to read called "From Those Wonderful 
Folks that Gave You Pearl Harbor..."  About how many of the great military 
corporations of wartime Japan became consumer industrial companies. 

As far as IBM is concerned, if you now or have ever in the past owned a 
Volkswagon then complaining about IBM borders on hypocracy. It amounts to 
holding gun companies responsible for the actions of outlaws. While I might 
agree it has merit there are many reasonable people who think otherwise.

Jack