A Moment of Opportunity

China sage James Fallows has the cover story in this month’s Atlantic Monthly. In China’s Way Forward, Fallows address the slowdown in the Chinese economy and examines a standard premise that if China is unable to maintain a sustainable, manageable rate of growth it risks imploding.

Fallows believes, and illustrates with colorful examples, that the economic downturn can actually be a game changer. He submits that losses in the volume of low value added production of consumer goods is an important catalyst for the next phase of the Chinese economy, one focused on China.

A pursuit of design and technical innovation, along with a touch of consumerism, signals a China looking to move up the value chain and create and retain capabilities that have to date largely come from the outside world.

This is great reading. There is also a brief video associated with the article addressing the Currency Manipulator tag applied to China.

One Worth Reading

Like most folks I receive more trade publications than I can read and many that are not worth reading in the first place. A standout in the crowd is World Trade Magazine.

Ostensibly a journal for supply chain managers, the publication is a great resource for concise, well written insights into international business with a strong focus on China and Southeast Asia. Great reading for anyone involved in getting anything from point A to point B or business people looking for coming trends in logistics management and production coordination.

When a new issue arrives in my mailbox I automatically turn to the back page to enjoy Great Moments in World Trade. This is fun history you will be quoting to your friends.

Food Bits - A Dosa Love

As an Arkansan, my childhood exposure to ethic food was limited to the worst kind of steam table “Chinese” and faire from a Yankee-run establishment on the highway. Not much haute cuisine.

Likewise, my initial foray with Indian food came as a low-renter in England scarffing down the late night volcanic curry that seemed to be required weekend eating. English sure. Indian? Not so much.

It was not until my days in the Internet Boom that I was exposed to the flavors and thrills of South Indian cuisine (big thanks to Hitesh and the Blueshift crew).

This is where the Masala Dosa came into my life!

The ultimate comfort food, A Masala Dosa is a thin, crispy crepe served with a stuffing of potatoes, onions and spices. A little crunch, a little spicy tuck at the back of your tongue, and maybe a mango lassi to help wash it all down. Paradise.

Where to get one in Atlanta? There is great South Indian all over the city. Roll with the gourmets at Madras Saravana Bhavan or hit the lunchtime Dosa bar at my old Norcross haunt The Palace.

Me for, it all about what is now called Chopaati in Decatur. Although the new proprietors have dispensed with the Styrofoam so loved by their predecessors, it is still snack bar seating with excellent food at cheap-eat prices. I have a twelve year history with this place and consider it an oasis. Now with Bollywood movies playing at the back of the dining room!

Want to try some Indian food from your own kitchen? See what the ladies at Show Me the Curry can teach you.