jueves, 2 de julio de 2009

the five stations theory

Esta teoría de Thomas Friedman divide al mundo en 5 categorías según algunas características de las estaciones de servicios. La había leído en algún libro de De Pablo y hacía tiempo que tenía ganas de postearla. (Aclaro que está hecha con precios del año 2000). De todas, prefiero la americana.

First there is the Japanese gas station. Gas is $5 a gallon. Four men in uniforms and white gloves, with lifetime employment contracts, wait on you. They pump your gas. They change your oil. They wash your windows, and they wave at you with a friendly smile as you drive away in peace,

Second is the American gas station. Gas costs only $1 a gallon, but you pump it yourself. You wash your own windows. You fill your own tires. And when you drive around the corner four homeless people try to steal your hubcaps.

Third is the Western European gas station. Gas there also costs $5 a gallon. There is only one man on duty. He grudgingly pumps your gas and unsmilingly changes your oil, reminding you all the time that his union contract says he only has to pump gas and change oil. He doesn't do windows. He works only thirty-five hours a week, with ninety minutes off each day for lunch, during which time the gas station is closed. He also has six weeks' vacation every summer in the South of France. Across the street, his two brothers and uncle, who have not worked in ten years because their state unemployment insurance pays more than their last job, are playing boccie ball.

Fourth is the developing-country gas station. Fifteen people work there and they are all cousins. When you drive in, no one pays any attention to you because they are all too busy talking to each other. Gas is only 35 cents a gallon because it is subsidised by the government, but only one of the six gas pumps actually works. The others are broken and they are waiting for the replacement parts to be flown in from Europe. The gas station is rather run-down because the absentee owner lives in Zurich and takes all the profits out of the country. The owner doesn't know that half his employees actually sleep in the repair shop at night and use the car wash equipment to shower. Most of the customers of the developing-country gas station either drive the latest-model Mercedes or a motor scooter - nothing in between. The place is always busy, though, because so many people stop in to use the air pump to fill their bicycle tires.

Lastly there is the communist gas station. Gas there is only 50 cents a gallon - but there is none, because the four guys working there have sold it all on the black market for $5 a gallon. Just one of the four guys who is employed at the communist gas station is actually there. The other three are working at second jobs in the underground economy and only come round once a week to collect their paychecks.

35 comentarios:

Rodya Raskolnikov dijo...

Excelente.

Rothbard dijo...

Es muy bueno. La mayoría de los argentinos optan todas las mañanas por la 4.

Andrés el Viejo dijo...

Ciertamente, eso debe haber estado en un texto de De Pablo.
Saludos

Frank Pentangeli dijo...

Delo por hecho!
Sin prejuicios, lo tomamos con humor. No podemos decir que Venezuela sea comunista, pero tiene nafta barata y HAY, o no?

No hace falta que diga con cual me quedo.

Charrua dijo...

El chiste está bueno, pero ¿Thomas Friedman??. Por favor mejor gusto, muchachos.

Frank Pentangeli dijo...

Sobre gustos no hay nada escrito, decía una vieja que se comía los mocos.

Bernard L. Madoff dijo...

Muy bueno.

Anónimo dijo...

cuanta generalizacion muchachos...

Anónimo dijo...

el mejor lejos es el de paises en desarrollo, siempre y cuando seas el dueño de la cupe mercedez. ajjajaja. al menos hay nafta...

Anónimo dijo...

el mejor lejos es el de paises en desarrollo, siempre y cuando seas el dueño de la cupe mercedez. ajjajaja. al menos hay nafta...

Frank Pentangeli dijo...

Si... el modelo Kirchnerista. Por algo se compraron YPF!

Tincho dijo...

Jajajaj, muy bueno.

Anónimo dijo...

Han sido unas pr�cticas muy buenas y gratificantes, con unos
profesionales que nos han ense�ado a lot�simas cosas y caused through this handling for vitiligo are thinning of cutis.
A repigmenta��o espont�nea n�o une absence de pigment m�lanique et de m�lanocytes dans la peau l�sionnelle.

Excimer optical maser discourse is employed the mo is a passing of
useable melanocytes pigment-producing cells in the unnatural region.
In this sphere your immune System of rules mistakenly attacks some Region
of your own torso.

Here is my webpage ... albinism treatment
Also see my website :: patches of white skin

Anónimo dijo...

Biking (either street or mountain), and swimming are also excellent.


Check out my weblog: Get More Information

Anónimo dijo...

Most Nautilus machines rely on significant
adjustable body weight plates, that are high-quality to get a industrial
fitness center with a lot of room in addition to a
focused location for the equipment to sit.



My blog post :: cheap dumbbells set

Anónimo dijo...

Dumbbells would be the major area saver of any on the house physical exercise tools around
the sector.

Feel free to surf to my web-site - life smart Dumbbells

Anónimo dijo...

A Bowflex Revolution house health club is just a piece of exercise devices.


Here is my web blog - www.getfitnstrong.com

Anónimo dijo...

Let us get a quick glance at some of quite possibly the most popular options.


Here is my web blog ... modells dumbbells

Anónimo dijo...

Primary advantages of Downloading Flicks Online

Review my weblog - commitment

Anónimo dijo...

If you review them together with the Bowflex SelectTech, the cost difference is so big and nevertheless the
finish is not as excellent because the Powerblock.

Review my web site: dumbbells for sale

Anónimo dijo...

Your system can't digest or break down dietary fibers into glucose, so these intricate carbohydrates are usually not easily employed for electrical power.

My webpage - Click On this site

Anónimo dijo...

Tips on finding the Best Online Hdtv Tuner

my site mp3 to video

Anónimo dijo...

It specializes on lower influence training and won't leave severe effects to centered entire body sections.

Here is my page; Recommended Website

Anónimo dijo...

Decide on from handbook, cardio, operating, body fat burn, velocity interval jogger,
hill intervals, 5k operate with twelve intervals, heart power and recovery test, calorie purpose,
length aim, excess fat burn coronary heart rate calculation, cardio coronary heart level calculation, overall
body mass index (BMI) check, and two personalized systems than is usually established because of the
consumer.

My web blog http://www.getfitnstrong.com/bowflex-dumbbells/bowflex-adjustable-dumbbells/

Anónimo dijo...

Best Ideas On Choosing the ideal The Hdtv Due to An Gadgets Website.


Also visit my web blog :: casinoeuro - -

Junaid Khan dijo...

I really like your site. Fantastic colors and themes.
Did you create this site yourself? Reply again because I hope to create my own
site itself and I would like to know where you have come to
it is here or where the item is named from.
Thank you!
itools crack license key
wondershare video crack keygen

Jordan Leonard dijo...

The author of this post is impressive, he brings a lot of
emotions to everyone reading it, let's share
it more widely. Enjoyed it, thanks for posting. I hope
your post really appreciates it more.
ccleaner pro crack
sparkol videoscribe crack
movavi slideshow maker crack
adobe photoshop 7 0 serial key
gom player

Shoaib Amin dijo...

Thanks for another informative blog. The place else
could I am getting that kind of information written in such
an ideal way? I’ve a undertaking that I am just now operating on, and I’ve been on the glance out for
such info.
microsoft office 2018 product-key
dr fone torrent registration code
apowermirror crack
ashampoo burning studio crack

Ariyan shah dijo...


Hey what a great post I came across and believe me
I was looking for similar posts last week and hardly ever
found it. Thank you very much and we will be waiting for more messages from you.
utorrent pro
moodle

Shahbaz Bukhari dijo...




You can also visit my website. I hope to help you anytrans crack
getflv cracked
twistedbrush pro studio crack
pgware systemswift

Jani dijo...

Thank you for writing one of the best articles I have ever read. Your content is completely unique and different from other websites,.
Thank you for sharing and good luck with future comments.
utorrent portable crack
windows 7 crack

repack-mechanicz dijo...

Awesome blog, thank you so much for sharing this informative blog with us.

Galactic Republic Crack
Papers, Please Crack
<a href="https://repack-mechanicz.com/ghostrunner-crack-free/Ghostrunner Crack </a>

Skidrowkeyz dijo...

Thank you so much for sharing such useful and interesting information.
Alaskan Truck Simulator Crack
A Plague Tale: Innocence Crack
Far Cry New Dawn Crack
GRIP Crack

Aamir Saeed dijo...



Nice post, Keep it up. Thanks for sharing.
Spotify Premium Crack
MiniTool Power Data Recovery Crack
Yousician Crack

imran khan pti dijo...

evil Genius 2 Crack is a religious exemplary recreation game with a remarkable wind; lamentably, the arrangement has been in an odd circumstance of the past decade.
GlassWire Crack advises you about dubious hosts, ARP satirizing assaults, odd changes to your PC, new organization associations from obscure applications.
Stata Crack is a device that encourages all your information the board or information examination. This application additionally incorporates the test trademark bend property.