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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Those of you into car racing in the olden days might remember Steve Saleen. He retired from racing in the early 80s and started making racecars, built up a big company. Sportscar spotters can occasionally see a Saleen S7 growling around, particularly if you hang out in really rich areas (an S7 costs almost a million bucks.)<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Saleen worked with the Chinese to build high-performance cars in China (well, makes sense, ja? (China must have rich people too (and rich people will want to tear around like their butts are on fire too (wouldn’t they? (and sooner or later, they will want car racing too (and will build tracks and drag strips and stuff (the same way we did.)))))))<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>One of my favorite car sites now reports the Chinese government seized Saleen’s factory along with the robots and intellectual property:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="https://www.carscoops.com/2020/08/steve-saleen-claims-chinese-joint-venture-has-stolen-his-intellectual-property/">https://www.carscoops.com/2020/08/steve-saleen-claims-chinese-joint-venture-has-stolen-his-intellectual-property/</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>This has huge implications: if the Chinese government can seize Saleen’s factory and IP, they can seize Elon Musk’s factory and IP. If so, the world can buy Chinese-made Teslas cheaper than Musk can build em in Fremont. This is a bad thing for the local lads.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>spike<o:p></o:p></p></div></body></html>