Yes, it's true, an engineer in China is typically much less productive than an engineer in the united states. After all, you often get what you pay for. However, I really think all these anti globalization types need to take an econ 101 class. There are problems with what is happening now, but I think the world needs to figure out some way to get along, and protectionism really isn't the answer. Don't people in other countries have just as much right to a job as people in rich countries? I think they do. If companies were somehow penalized for "outsourcing" jobs (or, in other words, giving the job to the guy who they *think* can do it best and cheapest), it would be adding unneeded bloat and cost to products. The consumer ends up paying in the end and weak firms are allowed to continue operating. I'm sorry, but engineers (and all kinds of other white collar & blue collar jobs) are just not as valuable as they used to be to the market place because there are countries like india and china that are willing to do it much cheaper. But seriously, everybody talks about equality in the world and freedom until other countries are allowed to compete with you for your job, and then you're all about giving unfair advantages to rich, fat countries. A bit hipocritical i think.