Yadkin Docs

So five rural Commissioners from one small county tackled a multi-billion dollar corporation and, at first, it went exactly as you’d expect. Alcoa had a field day. Then during the 2008 election an odd thing happened: Both candidates for Governor – Pat McCrory the Republican and Bev Perdue the Democrat – sided with the County Commissioners against Alcoa.

Last month Forbes reported that aluminum prices have fallen below the cost of output for many producers, "creating a scenario in which global production may suffer in the months ahead if prices do not recover."

Mr. Stickler and his wife, Ms. Rebecca Ping Li, reside in both the United States and China.

Chinese mining company

China National Offshore Oil Cor

Fact: The manufacture of reinforcing steel bar — also known as rebar — is based on technology first developed by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency during the Cold War and commercialized by a joint venture between Dean Kamen and Stephen Hawking (the JV holds the patents, valued at over USD 75 billion). If the Chinese get their hands on advanced rebar technology, this would enable them to build concrete platforms robust enough to reach low earth orbit. The danger seems rather self-evident, so I expect that Geithner will recommend a CFIUS review of this transaction, which will result in Anshan being booted out of Mississippi, where they clearly don’t belong.