Made in China

[cheese]

I am so unbelievably sick of seeing "MADE IN CHINA" stamped on everything. I am remodeling my place, and we put up an outdoor lantern-style light that is also motion sensing. It didn't work right straight out of the box, coming on and off when it shouldn't and not when it should, etc... but it finally stated working right. I guess it's been about a month, and now it is dead. Completely dead. I have had several now, tried different brands and bought expensive ones, but all the same... they never last long.

We bought a wireless doorbell...again...after the previous 2 didn't work for more than a few months. This one didn't make it a week.

Bucket of screws that are made of soft metal that twists off before the screw drives all the way down into the wood? Yep, made in China. Linens that look good until you get them out of the packaging and realize they aren't even sewn all the way around and they are already coming apart? From China. Shirt that got worn once and unraveled? China. Cellphone that doesn't work right? Electric motor that the field magnets fell out of and ruined the armature? China. Gasoline engine with a camshaft that went bad just after the warranty ran out (metal so soft you can shave it with a pocketknife)...Briggs and Stratton yes, but still made in China. The battery in this laptop I'm using now that lasted maybe 2 months and then wouldn't even run the computer for 5 minutes without plugging it in... made in China. I could go on, but you get the gist by now.

I try. I go to the store and often look to see if I can find the product I need made here, or heck, even Pakistan, Mexico, Indonesia, Korea, somewhere other than China. It's dang near impossible. We should be ashamed of ourselves for #1, price shopping ourselves out of our own industry, and #2, forgetting what quality is and settling for junk just because it is 20% cheaper...to the point that the only companies that can survive are the ones who make the absolute cheapest junk possible because that's the only thing we will buy and now have no other choice but to buy junk.

I guess I will have to do without a motion sensing light and a wireless doorbell because apparently I cannot purchase one that works. How pathetic is that?

Sorry for the rant, ....well, not really. It needs saying.

 

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[dpitt8]

http://www.chinafreechristmas.info/

don't blame you

 

[George (MN)]

There are many sites on the internet that rate products: Amazon, cnet, epinions lots more. If you use the info you might get lucky. Made in China is *usually* but not *always* bad. Just type in a search "ratings" after type of product & something should come up.

My experiences: one shortwave radio I broke 3 of them. Another model went on floor about 5 times, with no damage. Both made in China.

7" TVs: 1 didn't survive USPS transit. Another kept turning itself off after 1 second. Another the remote didn't work 99% of the time. A 4th model I knocked over & it fell 4 feet, without any damage. Again made in China. Best wishes, George (MN)

 

[DigginThePast]

I hear ya cheese. I don't think I can post more here without getting your thread moved into politics so

 

[Newt]

Pretty soon there won't be anyone here left to make products.
Newt

 

[colorado14ers]

i hear ya . There is a store that only sells stuff Made In America!!!!!


http://www.saveourcountryfirst.com/

 

[mikeofaustin]

I am NOT a fan of NAFTA or CAFTA. I remember when Clinton stood on that podium and said, "China is just waiting to buy our computers, our cars, our TVs. We need to pass this so the American people can sell our goods to china". Do you remember that speech? HOW in the WORLD are you going to sell computers to someone if your competitor does is for pennies on what you do it for? (read:slave labor) I'm also not a fan of sending our jobs overseas (outsourcing). It just does not make sense. People will say, "Well, America has because a service economy, and people need to evolve or get run over". Well screw that. What about the simple man that just wants to turn a wrench? He can't afford to go back to school because he was... turning wrenches! Oh, and I love it when the intellectuals come in with 'protectionism is bad'. Well, the last time I looked up the term 'protection', it was a good term. In fact, right when we started NOT protecting our people, is when the economy slowly started down this slippery slope. What would happen if 100% of the workforce was shipped overseas? The executives and investors would win. The COMMON man, is not an investor or an executive. They just want to get buy with working with their hands and what they do. Why is this simple principle now classified as old hat? This old-hat is a large part of what's called 'middle class', and the middle class is losing ground fast.

It's funny how so many people will listen to the wisdom of people on TV with their suite and tie, and look up to them and repeat what they say, and then these very people that are spewing the propaganda on TV are investors and execs. The lesson is, just because they have a flashy suite, doesn't mean they are on your side. Villains have flashy suites too.

You know, hind site is 20-20. It's sad that we will only wake up to our own non-sense when it truly hits home.

You know, every country is different. China and the USA for example. How can a worker in the USA compete with a person doing his same job, working 12 hour days, making 15 cents and hour? And when someone says, "Well, they go overseas so they can make the products cheaper for us to buy locally". That's the biggest sham of all. It insinuates that they're doing us a favor, when in reality, the products a only marginally cheaper, while the profits and substantially greater.

I remember when I took Economics and Government in High school. If I knew then, what I do now, everyday when the teacher spoke, I would be calling out "B.S."!!!!!

 

[rockhound]

Chinese junk is becoming a big problem here in the US,as wll as most other countries. China is second in the world now in exports, behing the US, which is first. It is estimated that the US will be overtaken sometime around 2020. Which would make China the number one exporting country in the world. China is close to overtaking the US as the number one automobile country. In 2010, the Chinese bought more autos than did the US. We are now running into many problems with Chinese goods such as jewelry,pet foods and now, canned and processed foods shipped here for sale. The Chinese can lots of fruit and vegetables for exportation to other countries, so be careful what you buy. Especially the dollar store are famous for selling Chinese canned foods. Unless this country changes its policies toward importation, we are going to be flooded with mostly Chinese products, as more American companies fold because we can't compete with the Chinese and other Asian countries child labor. Soon to be a big player in the world economy game is Vietnam and Cambodia. They are trying to become a world leader in compact truck building. Korea is already capturing a large section of the American market in small cars and suv's. Our trade policies favor these countries products being imported here. When we are all out of jobs, who will be left to buy these imports? rockhound

 

[colorado14ers]

isnt this true?? When i buy a U.S flag at Wal-Mart, Its always made in china!!!!!!!!!

 

[BIG61AL]

Oh Boy! This is big rant of mine. I despise Chinese crap products. I have to assemble all the tables for the la-z-boy store where I work. Everything is made in Asia and it's crap. It's all compressed saw dust with glue and a thin sheet of veneer. All the hard ware is junk. It's all recycled metal that was melted with all different grades of steel. That's why it is so soft. It probably has scrap lead and aluminum mixed in too. Ever seen a picture of a Chinese furniture manufacturer? I have. Picture the biggest factory building you have ever seen and triple the size. Now imagine there is not a single window, air conditioner, exhaust vent or even a access door open for air. Now think of all the wood dust, cigarette smoke and finishing fumes just floating around and entering your lungs for 12 hours every day. They do not have follow a single labour law for their workers. This is why their cost are so low and the worker's pay is so cheap. Here in America no one can operate like that legally. I boycott as much Chinese trash as I can. I hate giving those commie %@$@$! a dime.

 

[mikeofaustin]

About a year ago, I needed a new home phone. This was after having a home phone that lasted for probably 15 years before finally breaking. I went to best buy to buy a new one and EVERY single one I picked up felt flimsy and would easily break if dropped from 2 feet. They felt like they were from a toy store and actually felt 'fake'. Very lightweight and would easily twist in my hand when twisted. There were about 20 different home phones available, and ALL of them were like this. It's horrible.

Incendentally, the phone I bought many years ago was no more that $50 and was rock solid. Felt like a brick!. So, this proves that overseas manufacturing is bad, when I have to buy a much crappier phone at the same price.

 

[Newt]

About a year ago, I needed a new home phone. This was after having a home phone that lasted for probably 15 years before finally breaking. I went to best buy to buy a new one and EVERY single one I picked up felt flimsy and would easily break if dropped from 2 feet. They felt like they were from a toy store and actually felt 'fake'. Very lightweight and would easily twist in my hand when twisted. There were about 20 different home phones available, and ALL of them were like this. It's horrible.

Incendentally, the phone I bought many years ago was no more that $50 and was rock solid. Felt like a brick!. So, this proves that overseas manufacturing is bad, when I have to buy a much crappier phone at the same price.

Eventually the price will be the same.
Problem is- no one here will still be in the business to compete so they can charge anything they want to.
Newt

 

[cheese]

Another instance happened today. One of my customers had a piece of equipment for me to look at and prepare it for sale for them. It needed an ignition switch, among other things. I fixed the "other" things, then went to the auto parts store to pick up a universal ignition switch. I expected to pay $25 or so. Nope, it was $9.50. I was pleasantly surprised until I looked at the back and saw "Made in China". Well, I had to have it, so I bought it and went to the jobsite. I installed the switch and the engine began cranking even though I wasn't touching the key. Crap, a bad switch. I got my meter out, checked it, and sure enough, the switch was making contact when it shouldn't be. Back to the store. They have another on the shelf, so I exchanged it, back to the jobsite, put it on, it worked a time or two but same thing. Took it back to the store, found a different style switch (yep, made in China too), bought it and went back to the jobsite. This one finally worked.

I got home from the day's work and a tenant in one of my rentals tells me the new air conditioner bought earlier this summer isn't working.... yep...made you know where. I'm tellin' you...this is really getting under my skin.

I bought some power tools a while back...Milwaukee brand. Used to be USA made and top notch. Well, they may or may not still be top notch, but they are from china too. I will say that so far the ceiling fans and tile flooring I bought for our house are really nice so far and when I opened them up I saw they are from China too. Even some of the Hunter fans are from there. Geez.

 

[mikeofaustin]

Another instance happened today. One of my customers had a piece of equipment for me to look at and prepare it for sale for them. It needed an ignition switch, among other things. I fixed the "other" things, then went to the auto parts store to pick up a universal ignition switch. I expected to pay $25 or so. Nope, it was $9.50. I was pleasantly surprised until I looked at the back and saw "Made in China". Well, I had to have it, so I bought it and went to the jobsite. I installed the switch and the engine began cranking even though I wasn't touching the key. Crap, a bad switch. I got my meter out, checked it, and sure enough, the switch was making contact when it shouldn't be. Back to the store. They have another on the shelf, so I exchanged it, back to the jobsite, put it on, it worked a time or two but same thing. Took it back to the store, found a different style switch (yep, made in China too), bought it and went back to the jobsite. This one finally worked.

I got home from the day's work and a tenant in one of my rentals tells me the new air conditioner bought earlier this summer isn't working.... yep...made you know where. I'm tellin' you...this is really getting under my skin.

I bought some power tools a while back...Milwaukee brand. Used to be USA made and top notch. Well, they may or may not still be top notch, but they are from china too. I will say that so far the ceiling fans and tile flooring I bought for our house are really nice so far and when I opened them up I saw they are from China too. Even some of the Hunter fans are from there. Geez.

I remember when you could buy sockets (still can) made in shri-lanka. Can't do a darn thing with them. You have a 9/16ths that needs 20 pounds torque? Forget it. Back in my years, I used to rebuild motors that kids would run dry on oil. The parents would give their old cars to the teens to drive to high school, and these kids never watched the oil level. So, when the knocking came, I was there to drop the oil pan, and replace the rods and mains.... I had an awesome set of tools. You'd be surprised by what the parents came out with and told me that 'If I needed to use their tool box, I was free to do it'. Most of them were shri-lanka crap.

If you ever give you kids your car to drive to high school as a vehicle, make sure you tell them about checking the oil.

 

[fistfulladirt]

If given the choice, most Americans will buy the cheaper China-made, over made in the US.
We want cheap-cheap-cheap!

 

[cheese]

If given the choice, most Americans will buy the cheaper China-made, over made in the US.
We want cheap-cheap-cheap!

Yep, and that's why we're in this mess now. We cut our own throats, see the blood, feel the pain, yet keep hacking away until we're dead I guess.

 

[Noodle]

I go out of my way to find non-China stuff. Believe it or not, I bought a cooking kettle from WM a few months back that was made in USA. Shocked me. On the other hand, I went to a USA mfg plant and bought, online, a cast iron wood-burning stove from the mfg plant. Same type model was available locally for $199, that I had viewed in a local store. I decided to buy from the mfg plant in the USA for $299. When it was delivered, the first thing I saw on the crate was "Made in China."

Disgusted.

 

[Ray S S]

Hello, Cheese, I hear you. Judging by the condition and quality of the stuff we get from china it makes me wonder
how their whole country ever progressed as far as they have with the sloppy type of workmanship they put into all
their products.

Ray

 

[Ray S S]

Wow! I had no idea there was that much being rejected. That is terrible. Looks like they are really out to destroy
this country by themselves. Thanks for sharing.

Ray

 

[cheese]

I have wondered the same thing and usually dismiss the thought, not being the conspiracy type, but it is becoming more convincing.

Since we're talking about conspiracies and china sabotaging us, what's keeping them from putting spyware in their electronics that come here and putting remotely activated shutdown programming in their hardware? I assume much of the electronics used in our power grid, our military, and our different levels of government offices is made in china. If china decided to put the hurt on us, they could already have sensitive info from their innocent looking remote control keyboards and routers that actually transmit recorded data to another site, or they may be able to shut these systems down by sending a certain frequency signal through the airwaves. Maybe that's going overboard, but then again... this whole thing just doesn't settle well with me.

I fear we're hinging on the border of what we can recover from. I don't depend on anyone but God and myself and I think my country should do the same. We didn't become this great nation by letting other people do for us what we could do ourselves.