Upon my desk is a computer monitor and there is a small television just to the left on the return. This enables me to easily consume all sorts of media.
It does though on occasion present an interesting juxtaposition of information.
I recently clicked a news link when I heard the words “The fastest train in the world” which prompted me to shift my eyes to the left to watch the following commercial:
I did not react well to that commercial. I am old enough now that I will speak aloud to the television which as a child I always perceived as peculiar adult behavior. I told my television the following:
“Who are these iShare idiots that think I should invest in China?” “I got a country right here, the good ol’ U.S. of A that could use some investment.” “Doesn’t China get enough U.S. dollars?” “Let’s keep our own dollars and build the fastest train in the world right here!”
Ah, another innovative product made in China - exploding watermelons. We have nothing like that in the U.S. Our watermelons, while delicious are unexciting because they just sit there waiting to be sliced and eaten.
Wouldn’t exploding watermelons be perfect for 4th of July celebrations? We could place a few out in the yard after the barbecue, then place bets on which one will explode first. That might make a nice intro for the nearby fireworks display.
Now while some consumers might like a watermelon that explodes after they purchase it, they don't appear to have any desire to purchase one that already exploded. So these watermelon growers in China have thus far succeeded in producing nothing more than fish food. I think though that if they can perfect the timing of the explosion - they'll be on to something.
The article reminds us of some other Chinese cost cutting innovations including rice with cadmium, milk with melamine, soy sauce with arsenic, mushrooms with bleach and pork with borax.
Yumm.
Today, as I was contemplating writing this post, I learned that another new road collapsed in China. After all, why build roads that function for decades when you can build roads to function only for a few years? The roadway does not appear to be situated near any watermelon fields, so I suspect that inferior concrete or steel is to blame for the collapse. I am certain the collapse can be explained by yet another Chinese cost cutting innovation.
Collapsing roads in China reminded me of the buildings in China that experience difficulty remaining in a vertical position. Watch any toddler long enough and you'll see that they too at times have difficulty remaining on their feet. Yes, gravity is a powerful force.
It's very easy to understand why the media in China is very tightly controlled by the Chinese government. Just imagine what is not reported...
From the iShare commercial – “China is evolving.”
Okay, at what point in time does China evolve into a country that can overcome the force of gravity and master what must be the fine art of growing watermelons that can't be confused with landmines?
Consumer interest and desire of Made in USA products continues to increase and there is now an intriguing and informative series unfolding on ABC World News called Made in America.
Unlike me, someone who completely furnished my home with Made in USA products across three decades, ABC tackled a more formidable project. They wondered if it was possible to furnish a home completely with Made in USA goods, today.
I admit that today I simply could not replace everything in my own home without purchasing vintage products. As an example, my parents beautiful stainless waffle maker sits upon my kitchen counter and a new domestic replacement is not available in the marketplace.
My own personal story can be found on our site here.
Curious isn't it? How much is available today, domestically produced for our homes?
A Call to Buy Goods Made in America
Yes, there was a time when our manufacturing base kept the U.S. strong, self reliant and self sufficient. Simply, production is the means to create wealth and we produced our way to the status of the wealthiest country on earth.
Bankers have a role in our economy, but throughout life I understood that my father with his lunchbox did more to create wealth than the boys on Wall Street who play with papers and who appear to excel only at wealth destruction.
I've never, never, never understood those dimwitted and deviant individuals who convinced themselves and others that our country could somehow import its way to prosperity.
Unfortunately, I could not include more than one video in a post, so please see below for additional videos with my comments.
Mary - A proud American manufacturer and web person for FindUSMade.com
It was the Usry family that volunteered for the ABC series and in the clip below, they explore their home checking the country of origin on products they own.
Made in America: What's In Your Home?
I realize that many shoppers don't consider or check the country of origin prior to purchase. There are though, many shoppers like myself who always check the country of origin before we reach into our wallets.
This series is focused on the importance of job creation but as a manufacturer watching this family explore their home checking products, I thought to myself - fire hazard... risk of formaldehyde... risk of cadmium... lack of durability... risk of lead, etc.
This is an intriguing series and there is another video with my comments in the following post.
I smiled when I saw the hunt begin for a U.S. made coffee maker. My head shook when they thought they found one.
Made in America: Finding U.S. Products
The Usry family is in for a very nice temporary household upgrade, as the products are on loan from the companies. Their home will be filled with American made products that deliver quality and safety, simply - they deliver a good value.
I do suggest a visit to the ABC World News web page where you can view numerous videos, take a quiz, explore an interactive map, as well as find other engaging material.
I'm delighted that our national media has seized an important topic and is undoubtedly raising awareness. This is an informative and inspiring series and is actually quite thorough. They stress the jobs that can be created by purchasing Made in USA products.
As I've stated on this Blog, consumers are the force within the marketplace. Your every whim, interest, desire, curiosity, inclination, etc., once known will be researched, charted, graphed, and studied resulting in early morning meetings. It only takes a small percentage of shift in your spending habits to trigger those meetings.
30 years ago, before I was ever a manufacturer, I made a simple decision to buy American because I liked the idea that someone like my dad would get a paycheck from the money I spent. Supporting or creating a job for a fellow American appears to be quite altruistic, a trait I attribute to my mother.
Across those decades though, I came to realize how much I had done for myself. My home is filled with products that deliver customer satisfaction, durability, quality, innovation, safety and value. Regardless of price, my purchases came with a lower cost to own.
I am someone who is still using my parents waffle maker. Like them, I spend my money once and I'm done. When I consider folks who purchase imports and spend their money repeatedly, it actually appears quite extravagant to me. My suspicion is they somehow believe they are saving money. Huh.
You will likely enjoy reading these five Blogs from people who have dedicated themselves to buying American.
FindUSMade.comis a comprehensive consumer built shopper friendly guide & resource for U.S. made consumer products.
Our 25 categorized departments list thousands of locations for U.S. made products.
We also list 17 online malls filled exclusively with only Made in the USA goods. We’ve listed dozens of searchable directories as well as many other online resources. By combining for the consumer these varied options, we hope to produce a powerful tool to enable shoppers to easily locate goods that are Made in the USA.
I am Mary, an American manufacturer and a consumer who has been buying Made in the USA products for the past 30 years. I am acting as the web person for Find US Made.com. (One member of our group is a tech expert and his skills are utilized when necessary.) I will usually be the one to update this blog about matters related to our site. We hope to create ease for our fellow consumers who seek goods & wares Made in the USA. Find US Made.com will remain apolitical to better serve our goal.
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