Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Made in China

Because of the high lead content of some Chinese goods, my kids overprotective mother has instituted a safe handling technique for these foreign products. "Wash your hands, don't put that in your mouth" is the mantra at our house. Now it seems we will be adding a new phrase to the list... "don't lick the Hummer".

27 comments:

Doug said...

Sounds to me like our Chinese friends are "compensating".

rac said...

Oh, now I get it. Took me a minute to catch on Doug. LOL

juliet said...

Funny RAC, Designed in the US made in China well they should sell like rice cakes. I was watching some German Show last time I was there and they did an investigative documentary on many of the imported items and one of the items was a hammer that had a rubber like handle and evidently holding it in a sweaty palm for one hour was equivalent to a life time of smoking. Car mats, all that stuff from China is toxic particularly if it smells. Your wife is right. Where is Mat on this one still fishing?

Sean said...

Most of the products made in China are crap. We don't even have choices any more because pretty much ALL of our products are made in China now.

As for the hummer, doesn't much matter, I am saddened to say that I'm probably not buying any more GM (or ex-GM) products in the near future.

GM is dead, Chrysler is dead, Citicorp is dead, AIG is dead . . . Long live our corporate raider in chief!

Dave said...

The missles North Korea is getting ready to launch are made in China.

Pat said...

Houses here were made with chinese drywall. turned out it was poison. So people who were dealing with foreclosure, also had to face the fact their babies were being infected with this shit.

Pat said...

Sean, this has been going on for Decades. Makes ya think. Ya Know?
PS...Ok, I'll let U call me a LIB....As long as U cap it.

Ric Larson said...

Hey Dave, thank goodness those missiles North Korea is getting ready to launch are made in China. My bet is they are sure to fail, as the last one did. But then again I can or could be wrong?

A belated congratulation to your son Dave, for him joining the ranks as a Marine!

juliet said...

Sean those companies you listed were dead way before Obama took office. They are going to have to re-structure now.

mat said...

Pat the drywall isn't dangerous to humans but is crappy stuff.It stinks and contractors bought it because it was cheap.Because most Subs on a major development project live paycheck to paycheck after paying their workers they cut corners any way they can.If you go to the store and look at plastic storage containers you don't look at where they're made you look at if they are the right size and does their price fit your budget.You can buy Tupperware or Rubbermaid but you'll probably end up getting Sterilite at Walmart because of the price.LOL Rubbermaid and Tupperware are made in China too.Thats not the point.The point is that Hummer makes vehicles for the US military and now China is going to make them and all the spare parts and because China and America are 180 degrees opposed politically some of us don't think thats a very good idea.There I was nice about it.I'm not fishing,I'm back.We caught seven trout Sunday.Sweet.And barbecued.And life is good.But it's getting ready to get a whole lot better.Wait for it!

mat said...

And Juliet you watch foreign news in foreign countries about America so I don't put much stock in your opinion.You've been gone too long to really know what is going on.It's cool though.Opinions are like assholes,Everybodies got one.Peace.

Dave said...

Have you seen the bonehead yuppie BHO put in charge of GM? He still has snot dripping from his nose and has absolutely no auto or business experience whatsoever.

juliet said...

Matt you know little about me or what I watch, but for the record I watch all the major US news networks and your lifeline Fox. I know more about US trade and military contracts then you will ever. It is nice to see your knowledge grow from the start of this blog. Go back and read my posts on anything related to the money and you will see I was way a head of you. Yes I am physically out of touch with many people like your self but what is happening in the USA hardly.I doubt we would have been neighbors if I lived in the US, I probably would live on the East Coast. There are people like yourself who really don't look into the issues and watch Fox and feel they are superior and informed about what is going on in America while the rest of us sit back and watch the dawning of realizations slowly come to you the hard way. I would recheck your data on Chinese drywall before you install it in your house. I have fist hand knowledge of the factories and the materials that are used to produce it. Just because I don't live next door to you in Colorado does not make me any less American than you Matt although I did live in Boulder for a while but most people try not to hold that against me.

mat said...

Yea,Because you "visit" from time to time makes you superior than those of us that made our homes here.Look I'm agreeing that chinese drywall is shit but it's not poison just shit.I could care less what you think you know about our issues here in the states but we will survive because we live here and know what we need to do to keep it real.Wait for it!

juliet said...

"There are people like YOURSELF who really don't look into the issues and watch Fox and FEEL they are SUPERIOR and informed about what is going on in America while the rest of us sit back and watch the dawning of realizations slowly come to you the hard way." I don't think I am superior but I do my homework.

I do more than visit I learn about it from many sources and I have traveled through most of it come to think about it. I will eventually live there and I have paid in to be eligible for Social Security and medicare/aid just like you Mat. So enjoy some of my contributions if I don't make it there in my old age.

I have quite an annual investment there with two kids in Private universities. Not sure how many kids you put through college but it is a major investment. But I guess 'cause I don't live next door to you and watch you pour motor oil on the grass I'm not 'merican enough. I hope you don't think that way about career diplomats and military guys.

Sean said...

Juliet - when companies die, they either close their doors or go to a bankrupcy judge for restructuring. That is more than the American way - it is the law. What BHO has done goes far beyond that. He has used his position to drive them under, then used our money and good credit to buy them cheap and then set them up to run how he thinks they should be run.

He has stolen assets from their legal owners (bond holders) and given them to his supporters (UAW). He has nationalized industries. He has absolutely exceeded his authority and the power granted to the executive branch. Our other branches are just falling right into line without a protest.

Does this not trouble you?

Doug said...

A little bit heavy on the hyperbole there Sean.
Bond holders are not legal owners of anything except a bond. Essentially an agreement to loan money to an entity, private or public with a specified rate of return to the lender over an agreed upon period of performance. Rates of return are determined by a risk rating. Stockholders are owners, not bondholders. Bonds, like most any investment carry varying risk.
Contrary to some belief bonds are not guaranteed to return their principle investment. If the issuer of the bond goes bankrupt the bondholder is pretty much SOL. Compensation runs pennies on the dollar. Corporate bonds are generally riskier than government bonds but usually offer a higher rate of return.
To state companies and assets the President "has driven under" and "stolen" is a ludicrous remark.
How do you "drive under" corporations that haven't turned a profit in years due to bleeding billions annually to bloated union pension entitlements and outmoded business structure?
How do you steal from someone that has nothing to steal as in the case of GM except a negative $100 Billion balance sheet? Whoopee look what I made off with another 100 Billion in red ink!
UAW didn't even want the thing, only taking it as a last resort because to do otherwise would have meant EVERYONE losing EVERYTHING, workers and retirees alike. Oh and those UAW workers that are the recipients of this "stolen" company have lost vision and dental coverage and seen their health coverage cut as well.
Quite a "steal" huh?
To insinuate that this was part of some sinister master conspiracy to compensate Obama supporters is partisan rhetoric not grounded in fact or reality.
Look, I have said all along that what is happening in Washington is the greatest boning of the governed in world history. Where I and some others seem to part company is the belief that this all started in January '09.
It is, on an ever accelerating scale, more of the same.

Pat said...

Yes Doug. I agree. I've always believed that the size of a mans truck is an extension of.....

Pat said...

Sorry, that was meant to be a comment on your first post. ;)

Dave said...

How do you "drive under" corporations that haven't turned a profit in years "due to bleeding billions annually to bloated union pension entitlements" and outmoded business structure?

Chicago-Mob-BHO-UAW-Billions-Bailouts-Bankruptcy-BHO-CEO

Doug said...

Okay I give up you're right. It's all part of an insidious plot to take over the world.

Dave said...

Insidious indeed.

rac said...

...by the lizard people.

Doug said...

Insidious lizards.
Good name for an acid rock band.

Pat said...

yea, Dave Rac and doug are gonna start a band..."the insidious lizards"

mat said...

Juliet, Military personell are ambasadors of their country.And are held to higher standards than their civilian counterparts.I don't even watch fox news anymore because I work varying shifts.None of my kids even went to college because they didn't want to.They could have but didn't.I didn't force them too.They all have jobs and contribute to society and alls well.Did you tour drywall factories on vacation to China? Ha now we're supposed to believe thats how you spent you're vacation.Of course it was probably a state sponsered tour because they won't show you anything unless it's approved by the gov. first.Dumbass.And China has made stuff for our govt. for years under the the eye of both parties.But that doesn't make it right.Some of us in this country are against a "one world" can't we get along mentality.America is a superpower and shouldn't march to the beat of communisms drum.I don't think your less of an American just one who's disenfranchised/disconnected because of your absence.Your opinions are formed based on your exposure to external sources of news.You can watch mainstream media all day long on line but you can't really appreciate whats really going on in America because you are disconnected from it.And thanks for your contribution to my retirement fund.I hope I get to enjoy it.If I don't get nagged to death first.LOL.

Anonymous said...

I am with you Sean. It reminds me of what has happens here in Arizona. The state mandated that so much desert be set aside as wild life preserves. The land is appraised much lower than the actual value. Legislators mandate that privately owned water wells are not to be taxed or metered. Then after ten years go by developers convince the state that the land should be open to anyone for purchase. Developers purchase the land super cheap. Mysteriously they discover that the land has deep and huge aquifers. The land is now owned by private entities. The land suddenly becomes extremely valuable and resold to the state for huge profits. Legislators now slap meters on the wells lift the ban on taxation of water. All the while, developers get rich. The state sells the water and taxes the meters and the deserts fill up with track housing. Then the economy takes a dump and these $250,000 track homes loose half their value. But, the developers made their billions.