mad(e) in china

Post by **Bryn Mawr** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 12:02 am

Says it all, doesn't it!

Santanico · Post by **Santanico** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 12:15 am

When I was a kid, you didn't buy things that were made in China cos it was cheap cr@p.............. Nothing like nowadays

Post by **spot** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 4:25 am

And why's it sad exactly? Because the UK lost its manufacturing base? We can have it back any time we want, all we need do is accept the living standards of a Chinese or Korean or Taiwanese blue-collar worker and then work on a production line as efficiently as they do. The Chinese or Korean or Taiwanese blue-collar worker is delighted to be so wealthy.

The same goes for Indians working in call centres, while I'm at it. We could do that if we could be so adept at learning a foreign language. I'm full of admiration - they're not responsible for the lousy unhelpful scripts they have to follow, after all. The lousy unhelpful scripts are written by the idiot English back at head office.

Will someone PLEASE tell me what "Free Tibet" means, in practical terms? Tibet's not a country invaded by nasty foreigners (unlike Iraq or Afghanistan, for example) - Tibet's a province of China and has been back to the 14th century. Free Tibet in what sense, exactly?

Post by **spot** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 4:51 am

What you're doing is assuming I know why China and the Chinese are evil. If they're evil then people should stand up and destroy China and the Chinese until they stop being capable of evil. If they're not evil then "China and the Chinese are evil" is merely xenophobic. What do they do that's evil, Jimbo?

And what does "Free Tibet" mean, in practical terms?

mikeinie · Post by **mikeinie** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 7:05 am

jimbo;839553 wrote: they are commies buddy every one knows they are evil :-3:-3

human right issues mate thats why i think they are pretty bad

as for the free Tibet that's a good point i don't really know , i think give them their own little bit of free from china land and so they can do their orange suited god thing in peace

i just realised you have taken me off topic on a funny cartoon into a normal discussion about china and Tibet you clever cunning devious man

Hey... they only have 1 less political party than the USA does...:-2

Richard Bell · Post by **Richard Bell** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 8:57 am

Santanico;839514 wrote: When I was a kid, you didn't buy things that were made in China cos it was cheap cr@p.............. Nothing like nowadays

I don't know what Chinese products you're buying, but I get lots of shoddy Chinese crap.

A couple of days ago, I tried using my relatively new Bell bicycle air pump. Now, Bell is a truly fine name

, and it was an old and respected name in the bicycle biz, when their products were made in the USA.

I'd used this Chinese made pump about half a dozen times. First four times, it worked flawlessly. Last couple of times, it was sticking. Two days ago, the cheap metal was sufficiently fatigued from a few normal uses that it folded and crumpled like an empty soup can. Utter garbage.

Here's a tip :

I sell TVs at a department store. NEVER EVER purchase a Chinese made television. It will break (and break big) within a year.

YZGI · Post by **YZGI** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 9:06 am

Richard Bell;839828 wrote: I don't know what Chinese products you're buying, but I get lots of shoddy Chinese crap.

A couple of days ago, I tried using my relatively new Bell bicycle air pump. Now, Bell is a truly fine name

, and it was an old and respected name in the bicycle biz, when their products were made in the USA.

I'd used this Chinese made pump about half a dozen times. First four times, it worked flawlessly. Last couple of times, it was sticking. Two days ago, the cheap metal was sufficiently fatigued from a few normal uses that it folded and crumpled like an empty soup can. Utter garbage.

Here's a tip :

I sell TVs at a department store. NEVER EVER purchase a Chinese made television. It will break (and break big) within a year.
Which brand of TV's are Chinese made?

Richard Bell · Post by **Richard Bell** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 9:23 am

YZGI;839856 wrote: Which brand of TV's are Chinese made?

Generally speaking, any "off brand" TV is probably made in China. They usually cost much less than a name brand.

Even some of the big companies make some of their smaller or lower priced units in China.

I'd suggest looking at the back of any TV you are considering buying, and look elsewhere if it says "China".

The TV will look great in the store, but you will have trouble with it long before it's time.

I've been selling all sorts of brands for a year now. I also sold 'em back in the late eighties and early nineties, when you didn't encounter Chinese sets.

I won't sell my customers our Chinese TVs (we sell Prima) because I've seen 'way too many come back with catastrophic failures.

YZGI · Post by **YZGI** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 9:30 am

Richard Bell;839887 wrote: Generally speaking, any "off brand" TV is probably made in China. They usually cost much less than a name brand.

Even some of the big companies make some of their smaller or lower priced units in China.

I'd suggest looking at the back of any TV you are considering buying, and look elsewhere if it says "China".

The TV will look great in the store, but you will have trouble with it long before it's time.

I've been selling all sorts of brands for a year now. I also sold 'em back in the late eighties and early nineties, when you didn't encounter Chinese sets.

I won't sell my customers our Chinese TVs (we sell Prima) because I've seen 'way too many come back with catastrophic failures.

Thank you, I will definetly keep that in mind. I wonder if those Visio's are Chinese?

Post by **Bryn Mawr** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 9:41 am

YZGI;839895 wrote: Thank you, I will definetly keep that in mind. I wonder if those Visio's are Chinese?

Yup :-

Model: VXW20L

The perfect high definition television for home offices, bedrooms, dorm rooms, kitchens and other small spaces, the new VXW20L from Vizio features an ultra-slim design that saves space without compromising quality. Its beautiful white bezel wraps around incredible widescreen HD functionality featuring 1366 x 768 high definition resolution, one HDMI input, RGB computer connection (great for use as a PC monitor) and 8ms response time.

Warranty: 1 year

Assembled Country of Origin: China

Components Country of Origin: Imported

YZGI · Post by **YZGI** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 9:43 am

Bryn Mawr;839904 wrote: Yup :-

Model: VXW20L

The perfect high definition television for home offices, bedrooms, dorm rooms, kitchens and other small spaces, the new VXW20L from Vizio features an ultra-slim design that saves space without compromising quality. Its beautiful white bezel wraps around incredible widescreen HD functionality featuring 1366 x 768 high definition resolution, one HDMI input, RGB computer connection (great for use as a PC monitor) and 8ms response time.

Warranty: 1 year

Assembled Country of Origin: China

Components Country of Origin: Imported
Thanks Bryn, I was suspicious with the prices they are asking compared to other brands.

along-for-the-ride · Post by **along-for-the-ride** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 2:42 pm

We have learned to approach any item "made in China" with caution. These items are not just cheap...........but also can be dangerous.

Bruv · Post by **Bruv** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 3:42 pm

We all used to say the same about "Made in Japan"

Post by **spot** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 3:42 pm

along-for-the-ride;840334 wrote: We have learned to approach any item "made in China" with caution. These items are not just cheap...........but also can be dangerous.

Did I mention xenophobia earlier? That's a prime example.

Go back and reconsider the Mattel apology, that's a good starting point.

Or read the United States International Trade Commission "In the matter of certain color television receivers from China and Malaysia - 731-TA-1034-1035 (Final)" which is the most pitiable face-to-the-wall death rattle of US manufacturing that I ever saw, the protection of the US CRT manufacturing industry for a company which only knows how to make CRTs in a world that laughs at them and buys LCD for preference.

along-for-the-ride · Post by **along-for-the-ride** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 4:02 pm

I have neither fear nor contempt for the Chinese business practices. I am concerned about their safety practices not just for us as consumers but for the Chinese worker as well. Are the Chinese employees receiving a fair wage?

I don't have to purchase the product, but that still doesn't mean I'm not concerned about the people who made it.

Post by **spot** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 4:09 pm

The only people who can answer that are Chinese workers, presumably.

hoppy · Post by **hoppy** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 8:57 pm

I shop the internet. Today I bought 6 T-shirts, union made in the USA. We still make socks and sweats here. I'm slowly replacing my wardrobe with USA items. Costs a bit more but they last so much longer.

gmc · Post by **gmc** » Fri Apr 18, 2008 3:46 am

jimbo;840534 wrote: i bet they would love to be able to answer that spot if they were not living in a police state and complaining about anything would get them 5 years at least in the slammer buddy

one of the things i dont like about you spot is that you make me think yes think i dont like to think i have to leave my nice cosy cocoon i have built around my life no reality just joking and trying to ignore the woes of the world

:

It's all too easy to forget the kind of social upheaval we went through in europe while industrialising-I had a great uncle that remembered seeing the tanks and troops waiting in the saltmarket in Glasgow in case they were needed against the strikers. Democracy as we know it with full universal suffrage male and female is less than a hundred years old.

It takes economic power to fight back and in china the workers in the large factories are learning that they can make employers and govt sit up and take notice.

http://www.workersliberty.org/node/4125

http://www.isj.org.uk/index.php4?id=125

Left wing sites I grant you but a cursory trawl on the internet brings up more mainstream reports if you prefer.

As to police state-in the UK if there is a demonstration or a riot you do not see armed police confronting protesters. The likelihood of getting shot is pretty remote. How many other democracies can claim the same?

posted by hoppy

I shop the internet. Today I bought 6 T-shirts, union made in the USA. We still make socks and sweats here. I'm slowly replacing my wardrobe with USA items. Costs a bit more but they last so much longer.

Next time you are in walmart have a good look at all the appliances. Come to that have a good look at the computer you are using.

hoppy · Post by **hoppy** » Fri Apr 18, 2008 4:32 am

GMC- The LAST time I was in a Walmart store was 3 years ago and I didn't buy anything. I HATE WALMART. We have a Farm & Fleet store 1/4 mile up the road from Walmart. It's a much more pleasant place to shop. They get my business.

hoppy · Post by **hoppy** » Fri Apr 18, 2008 6:25 am

I know I'll never achieve 100% american made but I feel it's far better to try hard, even if I only achieve 10%, than to give in and accept chinese made items 100%.