It's the Chinese government I have most concerns about.

Tosses a Dickens novel, some Dos Passos and turn century BW photos of child labourers in the US and

UK. It would seem what is no longer tolerated in our enlightened societies is O.K. because other nations

don't have our 'values.'

Just pondering how long outsourcing has been going on.  Van Heusen had that license to produce G9s in Taiwan, didn't they?  When would that have been?  Heaven knows what Taiwanese working conditions would have been like; or even those in Hong Kong (BB Shetland sweaters). 
But European-made goods can be terribly shoddy - a Portugese-made Fred Perry item being a good example: piss poor stitching.  And Bass Weejuns?  Sebago?  Nordstrom?  Keds?  Nothing outside South or Central America I don't think. 
Romantic ideal it may be, but I still love those words 'MADE IN THE USA OF IMPORTED MATERIALS'.

I briefly worked for a furniture and mattress company. Once  a week I made the Haj to the diaspora of furniture wholesalers and manufacturers from Ventura county out to Rancho Cucamonga and back through the bowels of LaLa land.

My favourite was  WAAAAY down Firestone BLVD past the huge apartments owned by Karen Carpenter's brother. And there, buried between a steel foundry, the freeway and a nieghborhood of tired homes and people was this furniture factory.

They proudly slapped MADE IN THE USA on every piece. Yes, I 'loved' that place: Not one of the workers spoke any english.

Last edited by Chris Kavanaugh (2009-04-30 10:46:09)

I enjoyed SCs postings all those years ago.  He was unafraid to open a can of worms.  Never knew who he was, though. 
This subject remains contentious.  But chetmiles has come to admire the Japanese way of doing things.

CK also had some interesting points to make.  I do believe this laptop has Chinese workmanship in it.  The thing I shaved with this morning certainly does. 

I'm still with FNB, however.