Community Chat

[Mindy D]

@Vivian @Part, much, of what you say is true, but we have always obtained raw materials from all over the globe. I agree that we should have never let all our manufacturing disappear. It's awful and it's a threat to our health, wealth and happiness; not to mention the threat to national security that comes with dependence on foreign nations for supplies. Most people are not thinking about this yet, but there are medicines on some of these shipments. 

[Porcelain]

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@kitcat51 wrote:

Over 3,000 containers dropped overboard in 2020 & over 1,000 so far this year.

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Ah. That is definitely an increase. I wonder what went wrong with them in 2020?

[Carmie]

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@Vivian wrote:

This infuriates me. If it weren't for the greed that led to all this cheaper outsourcing, this stuff would be made here. Perhaps I shouldn't use the word cheaper. How much will it cost to clean up the mess created by these ships? When did quantity usurp quality? How much CCC as my neighbor calls it (Cheap Chi.....Cr@p) do we need or even accept? If you watch Antiques Road Show, just take a look at the many objects brought in. They were made in all our towns and cities, but that's history. We've made a big mistake, in my not-so-humble opinion.

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Americans so not want to work in manufacturing plants that make things that can be made overseas cheaper.

It is difficult to find clothing manufacturing facilities in the US as well.

we can build the manufacturing plants, but they will be empty.  I guess we will have to import the workers to work here.

[Lucky Charm]

I'm so sad for the waters.  Hazardous materials....ugh.

[Snowpuppy]

@Mindy D   I had that exact thought yesterday.

I drove by Meier grocer's on my lunch hour. Monday, noon, not first of the month and 12 cars lined up at the pharmacy pick up.

[kitcat51]

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@Porcelain wrote:

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@kitcat51 wrote:

Over 3,000 containers dropped overboard in 2020 & over 1,000 so far this year.

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Ah. That is definitely an increase. I wonder what went wrong with them in 2020?

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Article on Bloombery - Over the past 7 yrs container loss has risen... larger cargo ships with containers stacked higher, bad weather & other reasons are given. I had no idea 226 million containers were shipped every year so really the loss is low.

[Kachina624]

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@Lucky Charm wrote:

I'm so sad for the waters.  Hazardous materials....ugh.

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@Lucky Charm    Also those bobbing containers are quite a hazard to other ships.  I wonder if they ever wash ashore or do they eventually sink? 

[Lucky Charm]

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@Kachina624 wrote:

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@Lucky Charm wrote:

I'm so sad for the waters.  Hazardous materials....ugh.

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@Lucky Charm    Also those bobbing containers are quite a hazard to other ships.  I wonder if they ever wash ashore or do they eventually sink? 

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I do know they are made of steel and salt water will erode them quickly.  I guess the contents will just float away.

This is as bad as global warming, if not worse.

[gertrudecloset]

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@Vivian wrote:

This infuriates me. If it weren't for the greed that led to all this cheaper outsourcing, this stuff would be made here. Perhaps I shouldn't use the word cheaper. How much will it cost to clean up the mess created by these ships? When did quantity usurp quality? How much CCC as my neighbor calls it (Cheap Chi.....Cr@p) do we need or even accept? If you watch Antiques Road Show, just take a look at the many objects brought in. They were made in all our towns and cities, but that's history. We've made a big mistake, in my not-so-humble opinion.

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@Vivian 

South Korea is not China.  Though they may trade with them.  South Korea (an American ally) makes a lot of computer peripherals; cellular phones and other kinds of machinery.  It's not necessarily "cheap chinese junk".  Home of Samsung electronics and no doubt other things like semi conductors and chips that make computers run.

[Kachina624]

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@Vivian wrote:

This infuriates me. If it weren't for the greed that led to all this cheaper outsourcing, this stuff would be made here. Perhaps I shouldn't use the word cheaper. How much will it cost to clean up the mess created by these ships? When did quantity usurp quality? How much CCC as my neighbor calls it (Cheap Chi.....Cr@p) do we need or even accept? If you watch Antiques Road Show, just take a look at the many objects brought in. They were made in all our towns and cities, but that's history. We've made a big mistake, in my not-so-humble opinion.

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@Vivian    I remember well the advertising campaign of the 1960s where a little ditty touting the the quality of US goods was sung then we were advised to "look for the union label".  This clothing wasn't half as good as what we now get from Asia, including China.  We constantly complained that buttons fell off the first time we wore a garment and frayed seams soon followed.  People have short, selective memories. 

I've never experienced any of this with the Asian-made clothing I've purchased and I have a lot.   It's impeccably manufactured.  I consider it a good value for my money.