OT: Can't China just borrow ours?

You're just now noticing we have an economic problem with China? Where have you been for the last 10 years? There are people living in caves in Afghanistan that have a better understanding of the world than this.

I'd say, good, let 'em go broke landing on the moon, but the Chinese may be looking at the long-term here and intend to start building an infrastructure intended for permanent bases and industrial development. That worries me.

Just starting?!?

re: this last... Good luck with *that* endeavor!

Cathy

It's actually easier than you think, Cathy. I own very little made in China. In some cases you have no choice, but you can cut it down quite a bit.

Absolutely. In many categories, rather than buy shoddy Chinese goods, you can buy cruddy imports from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

OK, seriously, where do you shop to avoid China and what do you have good luck finding with USA labels on it and what categories seem hopelessly Chinese? Or Asian?

Not USA labels, but Lands End and LL Bean have lots of quality stuff from countries that aren't on everyone's s*it list. Even Canada.

Well-known USA name brand labels, the items also being made in the USA?

Cathy

and what categories seem hopelessly

For starters. Regarding electronics, obviously much is made in China. Competing products can almost always be found from Japan, Taiwan, Singapore, or Malaysia.

I just check labels. If it's made in China, I skip it for now at least. I'll look around and if it's impossible to find made elsewhere, and I really need it, I'll cave.

It's not a perfect system, but I do deny the Chinese whenever possible. That's all I can do.

Several years ago, Toshiba sold the USSR computer technology enabling them to manufacturer more quiet sub props making it more difficult for us to detect them. There was a nationwide call for a one-year boycott of Toshiba goods. I bought nothing from them for over ten years. I finally caved on a big screen TV, which ended up being junk in short order. No more Toshiba for me.

I bought some made in china stuff today. If it had made in America on the label it would have been twice or three times the price. I guess it boils down to how much do we want to pay for such things. I'm ok either way, but of course I most always price shop if I can. If these items made in china I bought today were two or three times the price I would have passed and not bought them. Such is the way of life we live nowdays.

Of course I understand this. I'm not suggesting that anyone else do what I do. I just try to avoid Chinese goods whenever possible.

The question was mostly rhetorical.

rhetorical

It is possible... There is a ton of stuff that is usually bought from China where there are other country options. For example.. I just bought an aerator at Home Depot. I had a choice between one made in the USA and two made in China.

Plenty... I have a TV made in America. I have a Refrigerator made in Japan. I have furniture made by the Amish in Pennsylvania. I have a bed made in Switzerland. I have a dinner table made from a special wood from the middle east. I have several computer components made in Europe. I have food that is mostly from the US and Canada. I have an airconditioner made in America. I have a car made in Japan.

I do not buy store brand products which are more often than not China made.

What brand is that TV?

I hope you don't have to buy a toaster any time soon. You'll go nuts trying to find one that's not China made. And they all carry the good ol' Amurrican names (or Panasonic) but they're all made in China. Or try not to buy a microwave. I even saw one the other day proclaiming "made in PRC". That took a moment to figure out. There was plenty of white space around the name, and I can't imagine they used the acronym simply to save two letters, so I guess they were just attempting to put something over on the less-than-astute consumer.

"So I wuzzn't about to buy some Chinese junk, and I looked 'round until I found this here one...made in PRC, wherever that is....?" " Oh yeh, it's probably Puerto Rico Commonwealth, huh?"