Is it true.....

DarqueKnight

Andrzej wrote:

I guess by "they" you mean the Walton family? Are you also proud of the long list of scandals associates with Walmart practices?

No, I am not proud of any organization's or any individual's scandals, human weaknesses, or mistakes. If I required perfection in the organizations/individuals I associated with or did business with, I wouldn't have anything to do with anyone, including myself.

I am proud to be an American citizen. However, if I applied your standards of "purity" and "good practices" to the history of the United States, my country would fall far short of its ideal because there have been many, many, mistakes, shameful incidents, and horrible "scandals" throughout its history. Everything in this life is a combination of good and bad. I choose to evaluate organizations and individuals within the context of the totality of their existence. In other words, I look to see if the organization (or individual) does more good than harm.

All over the world, there are many millions of people who hate the United States and its citizens because of one or several ugly mistakes. They conveniently forget the billions upon billions of dollars spent in foreign aid, our efforts to assist other nations in rebuilding after catastrophe, and the hundreds of thousands of American lives sacrificed to bring liberty and justice to those in foreign lands.

No, the Walton family is not perfect, nor is the global business enterprise they created. If you dislike the Walton family and or Walmart and you feel that an economic boycott of Walmart is justified because of their "scandals" and "practices", then that is your right as a consumer. All I would ask is that you be fair and even handed in your purchasing decisions by making sure that every company and governmental agency you do business with engages in upright, pristeen, wholesome, scandal free, and pure business practices.

tonygeno

What does all this have to do with Polk Speakers? I suggest we get back on topic and discuss speakers. Polk won't be affected by anyone's boycott: the world economy is what it is, and there's no going back.

Skynut

I for one like to buy American products whenever possible.
However this is not allways possible (obviously) but my cars and truck are all made in America. There is usually a sticker on the vehicle that tells where it was assembled.
I only buy from the big 2, Ford and GM. Dodge is now foreign owned as far as I am concerned.
I own a Dakota that was built before the Diamler merger but when I sell it I will get either a F-150 or a GMC.
Wifey bought a Nissan before I met her and when it is time to replace it she allready knows the drill. We will buy an American car built in America (if possible). She is allready paying attention to what is available even though her car will probably last several more years.
I admit that foreign cars tend to be better built and get better gas mileage but I do not care. I am embarrased to drive a foreign car.

Thats just me and my $.02

markmarc

Anytime you buy a made in USA product you are supporting your fellow Americans. How, by keeping someone employed. The economic rollover effect is good for us all. Does that mean I should buy a lousy product instead of a good one from overseas, absolutely not. However, when I have a choice in brands of equal quality and one is made here versus China, guess what, I'll buy the USA product.

Dark:
On the surface you make a valid point, however, any type of workforce is now becoming a commodity. Highly skilled jobs are now going overseas. Where does that leave the US, Canada, & Europe? Sadly, it means in big trouble. Information and services jobs are paying less and less. We play the economic game with gentleman rules that the rest of the world laughs off. Does that mean that we impose high tariffs, absolutely not. That only leads to world economic disaster. Instead, we must use whatever appropriate, ethical means necessary to rebuild/increase our manufacturing base. All it takes is the political courage to look to the horizon instead instead of the crack in front of our feet.

Andrzej

markmarc wrote:

....
We play the economic game with gentleman rules that the rest of the world laughs off. ...

Dream on...
I think that you are dead wrong on both counts.

Mike682

My '03 Dodge Durango: Made in U.S.A

unbridled_id

Buy ford, parts and assembly is all USA...

DarqueKnight

markmarc wrote:

Highly skilled jobs are now going overseas. Where does that leave the US, Canada, & Europe? Sadly, it means in big trouble.

Why are you concerned about Canada and Europe?

markmarc

Dark:
Because the USA, Canada, and Europe are the economic stabilizers in the world. We have the experience of time. Secondly, if they sink, so do we.

Andrejz:
You need to look harder. We kill ourselves following labor regulations, pollution controls, etc. China doesn't give a damn about any of that. Secondly they export and in some cases dump product onto our market below even their costs. After a while they stop, get their hand slapped, but by then the damage is done. Our businesses are screwed financially, some beyond repair.

Andrzej

markmarc wrote:

...
Andrejz:
You need to look harder. We kill ourselves following labor regulations, pollution controls, etc. China doesn't give a damn about any of that. Secondly they export and in some cases dump product onto our market below even their costs. After a while they stop, get their hand slapped, but by then the damage is done. Our businesses are screwed financially, some beyond repair.

I agree that China doesn't give a damn. And that is one of the reasons that American (i.e., our) companies are outsourcing to China (and other countries that don't give a damn and therefore are cheap to do business there). Our American companies do it because it makes them more competitive, and it makes the shareholders and the buyers happy. Screwed are only those businesses that don't see that market globalization is a fact of life in the XXI century.

markmarc

We may keep the shareholders happy, but at what cost to our own economy? That is the $64,000 question.

For Polk specifically, I would want to know when they last had a USA factory what their employment was here, versus now (US workers only).

Skynut

markmarc wrote:

. China doesn't give a damn about any of that. Secondly they export and in some cases dump product onto our market below even their costs. After a while they stop, get their hand slapped, but by then the damage is done. Our businesses are screwed financially, some beyond repair.

Do not forget that China also artifically infltes the value of their money.
They do not tie it in the same as the rest of the world.
Their money s not worth as much as they claim it is.

They also own enough bonds in our country that if they wanted they could dump them onto the market and break us.
We could be defeated financially without them even firing a shot.

China is a very scary topic to those of us who pay attention to the world.
Most of the world wants to see America fall as a "super power" so someone (anyone) else can take over.
There is alot more than just America patriotisim at stake but, most "Americans" will not see that until it is too late.
If we loose our "manufacturing edge" who will come to our aid when we need it? I gaurentee it will not be the comunists in China.
We need to stand together as a country to save our manufacturing enterprises during times of peace because we are not allways going to experience peacefull times.
Mark my words, America needs to pay attention or we will not be at the top of the food chain for ever.

Again my $.02

Mike682

Quick examples of what Skynut said:

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000080&sid=a33V_POF1Iu4&refer=asia

http://www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=508308

aaharvel

dorokusai wrote:

Unless you've pursued formal education about Business and Economics, most people don't know anything about what globalization means let alone the actual effects of it on our society and abroad.

When someone talks about jobs going overseas, you always hear the standard rhetoric of the "patriot"....These jobs should have been for Americans....We can do those jobs just as well as they can....blah blah blah.

Suggested reading: The Lexus and the Olive Tree - Thomas L. Friedman

Globalization exists, and it isn't going anywhere.

+1 and then some. very informative.

aaharvel

marker wrote:

What is more American, a Dodge made in Mexico or a Toyota made in Kentucky?

The Toyota made in Kentucky because it produces jobs instead of shipping them overseas.

aaharvel

unbridled_id wrote:

Buy ford, parts and assembly is all USA...

sorry but that is not correct. More and more Ford cars are being built at the Hermosillo plant in Mexico- both Ford and Lincoln- INCLUDING the Ford GT. Don't believe everything from Ford's mouth. The United Auto Workers Union is plenty pissed about it as well. Also, keep in mind that MAZDA and FORD (not to mention Jaguar) share MANY of the same parts that makeup the backbone of all their cars. IF Ford is doing it- Lincoln is doing it.

Or Dodge or GM. GM cars have parts that come from all over the world including Mexico and China plants.

edit- I am not and never will be BLINDED by patriotism. I will buy the best product for the best price- regardless of where it's from. Even if Hondas WEREN'T made in SC- and just Japan- and Fords WEREN'T made in Mexico - JUST the United STates- I would buy the Honda because it is a BETTER product and in the end a SMARTER investment. If my country wants to **** and moan about how buyers are betraying them by buying overseas products then maybe they should start offering products to American consumers THAT ARE WORTH BUYING IN THE FIRST PLACE.

I will not buy a GM, FORD, OR dodge. I WILL buy a Honda, Lexus or Audi. I drink German Beer, not Budweiser. I buy Polk, not Klipsch or BOSE- and I STILL love this country- no matter what the Over-Patriotic bumblenuts would have you believe otherwise.

dorokusai

Amen!

DarqueKnight

Skynut wrote:

Mark my words, America needs to pay attention or we will not be at the top of the food chain for ever.

America, or any other country for that matter, will never be at the top of the food chain forever. Countries, kingdoms, and empires wax and eventually wane. It's the natural order of things. Some recent examples that come to mind are the Soviet Union and the British Empire.

Skynut

we sunk the soviets and do not think any thing different.
We out did them while we were on top of our game and do not think it will happen again while so many people do not care about supporting American products.

Are you broke? unemployed? Hungry? EAT YOUR IMPORT.

Skynut

Mike682 wrote:

Quick examples of what Skynut said:

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000080&sid=a33V_POF1Iu4&refer=asia

http://www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=508308

Thanks Mike682, some people just do not realize what they are saying.

aaharvel

btw- Take your GE lightbulb out of it's socket and read it- or better yet read the package it came in. See what it says? Do you?

"MADE IN CHINA"

i guess i'll go ahead and cancel my electricity because the last thing i would want to be is unpatriotic.

Skynut

aaharvel wrote:

btw- Take your GE lightbulb out of it's socket and read it- or better yet read the package it came in. See what it says? Do you?

"MADE IN CHINA"

So we should not even try to support America?
Since China makes so many things we should all just give up our jobs and support china.
G.E. was one of the first companies to send work overseas, I do not agree with them or the methoods they started. They could have done things different. Does that mean I look for a chinese lightbulb made by someone else? no but if I see an American lightbulb I will buy that one and if none are made in America by an American company then I WILL go for the cheapest.
Should I start buying chinese crap everywhere I go......NO.
You go do what ever you think is right and do not try to talk me into thinking your way.
I do not give a crap that most of the world is made in china, I wana buy American and you can not stop me!!!!!
When I see an American product next to any other countries product I will buy it if that is the product I am looking for.
I do not care if it is 15%-100% higher in price or an inferior product that is what I want to do.
Sorry that so many people do not feel like I do but that is how I feel, get over it.

aaharvel

Skynut wrote:

So we should not even try to support America?
Since China makes so many things we should all just give up our jobs and support china.
G.E. was one of the first companies to send work overseas, I do not agree with them or the methoods they started. They could have done things different. Does that mean I look for a chinese lightbulb made by someone else? no but if I see an American lightbulb I will buy that one and if none are made in America by an American company then I WILL go for the cheapest.
Should I start buying chinese crap everywhere I go......NO.
You go do what ever you think is right and do not try to talk me into thinking your way.
I do not give a crap that most of the world is made in china, I wana buy American and you can not stop me!!!!!
When I see an American product next to any other countries product I will buy it if that is the product I am looking for.
I do not care if it is 15%-100% higher in price or an inferior product that is what I want to do.
Sorry that so many people do not feel like I do but that is how I feel, get over it.

Skynut- I'm not telling you what to buy, where to buy or anything like that. Frankly I don't care. And taking my words out of context doesn't change the fact that people that say "I'M ONLY GOING TO BUY AMERICAN" are living in a dream world. Of course you should support America and American products. I do. Just make sure you do it with both feet on the ground that's all I'm saying.

Skynut

aaharvel wrote:

Skynut- I'm not telling you what to buy, where to buy or anything like that. Frankly I don't care. And taking my words out of context doesn't change the fact that people that say "I'M ONLY GOING TO BUY AMERICAN" are living in a dream world. Of course you should support America and American products. I do. Just make sure you do it with both feet on the ground that's all I'm saying.

Di d not mean to single you out but I get this same arguement from everyone that asks me why I only buy American cars.
I get real frustrated having to explain to them that it is the best way I feel I can show support for American workers and compnies.
I argue everytime someone tries to tell me how great thier toyota or kawasaki is compared to my Pontiac or Harley.
I do not care. I do not care if their bike is faster or never breaks down.
I do not care that their nissan gets better mileage or goes longer between repair bills than my car.
I just get very adamant about my support.
Sorry if I put you on the spot.

aaharvel

no apologies needed Skynut. Actually nothing that you said I even disagree with. Your opinion has good intentions written all over it and should be seen as such. I think you just misunderstood the intentions of my posts thats all.

Mike682

Skynut: buy the Harley

AAharvel: buy the Honda

And I'll by my Dodge..

To each his own as nobody is going to change their buying habits as a result of this thread.

Thread done...?

markmarc

I agree

Mike682

Now let's return to our hobby: Audio

aaharvel

did you hear about the new "TK421" upgrade module BOSE has come out with?

awesome!

Mike682

Skynut wrote:

I do not care that their nissan gets better mileage or goes longer between repair bills than my car.

On a side note, this isn't always the case. My friend's G35 gets the same gas mileage as my Durango.....