Made In America

Little Tikes

2010-11-16T12:36:00.000-08:00

So, we got another unsolicited catalog in the mail today. I called to cancel (how many trees to we consume this way?). While I was listening to Kenny G. on hold, I thumbed through the catalog and was really impressed that many of their items are Made in the USA.

If you want to buy cool plastic stuff for your kids, little Tikes is the place for you.

www.littletikes.com

Wake up Maggie

2010-05-04T06:10:00.000-07:00

with a Maglite flashlight to light your way.

It's another thing I got for my birthday. Made in Ontario, California...not far from San Pedro.

---I got this one...a 2-cell LED

It's a Fluke

2010-05-04T05:54:00.000-07:00

Or a Flea...

Not only is it made in the USA, it's made 60 miles from my house!

The Fluke is a tenor uke. The flea is a soprano (don' mess wit da family)

It's what I'm getting for my birthday this year. Number 12 in my collection of stringed instruments. And I can't play any of them.

Whoa Nellie

2010-01-20T09:05:00.001-08:00

Okay, I gotta get back to work. But if you're ever searching for that high quality polypropylene sheep halter, for that hard-t0-control sheep, you can get one at NASCO.

Buck Sixty

2010-01-20T09:02:00.001-08:00

And while I'm on this NASCO kick...

Some like it Hot

2010-01-20T08:55:00.000-08:00

Check out these hot pads, also sold by NASCO ( http://www.enasco.com/) at a very reasonable price.

And reasonably made in the USA

Paint it Black

2010-01-20T08:49:00.000-08:00

Or paint it whatever you want. It's a student quality canvas painting board, sold by NASCO, and can be found at this link: http://www.enasco.com/product/9700707(X)

62 cents each...and made in USA.

Sister Golden Toe

2010-01-14T08:12:00.000-08:00

With apologies to the band America for the title of this entry...

I shopped at Kohl's recently, name-brand discount store that usually has something I like, and usually at a very good price.

This time I was looking for dress socks, not running socks.

I found moisture wicking Gold Toe brand "mens hosiery" made in America. Have to be careful to read labels, however. On the same rack were the same socks made either in Korea or the Dominican Republic.

Socket to me

2010-01-05T09:03:00.001-08:00

Had car trouble while on Christmas vacation.

Stopped by Sears and picked up a set of metric sockets and a socket wrench. Made in America by Craftsman, and all with a lifetime warranty.

Drove 800 miles home trouble-free after that!

Craftsman is great!

Sock it to me, part two

2010-01-05T07:06:00.000-08:00

I got a pair of running socks for Christmas this year. Last year I reported on Teco socks, which I wore in the NYC Marathon in November.

Hard to imagine better socks than the Teco, but Asics has a line of bamboo socks that feel REALLY comfortable. I'll let you know after 13.1 in them.

Bamboo fiber turns into rayon, apparently. And they're made in the USA.

Run on.

Keep on your Toes!

2010-01-05T07:02:00.000-08:00

My wife quit dancing when she was 18.

Now that the little placid ones are taking ballet, she's decided to resurrect her dancing career and has bought her first pair of point shoes in a while.

We were pleased to learn that these shoes are made in America...as are her tap shoes and her Danskin brand dance clothing.

Keep on dancin'

Marcus

2010-01-04T17:09:00.000-08:00

That's famous chef Marcus Samuelsson...designer of Marcus cookware...a collection of 3-layer (two stainless sandwiching aluminum) stainless steel cookware, designed to be safe in the oven (up to 500 degrees.)

Now, these things aren't cheap, but you can find reasonable prices on sale. Google Marcus Cookware and you can find a good selection.

I first saw this product at Zabar's in NYC. The thing that appeals to me (I currently own a made-in-Korea Cuisinart set...good quality, but polished exterior) is the brushed exterior. Sometimes I overcook things and cook food onto the outside of the pans. The brushed exterior is much more forgiving with an agressive scrubber than the polished surface.

Save me some of what you're cooking out there. It smells great!

Give 'em the boot

2010-01-04T17:04:00.000-08:00

Now, I could be writing about Alex Henery who scored more points in Nebraska's game against Arizona than the rest of BOTH teams combined...with his awesome field goal kicking...

But I'm here to tell you that I found two more boots (brands of boots...not just two more boots) that are made in the USA.

I had previously reported on Red Wing shoes, some of which are still made in the USA. I can now report that Chippewa and Wolverine both make good quality (Chippewa better than Wolverine in quality...Wolverine better in the under-$100 category) boots to keep your tootsies warm this winter...and to get you through the muck, snow and water that can accompany hard work at times.

Lace up and get out there. Work hard, brother. Love alone won't pay the bills.

Keep it Simple

2009-12-14T08:47:00.000-08:00

I was setting up for our church's Christmas pageant on Saturday, and I noted to one of my fellow camels that the ladder we were using was made in America. It was a Werner brand, though there are others made in the USA...Little Giant, for example. Good products.

The camel's comment back to me was that the ladder must be really old...because *nothing* is made in America any more.

And I get his sentiment, but it was nice to have an opportunity to tell him otherwise.

There's a LOT of good stuff made here...from shoes and boots to kitchen appliances to toothbrushes to lawn implements (Toro).

So I think I'll give you an over-generalization: We can still buy things we *need* made in the USA. But the things we *want* are made somewhere else. What do we need?

Towels, linens, clothing, shoes, real tools (hammers, screw drivers, wrenches, tape measures, leatherman, mag-lites), kitchen utensils, appliances, food, carpet, paint, 2x4's, books and cars...all made in America and all (with the possible exception of the cars) made with really good quality.

Things we want? iphones, xboxes, Wii consoles, iPods (do you see a pattern here?), flat-screen TV's and American Girl Dolls (believe it or not) are all made somewhere else.

So why don't we keep it simple and just get the stuff we need? Why complicate things with the things we don't need?

The mantra "keep it simple" helps you keep it local.

Food and Music

2009-10-06T05:56:00.000-07:00

So, 7 years in the Navy, traveling to 34 different countries, I noted something.

The two things I used to seek out in every country...food and music.

There are a number of things that are a good measure of a nation's culture: clothing, religion, architecture. But the two immediate things that always stood out for me were food and music.

I always tried to sample the local food and music.

A couple of things you can find locally on a pretty regular basis are food and music. We do a pretty good job at that.

But be careful. If other people measure our culture by food and music, we should make sure they're not judging us by McDonald's and Hanna Montana.

But then who would it be? What is more quintissentially American than cheeseburgers and Rock and Roll?

How about some good local grass-fed steak, and a night of listening to some great local live music?

What's better than a summer picnic with sweet corn, watermelon and John Phillips Sousa!

Sleep well, Lucky dog.

2009-10-06T05:52:00.000-07:00

Went shopping at PETCO the other day, for an algae eater for my wife's preschool's aquarium.

Don't know where the fish was made. My guess is here in the USA.

But here's the cool thing. 40 kinds of dog beds in the store. I found, and purchased, 1 of 4 in the store made in the USA. It's a PETCO brand, so I can't tell you who made it, but it looks to be pretty sturdy. Lucky dog hasn't chewed it up yet.

Oliver Hardy and Mr. Laurel

2009-10-06T05:38:00.000-07:00

That would be Stanley, as in Stanley tools.

I recently bought a set of screwdrivers made by Stanley, and made in the USA.

Now...I *think* the electric tools are made in China, but the good ol' gotta-have-a-strong-grip tools are still made here.

4 Sticks

2009-10-06T05:36:00.000-07:00

Cleaning up a little the other day, I found my Vic Firth drum sticks. Made in America.

Pound 'em, Bonzo.

In a world of Bikes gone bad...

2009-04-02T16:42:00.000-07:00

Most bikes you find out there are made in China. Even American companies (Trek, Giant, Diamondback) are making bikes overseas.

There are some high end bicycles made in the US, though I can't swear as to the origin of their components.

I'm encouraged to find a number of biking accessories, such as the Lone Peak Pannier series that are made in the USA.

See www.lonepeakpacks.com

I'll continue to look for more, but I can tell you that Campmor (www.campmor.com) sells a children's reflective vest that's good for biking, running or hiking...made in the USA

Happy Riding!

For Preserving...

2009-03-26T13:13:00.000-07:00

How's this for Made in America? I'm sitting in my office with 4 cases (48 total) of Ball Mason Jars.

All made in the USA.

And all usually filled with things made in the USA, often things made in our own back yard.

At home I have more cases of these things, filled with honey, maple syrup, apple sauce, apple jelly, strawberry jelly, pasta sauce, salsa, pickled peppers.

The label on the case says, "Mason Jars for Preserving."

I think that speaks volumes. For preserving home-grown foods. For preserving a way of life. For preserving a little bit of Americana.

Thanks, Ball, for making these jars in the USA!

They come in Threes

2009-01-22T16:30:00.000-08:00

This is the third post today, and it's also a good one.

www.polartec.com

Polartec is another company that makes performance apparel, right here in their mill in neighboring Mass.

Heard of Polar Fleece? This is the company that coined the product.

Hats, jackets, technical clothing, mittens, etc. Stay warm.

Turtle Fur

2009-01-22T13:44:00.000-08:00

This is a good one for this kind of weather.

www.turtlefur.com offers neck gaiters, hats, balaclavas, frost masks and head bands, many of which are made in America. And the designs are pretty cool, too.

Check 'em out.

Princeton

2009-01-22T12:30:00.000-08:00

The Princeton Tec Solo Headlamp is made in the USA, and is REALLY handy.

I don't think it's designed for a speedy and well lighted travel, as in trail running or mountain biking at night, but it's really good for lighting a two-handed project in the dark.

See www.Princetontec.com

And it's made in America.

Hey, nice pants...

2009-01-16T04:37:00.000-08:00

Today it was -11 degrees F when I rode my bike to work. Granted, I have less than a 1-mile commute, but it looked like a challenge, so I bit.

My four-season parka, a sweater, long-sleeved T were on top. Khaki's lined with today's favorite Made-in-America product...my SportHill running pants. They're made in "careful with that Axe" Eugene, Oregon. (who can pinpoint that reference?)

SportHill carries a good line of athletic apparel. It ain't cheap, but it's good quality...and it'slocal. REALLY local if you live in Oregon.

You can find them online www.sporthill.com (why isn't this link working?), or at any number of nationwide online retailer such as REI, Sierra Trading Post, LL Bean, zappos.com, Scheels, Backcountry.com, Reno Sports and others.

Stay warm!

Playing Catch Up

2009-01-15T14:02:00.000-08:00

This from the Financial Times today:

Goldman Sachs forecasts that the Chinese economy will overtake that of the US by about 2040. The Economist Intelligence Unit forecasts in terms of purchasing power parity – which adjusts for price differences between countries to reflect actual buying power of local incomes – China will outstrip the US by 2017.

Okay, here's the thing. China's growing economy has lifted millions of Chinese out of poverty, and that's a good thing. But is it such a good thing that it eclipses putting Americans out of work?

Buy local, kids!

made in USA Forever

2009-01-12T07:47:00.000-08:00

Hey, while searching for snow tubes, I found a site that has a large selection of American made products. It's

www.madeinusaforever.com

And, while there are LOTS of products not listed, this is a good place to start!

Going Downhill Fast

2009-01-12T07:30:00.000-08:00

Between Saturday night and Sunday morning, we were blessed with about 4 inches of light fluffy snow...easy to plow and shovel and sweep.

And that gave me a little extra time late in the morning to take the girls out sledding.

The eldest Placid one was so excited about being out sledding, that I had no sooner laced my boots, then she was out on the gentle slope behind our back yard.

She was soon joined by younger Placid one, MODA and me. We had spent about 30 minutes on the gentle slope (with the big hill looming large behind us) when MODA announced she was going in to make lunch.

It was our chance to make our move. We trekked up the big hill (we call it Ski Hill, because there used to be a ski slope with a tow rope up one side), and passed the first slope, which is great sledding. We past the 2nd slope, which is also good sledding, but has a nasty patch of briars at the bottom, and made it all the way to the 3rd slope. Daredevil Hill, we dubbed it.

Eldest went first, after some instructions from Dad on how to bail when the trees got too close at the end. Youngest and I went together next. It all happened so fast, it's hard to tell how it happened, but I can tell you that a boogie board goes REALLY fast down that slope.

We caught an edge and were quickly airborne. My arms and legs flailing, knowing that youngest was out there somewhere, and I wanted to make sure she was safe. Was that a tree? Ouch, that's going to hurt tomorr...why am I still falling? Whump!

It was a great ride, but youngest was headfirst in a pile of snow, with her legs sticking out. The snow didn't muffle her screams very well.

Took her home, and we warmed up. I went out later with the snow tube and a video camera. It was another great run, but I popped the tube on something about halfway down...and came to a sudden and snowy stop. I was laughing pretty hard. My face was encrusted with snow, but the camera was safe.

Now I had to buy another snow tube, and was able to find a big selection of snow tubes online. We settled for a 3-person tube for $30, but there are commercial tubes out there for $60-90...and many of them are made in the USA!

We searched "Snow Tube made in USA" and found a large selection. Have fun going downhill!

East Asheville Hardware part II

2009-01-12T06:54:00.001-08:00

Okay, this is really fascinating...

I recently posted a section of the lyrics to East Asheville Hardware, by David Wilcox.

David's manager, Tom Simonson, wrote back and gave permission for me to post the entire song. I enjoyed his response (see comments from East Asheville Hardware) and his, and David's, committment to supporting local community.

I knew I felt connected to David Wilcox for a reason. Thanks David, and Tom.

An angel appeared
in a holy vision
Stood by my bedside
in shivering light
Spoke my name
Told me my mission
I could not believe I was hearing him right

Because he said,
'Go, my son, go...Always go to East Asheville Hardware
Before you go to Lowe's
He said, "Go to East Asheville HardwareBefore you go to Lowe's
You'll help to keep them open
I'm worried they might close

From the stiff competition
From the national conglomerate
With the full page ad
in the color section of the Sunday paper supplement
and stacks of plastic swimming pools
and seven brands of power tools
and rows and rows of registers
all having nice days

But no, you go, he said to me with light around his face
He said, You go first to that age-old place
To that old wooden door
that you have to close behind you
To the wide-board wooden floorworn down soft
To the real thing
Good advice, quality at a fair price
And know that they know how deep the frost goes here.

Sure there's stuff you'll have to find at Paty's, Lowe's or Sears
But go to East Asheville Hardware
Go to East Asheville Hardware
Before it disappears.

East Asheville Hardware

2009-01-08T14:04:00.000-08:00

Why do I push so hard to buy American? Part of it's because I've seen jobs lost. I'm worried about cold-war implications of the mighty power of the US dollar going overseas.

Part of it's because my Dad raised me that way. Our family business couldn't have survived the arrival of Home Depot or Lowes.

And a small part is because of David Wilcox, who penned the song "East Ashville Hardware."

And I'm not sure how much text I can quote without infringing on some copyright issue, so here's a link to the lyrics:

http://www.stlyrics.com/songs/d/davidwilcox1052/eastashevillehardware48057.html

"Sure, there's things you'll have to buy at Penny's, Lowes and Sears, but shop at East Ashville Hardware before it disappears." - David Wilcox, 1995

Outer Limits

2009-01-08T13:36:00.000-08:00

Fall of 1989, I drove past Pungo Virginia with a friend, took the Currituck Ferry from Knotts Island, drove a bit on 158, crossed a bridge and found Carolina's Outer Banks near Kitty Hawk.

It was night. I had my trusty Fender acoustic. My buddy was driving and we had a great time regaling the locals on the ferry, and on the beach, while we were out there.

The trip back seemed to take forever, but I remember being in bed before 2:00 a.m...because I had to work the next morning.

1989 was the last time I had been to the Outer Banks.

Until now.

I'm not a good enough writer to describe the joy I felt, spending the week with the Minister of Domestic Affairs (MODA), the young Placid ones, and my brother's family. The company, the food, the sunshine, the sand between the toes (and in belly buttons, and shoes, and pants pockets, and hair, and), the surf, the warm breeze (and the stiff cold wind), the love, the friendship and the laughter are beyond my abiltiy to share adequately.

The young Placid ones earned their (American Made) Junior Ranger badges at 3 national historic areas (Roanoke Island, Kitty Hawk, Cape Hatteras Lighthouse).

I'll admit buying a couple of my staff members some cheap (but kinda cool) Chinese-made souvenirs. But most of our small selection of souvenirs were American made. The best ones are the photos we took. But the lasting memories (this is the first time in a long time I can report feeling the stress completely leave me...however momentariy) are wonderful.

Thanks to NUTUBA and his family, and to MODA and the young Placid ones for a great week at the beach.

THAT was a bit of money that's going to stay in the local economy!

Brand New Strings

2009-01-08T13:25:00.000-08:00

Brand New Strings is the name of a Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder disc...and it's pretty incredible. The title track features a (then) 22 year-old kid who blows me away with his flat pickin'. If I hadn't seen him play this (twice), I'd hardly believe what I was hearing on the CD. There's a moment in the song where the guy is playing a bazillion notes per second, and Ricky Skaggs calmly calls on him, "Wear it out, Johnny."

So, one of my non-Christmas presents this year was a well-used Epiphone (made in Korea) guitar. Looks to be a Les Paul Junior model, but with 2 humbucking pickups instead of 1...or a Les Paul, without "the top" on the guitar. Needed some bridge adjusting (still does), some contact cleaner on the pickup selector switch, some neck adjustments, some knob work, and a set of brand new strings.

I got the axe from a friend, who happens to be my boss. I mentioned to him several years ago, when doing some work in his storage shed, that I'd be willing to buy the thing off him if he ever decided to get rid of it. Turned out to be a gift.

I strung her up with some Ernie Ball Extra Slinky (.09) strings. Checking out the package, I noted that the strings were made in the USA. So I checked my other strings...D'Adarrio's, I use the phosphor bronze on my acoustics, are also made in the USA.

Wear it out, Johnny!

Sock it to me!

2009-01-07T10:10:00.000-08:00

This one is a brand called TEKO, and they're running / cycling socks. Listen to how cool these are. Not only are they made in the USA, but they're 56% Ingeo...a corn-based fiber, 22% recycled polyester (so THAT's where my old wide-lapel suit went!) and 22% virgin fiber. I just like saying that word...

The little bit of packaging these things come in is made from 100% recycled paper, printed with soy-based inks.

And 100% of the energy used in the production and packaging of TEKO socks is offset by the purchase of clean wind energy.

The products don't get much better than that.

And, as I am wont to do, I have to present this comment: Although I'm generally not in favor of producing non-food products (ethanol, soy-based bio diesel) from what could otherwise be food products, I do like this Ingeo technology. It's certainly renewable, if not sustainable.

visit them at www.tekosocks.com

Smile Pretty for Atlanta

2009-01-05T06:56:00.000-08:00

This year, the things I received as gifts were largely made in America. I'll share those as I have time. But I'll start with this one.

http://www.recycline.com/toothbrush.html

It's a toothbrush. Made in the USA. Out of recycled yogurt containers. The other cool thing is that this company provides postage-paid mailing labels to return the toothbrush back to the manufacturer so they can make plastic timber out of them.

They have an odd angle to them, opposite of a REACH brand toothbrush. It's comfortable to use, and is pretty well thought out.

Save Money. Live Better

2008-12-16T11:52:00.001-08:00

That's WalMart*s latest tag line.

Save Money. Live Better.

Just like NUTUBA over at http://nutuba.blogspot.com/ , it's hard to understand how someone can save money by spending money. I imagine the logic flows like this:

This GameBoy was $160 over at store A, but here at store W, it's $149. Think of how much money I saved!

Okay, let's be fair. I shop bargains. If I'm going to buy something, I want the best price. We all do. But I don't pretend I'm saving money by buying something cheaper. I'm merely spending less money. Tough semantics? Let's try another one.

The price of gas goes up. I stop driving my car, in favor of my bicycle. I'm spending less by actually using less. I'm saving money.

The Minister of Domestic Affairs also wants to spend less on gas, so she buys a new car that gets really good gas mileage. Saving money? Not really. Spending less on gas, I suppose.

In fact, when gasoline was $4 / gallon, we figured the amount of money she wasn't spending on gasoline was roughly equivalent to a car payment. That's cool!

But now gas is back down to $2....oh well. It was fun while it lasted.

So, Save Money. Live Better. I think we've beaten the "Save Money" part to within an inch of its life. Let's focus on the "live better" part.

I can only assume that the suggestion here is that we can live better with more stuff. Or we can buy more stuff (and live better) with the money we're saving by buying stuff.

Thomas Jefferson had lots of cool stuff. I've seen Monticello. I'm really familiar with UVA. He invented much of it, and created, or had his slaves create, much of it.

I have a lot of admiration for Mr. Jefferson, and recognize his limitations as a man.

He did have a mantra that I adopted in the early '90's...while on an aircraft carrier near the Gulf of Aden.

Spend some time every day devoted to the improvement of the mind, the body and the spirit.

My mantra was a little different: If you're not improving your mind, your spirit or your body, you're wasting your time.

There's been a lot of spinoff "mind body spirit" thinkers out there that embrace relaxation therapies that claim to help all three at the same time. Maybe there's merit to that, but I'm not afraid to approach these separately, knowing there's some synergy there somewhere.

Is gardening a waste of time? I can justify gardening as good for the body (health foods, days spent in sunshine), good for the mind (trying to outwit birds, rabbits, deer, and other garden pests) and the soul, understanding that the miracle of turning water into wine still happens to this very day, through the work of viticulturists....understanding that we cannot create life, only be stewards of a miracle that is given to us.

It's easy to justify a lot of activities as good for the mind, or the body, or the soul. And I can only think of a few that wouldn't qualify, without some creative explanation:

Watching trash TV. I'm guilty. I waste an hour a week on that. Granted, I'm usually shoulder-to-shoulder with my wife, and that's a really nice thing. But I could be reading, or cleaning, or cooking or practicing my guitar.

Blogging: Gadzooks...is this good for me at all? Maybe it's good therapy. Maybe it's just electronic narcissism. Help me here...

Buying stuff: We're so conditioned that he who dies with the most stuff wins, that we can't get past ourselves to stop the habits. I have plenty of stuff. I have plenty of stuff I wish I didn't have, and I certainly have plenty of stuff I didn't have to buy. I still buy stuff...a camelback for long bike rides, a Chinese-made fishing pole for my kids, a fondue pot, for that once every 3-year event.

Personal video games. Biggest time waster of all. I suppose I can let a Wii go...knowing that it's often played with other people around. That can be justified by calling it "togetherness." Drives me nuts, though, to be on a church camping trip, sitting around the fire, tuning up the ol' Fender, watching 9 faces completely taken by their own personal video game or blackberry.

Let us break bread toge....hey, you there, break bread before I break your iPod...

Remember the Archees?

2008-12-16T11:13:00.001-08:00

Sugar, ah honey-honey...

So, while I'm handing out hints at what I want for Christmas (did I mention I bought the Minister of Domestic Affairs an American made ice scraper?), let me throw this one out:

Honey!

I use it for baking, for chili, for my breakfast toast, and stirred into my oatmeal.

I've used it on scrapes and cuts (raw honey acts as an antibiotic, and is the only thing that MRSA isn't resistant to).

And since I don't have bees, this year I'm giving out a New England specialty, maple syrup.

Maple syrup is simple, but time consuming. It takes about 40 gallons of maple sap (which is more like water) to boil off and make 1 gallon of syrup. Early in the season, late February or early March, it takes less...about 30:1 gallons to syrup. Late in March, the ratio was closer to 70:1

Lots of firewood and long days boiling off sap. But well worth it.

Last Spring, I made a maple glazed creme brulee, using honey instead of sugar, local eggs, local creme and a reduced maple glaze on top, in lieu of burnt sugar. What a treat!

And not only was this made in the USA, all the ingredients came from within 1 mile of my house.

Consider baked goods, or local foods (either given or received) as gifts this year. No clutter!

Nalgene Bottles

2008-12-15T12:16:00.000-08:00

Marketing being what it is, the makers of stainless steel drinking bottles, bolstered by some science behind it, have made known that Nalgene bottles contain (or used to contain) BPA, or Bisphenol-A, and that we should avoid exposure to BPA. i.e., we should avoid buying nalgene drinking bottles, and buy their products instead.

Fair enough. Marketing's doing what it's supposed to do. Those stainless steel Klean Kanteens are selling like hotKakes. And maybe that's a good thing.

Problem is, those Klean Kanteens are manufactured in China, where they're not all that able to boast of their environmental stewardship. That might also explain the spelling problem.

I won't try to tell you that one product is safe over another. That's your own call. I'm not a scientist, and I didn't stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night, but I can suggest that you use your head to figure these things out. As a good friend (and brother) mentioned in his blog, not everything on the internet is true and accurate.

This, for example, is from www.bisphenol-a.org

You decide:

"Researchers from government agencies, academia, and industry worldwide have studied the potential for bisphenol A (BPA) to migrate from polycarbonate products into foods and beverages. These studies consistently show that the potential migration of BPA into food is extremely low, generally less than 5 parts per billion under conditions typical for uses of polycarbonate products. At this level, a consumer would have to ingest more than 1,300 pounds of food and beverages in contact with polycarbonate every day for an entire lifetime to exceed the safe level of BPA set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Consequently, human exposure to BPA from polycarbonate plastics is minimal and poses no known health risk."

Yeah, I don't really know what that means, either. Call me a cynic, but the simple fact that this research came from "government agencies, academia, and industry worldwide" raises my level of skepticism.

So, here's an option...a BPA-free Nalgene bottle that's made in the USA! It's called the Nalgene Triton.

Toast!

Up Against the Wahl (or Win it by a Whisker)

2008-12-12T13:49:00.000-08:00

Since 1997, I've paid for 4 professional haircuts...maybe a total of $50.

In 1997, I bought a set of electric hair shears...the kind the old-time barbers, the real barbers (not that there's any shame in being a men's beautician) use.

Guys haircuts are pretty inexpensive. I don't think I've ever paid more than ten bucks plus tip. It used to average maybe 6 bucks in college. It was about that in the Navy. But a decent haircut in C'ville ran about ten dollars.

Roger Blatchford used to charge a buck-fifty for kids. $3.50 for adults. Summer Mohawks were free.

In the past 11 years, at ten bucks a pop, every three weeks...that's about $1,900 we've saved in my haircuts. Take out the cost of the machine, and the 4 haircuts I've had done professionally since 1997, and we still came out straight ahead.

AND, there's no waiting in line. And I'm pretty sure my barber knows me pretty well.

Wahl makes a great line of hair care appliances...shears, razors, trimmers, groomers, nose-hair cutters, beard edgers...

And Wahl makes them all right here in the United States.

If you're not comfortable with your spouse doing your hair, Wahl also makes dog trimmers, for when Scooby starts to look more like Shaggy.

Go get a haircut!

Finding my Balance

2008-12-09T15:49:00.000-08:00

Or my New Balance, I should say.

After a quick online search, and a recommendation from a friend, I've learned that New Balance makes many of their shoes in one of six US factories. I'm not sure, yet, which models are made here, but the New Balance web site tells us that they won't mark them with "Made in USA" unless they contain 70% or more of domestic products. Some components of running shoes apparently aren't readily avaialble in the United States.

I'll buy that.

And, New Balance owns Dunham, maker of work boots and shoes. At least some of their product line is still manufactured competitively in the United States. Good for them.

This Vacuum Sucks

2008-12-09T15:39:00.000-08:00

Yes it does, it's a Shop-Vac brand, and it's made here in the good ol' US of A. Because the vacuum motor isn't in the path of things that are picked up, you can easily suck of ball bearings, pet hair, and small children* without damage to the machine or worry of plugging up the works.

*don't try this at home, or anywhere for that matter.

And because the suction path doesn't pass through the motor, you can suck up liquids, too. It's great for big spills, overflows and minor floods.

Look for the Union Libel

2008-12-08T13:01:00.000-08:00

So, I won't get all political on you here, but I gotta tell you that I'm not a big fan of unions. That's no secret to folks who know me. It's not a popular stance among many. That's okay. This ain't no beauty contest.

Here's the conundrum: Many items that are still made in the USA are made by labor unions. Textiles, automobiles (do they still make cars in the US?), microwave ovens and work boots. All made by unions.

I don't want to put anyone out of a job. In fact, I'm trying to save our jobs.

I'm just pretty sure it can demonstrated to a satifactory level of convincing that part of the reason that our jobs are overseas, that our walkie-talkies are all made in China, is because they have sweat shops.

Unions stopped (most of) the sweat shops in the United States. That was a good thing. Our workers deserve a good living wage. They don't all deserve the SAME wage, of course, but they need to be able to put a decent dinner on the table after 8 or 9 hours of good honest work.

Now the guy who installs windshield wipers on Ford F-150's makes $70,000 / year. Probably more than the job merits. I'm not saying the guy's not worth 70 G's. I'm just saying that his JOB isn't worth 70 grand.

The Union Boss is making 10-times that. And he's collecting all the union dues from the happy employees who are making $70,000 per year.

The other part of the reason that all our computer monitors are made in China is because our employees just cost way too much. If I had to pay all my employees $70,000, plus bennies, my budget wouldn't support it, and I'd have to let some of them go. Simple economics. Simple math, even.

So, for those of us who don't want a socialist society, we believe that the bus-boy at the local diner is worth less than the Union Boss, or at least worth less than the owner of the diner who took the risk with his own capital to start the business.

The higher echelon at any organization should make a lot of money. They're taking a risk. They're employing millions of Americans making what should be a great product. They have to make tough decisions. They should make good money for moving our economy forward. I'd say a couple of million ought to be enough. Let's call it ten million. But hundreds of millions? At what point is it doing what's right for America, and when is it just plain greed?

At what point is a garment working in Ashville, NC who makes $60,000 to make blue jeans making a decent living, and at what point is the pay beyond the job description? I don't know the answer, but I have some opinions.

Anyone else wonder why everything sold at Stuff Mart is cheap?

Putcher Money Where Yer Mouth Is

2008-12-08T12:40:00.000-08:00

You may be saying, Okay, Mr. (I am a Mr. though the androgeny offered on the internet doesn't always make that clear) Disciple of all that is Made in the USA, I'll bet I can come into your house and find a dozen things made in China. What do you have to say about that?

I'd say that you can find more than a dozen. Hundreds, maybe. I have a lot of junk.

Last year, I replaced dozens of incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent ones...saves lots of energy...but they're all made in China.

My TV, toaster, telephone, 2 computers, DVD player, CD players (several), most of my wardrobe...and, get this, my daughter's American Girl outfit are all made in China. As are my washing machine, my running shoes...my beloved Asics running shoes, my camera, my video camera, my cell phone (my wife's really, I don't own one of those electronic leashes, yet), my pediatric thermometer (yes, I put that in my child's mouth).

So here's the challenge. Find me a camera made in the USA (I used to own a Kodak), running shoes (good ones, now, I'm not going to get injured over this crusade) and a manufacturer of CD's, and I'll give them my business.

Buy American!

The Show Must Go On...

2008-12-08T12:03:00.000-08:00

Reminds me of Pink Floyd's "The Wall" album...

Today's gift idea is something our family has done annually. It's not the only present we exchange, but it's a great one. Provides lasting memories (with photos taken with my Chinese made camera...anybody know of an American made camera?)

It's a set of tickets to an event...a baseball game, a hockey match, a Broadway show, the local production of the Nutcracker, The Sing-along Messiah. Yes, I mentioned this a few days ago.

Last year we saw Kristin Chenoweth at the Met. Set us back $360 (as do most shows at the Met), but it was a great experience, supporting local musicians and local caterers.

This year, my gift to my folks, in addition to a tin of Harney Tea (www.harney.com) from nearby Salisbury, CT (the actual packing company is in nearer-by Millerton, NY) was 4 tickets to the Rockettes at Radio City. Grandma and Grandpa spent a few good hours with the girls (my girls, and the Rockettes...there must have been 57 legs kicking up there...) before grabbing a train back home.

You gotta change your expectations a bit. You can still open the envelope with the tickets, or an IOU, on Christmas morning. No assembly, or batteries, required.

But the memory of the daughters, wide eyed at the majesty of the Met, giddy with the performance, and daughter youngest falling asleep in my arms with 3 songs remaining on the bill, not even stirring for the encore, is something I'll cherish for ever.

I'll never get that satisfaction from a pair of Hong-Kong made khakis.

Black Friday Stampede

2008-12-08T11:39:00.000-08:00

I promise my tirades will remain light-hearted, and my disdain for "stuff" will be tempered with some humor, but I want to get serious for a few minutes to remind us all what we've read with horror in the papers lately.

You're probably aware that, on November 28th, inside the doors at Wal*Mart Jdimytai "Jimbo" Damour was trampeled to death as the busiest shopping day of the year turned ugly early.

Unbelievable.

In addition to Mr. Damour, there were 4 others, including a pregnant woman, who were injured. Some of the shoppers became indignant when informed they would have to suspend their shopping momentarily while the medical professionals tended to the injured.

I'll stop short of blaming Wal*Mart for this tragedy. They perhaps could have been better prepared (what, we have a lot of shoppers this morning?). It's not the world's biggest trading partner with China who created this type of behavior. Is it?

But this is the cost of a human life...good prices on imported stuff. Do you suppose Mr. Damour's family gets an instant price rollback on specially marked items?

Shop on...

My Recent Favorite Gift Idea

2008-12-05T08:18:00.000-08:00

I'll send periodic gift ideas here, many of which are high quality (sometimes expensive) items that are useful and helpful. But I don't want to be like the man in the funny JC Penny commercial "Dual Bag" who was sent to the dog house for buying his wife a nice dual bag vacuum cleaner for Christmas.

A pair of nice Cutco kitchen sheers is American made, high quality and very useful, but not particularly romantic. If you NEED them, they're great. If it's just another thing to have in your kitchen, you may want to reconsider.

In the interest of simplifying, and reducing "stuff," one of my recent favorite gifts is a gift to Heifer International (wwww.heifer.org). This from their web site:

"This holiday season, struggling families in the U.S. and around the world are counting on gifts of hope from generous people like you. Imagine no lines, no parking hassles and no meaningless gifts. Better yet, imagine giving those in need an opportunity to lift themselves out of poverty with a gift that also honors your friends and family."

Aren't familiar with Heifer? Your gift of a goat, a chicken, a cow, or a hive of bees will provide food and education for folks who desperately need nutrition. Nothing to clutter up your mud room or closets. Check 'em out.

Jobs in America

2008-12-04T04:52:00.000-08:00

It's been noted that Stuff Mart is a pretty big employer of American workers.

I don't wish to suggest that we put them out of business.

I only wish to signal to them that we'd prefer if they sold items made in the USA.

The prices will (probably) be higher...and why is that? How can we ship raw materials overseas, have them produced into a certain widget, and have them shipped back to us for less than we can make them here?

As Pa Grape once said, "That's just nuts!"

So, here's my sometimes-daily recommendation for a great item made in the USA...the MAGLITE flashlight, made right here in Ontario, California. Very durable and heavy duty. Their new LED flashlight provides good light, and lasts for a long long time on a normal set of batteries.

If you're really splurging this year

2008-12-03T13:26:00.001-08:00

Just remember that Corvettes are still made in America.

Some Ideas Perhaps?

2008-12-03T13:13:00.001-08:00

Okay, so I'm asking you to buy American? What kind of lousy Christmas are your kids going to have if you don't buy them the latest electro-gizmo from China? Will they be labeled "dork" if they don't get the newest addition to Wii this year?

Maybe, but they'll be dorks with a conscience, and with employed parents. Try these options for gifts:

A quart of maple syrup.

A gift basket of "Pain is Good" salsa.

Loggerhead (tm) wrenches

Burt's Bees skin and beauty products

Texas blue jeans

Any number of local artisan specialty items such as salad bowls, bracelets and other jewelry, throw rugs, blankets, etc.

Tickets to the Nutcracker, the Rockettes, a local museum, a night at the theater, or the Sing-along Messiah.

A CD of local music. The CD (and the CD player) may be made in China, but you're supporting your local community with the purchase.

What else can you think of?

Transfer of Wealth

2008-12-03T12:49:00.000-08:00

I was in Target the other day, getting a family photo taken, and I was struck again by the number of products sold in "Stuff Marts" such as Target, K-Mart, Wal*Mart, Sam's Club that are made in China.

Between the checkout counters and the photo lab in the back of the store, I stopped and examined tags hoping to find something made in the USA. I found 6 things, and most were food items.

For the last three years, my only criteria for Christmas and birthday presents is that they not be made in China. It's hard to find these things in Stuff Mart, but not as hard as you might think.

So, I thought I'd take this crusade online and help provide direction to those poor souls who know no better than to do their shopping at Stuff Mart.

There's lots of information out there. Just Google "Made in America."

If you already conduct internet commerce, and chances are if you found this web site you do, then it's easy to buy your American made blue jeans online. Or your toys for your kids, etc.

The first web site that I'll endorse here is: www.madeinusaforever.com

I'll provide directions elsewhere, and look for your input.

Buying American can save America!

Be good, y'all.