American Made

I'm tired of Made in China on everything.  I'm tired of wondering how far my stuff has come to get to me.  I'm tired of cut rate costs meaning cut rate products, but since they ALL suck there isn't much that complaining can accomplish.  Until, that is, someone actually listens.  I'm on a hunt to start making my home an American Made home, and there is one place I'm starting:  All American Clothing Co.  I know almost nothing about them, and haven't shopped them yet, but I'm so willing to spend a little more to buy from a home team.  And guess what?  A lot of their stuff isn't more expensive.  They have tees starting at $9, not bad.

One of these days I will stop being moved by people that don't care about my stuff, and I will be willing to spend good money on good furniture.  I'm already saving for Stickley's gorgeous heirloom furniture.  I once watched John Ratzenberger stand inside a drawer still in the dresser on his show, Made in America.

I'm not getting paid to talk about these manufactures, and I'm not getting free product.  In fact, they have no idea who I am or that I'm writing about them.  That isn't the point, the point is that I'm looking to vote with my dollars to bring back manufacturing to American shores.  To make our nation, once again, a strong nation of hardworking builders that bring more to the world than just the latest Ap.

So, any other thoughts out there?  Any American manufactures that you want to pass on?

~The DO

Business Practices

Murphy's Law at Lagniappe's Lair has a post up here about the Dealer Showroom out of Klamath, Oregon and it's owner, John Bush. Now I've never done business with these people but I trust Murphy's Law's judgement and after reading about his experiences with this company and owner I can safely say I'll never do business with them unless and until they radically change their customer service practices.

Lu and I have a rule. We'll pay a little extra for excellent service and refuse to give our hard earned money to any individual or company who treats customers as irritations or sources of one time only income.

Don't give money to anyone who hasn't earned it. Sounds like an indictment of the government now that I think on it.

Six

The wisdom of those that actually make a PROFIT

The Sarge passed on a link that is well worth your time to view. The subject is national finance and the man talking is Steve Wynn. Now, if you don't know who Steve Wynn is, I will sum up.

Steve Wynn inherited a small business from his father and turned himself into a billionaire. Yeah, billionaire. This is a man that made his money investing in lavish resorts in Las Vegas, paying thousands of employees, dealing with State and Federal bureaucracies, and has set a standard in Vegas. He built the Mirage, Treasure Island, the Bellagio, and finally the Wynn Las Vegas. Each hotel has built on his previous accomplishments and has been continually refined. In a city like Vegas, to continue to build and run successful hotels is a major accomplishment.

And I will repeat: through his hotels across the US he has had to deal with unions, workers, health care issues, State governments, the Federal government. So he may know a thing or two about the system. Now, here is an interview with him from May 2010 where he talks about the direction the nation is going.

For some reason it's setting the video way down on the page and I can't fix it... Just keep going, it's there!

h/t to the Sarge

-The DO