BS: If I Sound Predjudice......

Subject: RE: BS: If I Sound Predjudice......
From: Beer
Date: 06 Jun 08 - 10:13 AM

Lol.

Subject: RE: BS: If I Sound Predjudice......
From: beardedbruce
Date: 06 Jun 08 - 10:12 AM

Well, he needs to know that there are enough rust holes in the body to prevent it from staying afloat...

Subject: RE: BS: If I Sound Predjudice......
From: Beer
Date: 06 Jun 08 - 10:10 AM

beardedbruce, I just gave your Jeep away. Go to the Thread : What Part of Mudcat Doesn't Work. I don't know where Zen is located but he could have a long swim to get to you.

Subject: RE: BS: If I Sound Predjudice......
From: pdq
Date: 06 Jun 08 - 10:08 AM

I had an orange 1976 Hornet hatchback. Trans was a Chrysler 727 and engine was the 258 CID that Jeep owners brag about. That was a fine car. Air conditioning (also made by Chrysler) couild give one frostbite in Arizona.

Subject: RE: BS: If I Sound Predjudice......
From: beardedbruce
Date: 06 Jun 08 - 09:59 AM

No, but for a lot of $$$ you can get my AMX...

Subject: RE: BS: If I Sound Predjudice......
From: pdq
Date: 06 Jun 08 - 09:55 AM

You woudn't throw in a Pacer or a Gremlin, would ya? Levi package preferred.

Subject: RE: BS: If I Sound Predjudice......
From: beardedbruce
Date: 06 Jun 08 - 07:57 AM

anyone want my 79 Jeep Cherokee Chief ( on the J20 chassis)?

Lost of rust but only about 15K miles on this dirvetrain ( 360/quadratrac automatic)

I can bring it to the Getaway!

Subject: RE: BS: If I Sound Predjudice......
From: pdq
Date: 04 Jun 08 - 08:36 PM

The Jeep 4.0 inline 6 is a fine mill, but so was the AMC "five main bearings" 258 CID found in earlier Jeeps

Subject: RE: BS: If I Sound Predjudice......
From: GUEST,Chief Chaos
Date: 04 Jun 08 - 08:20 PM

Consumer's Digest did give the last couple of years of Jeep Liberty pretty high marks. I have ridden in them and find them just a little small compared to my '94 Cherokee that is still going strong with nearly 200K miles.

Subject: RE: BS: If I Sound Predjudice......
From: pdq
Date: 04 Jun 08 - 07:24 PM

Daimler-Benz bought Chrysler Corp. around 7MAY1998 for $36 billion. They sold it to a group in investors called Cerberus about 15MAY2007. They sold 80% for 7.4 billion. Obviously it was a poor investment, at least the raw numbers suggest that.

They did leave one minor gem. The Jeep Liberty was available with a Mercedes-Benz diesel engine around 2002-7. It has the potential to be a real long-lasting classic.

Subject: RE: BS: If I Sound Predjudice......
From: GUEST,Chief Chaos
Date: 04 Jun 08 - 07:07 PM

Gnu,

Sometime after Chrysler took over Jeep, the brand just started to go to hell. I don't know if it was a conscious decision or not but the always dependable, go everywhere vehicle just became crap.
I do know that marketing has played a part in it. The Dodge Durango was supposed to be the new version of the Jeep Grand Wagoneer after the old version was discontinued in 1991. The Dodge Calibre is the same vehicle as the Jeep Compass but was released six months before the Compass (and we had been eagerly awaiting the Compass, until they announced it would not be offered with full or even part-time 4 wheel drive). They also managed to make the Compass the uglier of the two vehicles. The faithful standard small SUV, the Cherokee, was made smaller and more and more brick-like that it was discontinued, I'm guessing because of competition with Chrysler products. They also stopped producing the most dependable engine that was the standard, the 4.0 inline six. The only mark that didn't get squashed was the Wrangler probably because it is the great, great grandson of the original and has something of a cult following. The current gas crisis might do it in unless the promised diesel engine is a good strong and reliable replacement.

Subject: RE: BS: If I Sound Predjudice......
From: gnu
Date: 03 Jun 08 - 07:26 PM

The FJ has a cabin air filter. Did I mention I could put my arms down? Them thar Japanese must be some big buggers on accounta the Jeep... hmmm... maybe they are sellin the Jeep in Japan and the FJ over here to fellahs with a decent sized chest?

Hehehe... even the Jeep salesman was a dweeb.... I pointed out that the rear tow hook was welded in place so that it would have to be cut off to install a trailer tow package. He said that the hook was for hauling it out. I was in disbelief! I said, "It's a Jeep! You are not supposed to have to haul it out! It's supposed to go anywhere. Don't you mean that tow hook is for hauling FJ's out?" He laughed and said, "That's a good one. I must remember that."

WTF???

Yesterday, at the service garage getting a rotation and alignment... two Pontiac Montana SV6's on hoists side by each.... 2007's... one was having it's third set of discs, the other it's second. They are such crap that they must be replaced, not milled. And, one needed bearings. Sorry... no bearings available. What is wrong with the Yanks? Is it because they own so much of the Asian industry after WW2?... and are "giving it" to their fellows? Seriously.... I find all this rather odd and not very comfortable.

Subject: RE: BS: If I Sound Predjudice......
From: GUEST,Chief Chaos
Date: 03 Jun 08 - 05:24 PM

I was going to say something about the rugs being made with recycled back hair from French Salons but I suddenly came to my senses...

Subject: RE: BS: If I Sound Predjudice......
From: Peace
Date: 02 Jun 08 - 09:08 PM

"So when did Belgium become a cheap goods exporter?"

They buy wholesale from China?

Subject: RE: BS: If I Sound Predjudice......
From: Beer
Date: 02 Jun 08 - 09:06 PM

That is interesting.

Subject: RE: BS: If I Sound Predjudice......
From: Bee
Date: 02 Jun 08 - 08:38 PM

You can be surprised by where cheap goods come from. My local lowcost variety store has been selling these great rugs for the past two years. They are imitation oriental rugs, woven, very nice 'oriental' colours and patterns, durable, stain resistent, a bit thin. The 48X68 inch one costs $19.00 Can. I own four of 'em now. They are made in.... Belgium!

So when did Belgium become a cheap goods exporter?

Subject: RE: BS: If I Sound Predjudice......
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 02 Jun 08 - 08:22 PM

I still remember my shock when I read a label on a toy someone gave my son some 40 years ago: Japanese quality at US prices!

Subject: RE: BS: If I Sound Predjudice......
From: gnu
Date: 02 Jun 08 - 04:56 AM

meself... none. I gave the good one I had to an elderly person with sever arthritis. Looked for one like it for quite a while before I happened to spy one in The Dollar Store.

Subject: RE: BS: If I Sound Predjudice......
From: Beer
Date: 01 Jun 08 - 11:33 PM

frogprince,
I went through the very same thing about a month after I bought a belt which looked pretty damn good to me. I turned the belt over to match the brown pants I was gointg to wear. I then turned the buckle and snap. Off came the buckle in my hand. Yep, made in China, but I of course didn't keep the receipt.

Subject: RE: BS: If I Sound Predjudice......
From: meself
Date: 01 Jun 08 - 09:43 PM

Hmmmm ... I can't give you an answer right now - I'll have the team look into it ...

By the way - how many ice-cream scoops, China-made or otherwise, do you go through in a typical month? Just curious.

Subject: RE: BS: If I Sound Predjudice......
From: gnu
Date: 01 Jun 08 - 06:24 PM

Meself.... why can I find lots of ice cream scoops made "here" that are crap and a few bucks and then find one in The Dollar Store that is simple and cheap and is MIC for a buck? Is Daimler Chrysler making the ice cream scoops here?

Subject: RE: BS: If I Sound Predjudice......
From: GUEST,Chief Chaos
Date: 01 Jun 08 - 04:38 PM

Just remember that when you buy from China you are supporting their demand for natural resources that we are all getting so upset about! They don't have environmental laws regarding the use of those resources or for the products they are creating. At least they know how to take care of their lead "problem", just export it to us!

On the farm goods, I try to stay away from the animal type goods just to support the local fishermen and livestock types. Without regulations in place you don't know what type of insecticides, hormones, antibiotics, etc. might be in the imported foods. Fruits and Veggies at least make sense when they aren't in season in this hemisphere.

Wirginia/West Virginia have some pretty fine apple orchards. We have been picking for a few years now. Before that it was the peach orchards and strawberries in North Carolina!

Subject: RE: BS: If I Sound Predjudice......
From: meself
Date: 01 Jun 08 - 12:06 PM

Two points:

1) If you buy from a dollar store, you should not be surprised if your purchase is not top quality, made in the USA;

2) For some items, you may be further ahead financially to buy them from the dollar store and keep replacing them from the dollar store as needed;

3) The market is flooded with Chinese goods for the same reason that McDonalds is in Europe: people are paying for them.

Sorry - I said I was going to make four points, and that's only one.

Subject: RE: BS: If I Sound Predjudice......
From: Ed T
Date: 01 Jun 08 - 11:35 AM

Bad things about china include poor labour and environmental laws, and gov't refusal to respect/enforce patients/copyright laws. They may be the king of knock-off products...that look like the real stuff...but don't stand up.

Challenge: find something in a dollar store that's not made i china. But then, years ago it was Japan and Tiawan products in the low end marketplace.

Subject: RE: BS: If I Sound Predjudice......
From: GUEST,Arnie
Date: 01 Jun 08 - 11:26 AM

Check your underpants. My McGreggor cotton underwear, - great quality - I just checked- Made in China

Subject: RE: BS: If I Sound Predjudice......
From: Alice
Date: 01 Jun 08 - 10:47 AM

A folksinger in Missoula wrote a song about trying to buy a hammer that was not made in China. She used to have songs on mp3.com. Maybe I can find it on another site. It's a good song.

Subject: RE: BS: If I Sound Predjudice......
From: Bobert
Date: 01 Jun 08 - 08:39 AM

Ya' kinda have to watch out for Chinese made tools, also... Some are absolute junk... It's buyer-beware here...

B~

Subject: RE: BS: If I Sound Predjudice......
From: Slag
Date: 01 Jun 08 - 06:56 AM

China IS a sweat shop!

Subject: RE: BS: If I Sound Predjudice......
From: gnu
Date: 01 Jun 08 - 04:08 AM

Yes, Irving owns a bit more than 40% of the private enterprise in the Province of New Brunswick, along with most of the government (just a joke... ha ha ha... ahhhh...) Don't forget McCains, one of the first and foremost in frozen food products in the world, or, they were.

Apples... yup. We got a peck-full down here in the good old Merrytimes. And, we have been known to grow a few spuds, too. And, we live next to the Atlantic Ocean.

I can spit on Sobeys, The Real Atlantic Superstore (Loblaws?), Costco, Walmart, Atlantic Coop, Crapping Tire, Princess Auto, Sears, Zellers, and many others, from where I am typing this. Fruit and veggies from all over the Americas, Europe, Asia. Seafood galore from Europe, Taiwan, China. Tools and machinery, same deal. But the most amazing thing to me is at Walmart. Even though we are ass deep in spuds and chickens, Walmart sells a 1.25kg tub of "Potato Salad with Egg" for $3.47 by the truckload (and it's the best tasting of the lot around here)... from Beaverton, Oregon... now, that is one long spit!!!

Gurney said a mouthful re the Japanese vehicles. I would like to buy Canuck/American. But, I sat in a Jeep and I can't put my arms down. My left elbow hits the door. I sat in an FJ Cruiser. Comfy. I could go on about the Jeep, about the air conditioning being a removable top, and no towing capacity, and none available with automatic transmission (I am a grown man... WHY would I want a standard tranny?), etc, but I'll just say this. If the Yanks can't even make a woods vehicle with a cover over the gas cap to keep mud and crap off it (oh, you can get one on the fancy, yuppy, limited edition homobile for big $$$... it's CHROME, BTW), then I may be FORCED to buy the Toyota. Until the Chinese make a better one... seems the Yanks just don't care.

And, yes, I know about Daimler Chrysler.

Subject: RE: BS: If I Sound Predjudice......
From: Skivee
Date: 01 Jun 08 - 02:49 AM

I've noticed that many Chinese made plastic goods break down much sooner than they should be.
I also make it a practice to demure from buying Chinese export foods.

Subject: RE: BS: If I Sound Predjudice......
From: Ruth Archer
Date: 01 Jun 08 - 01:57 AM

I'm less worried about economic invasion than I am about the exploitation of workers in China and India, which allows us to have so many cheap products in the West. A couple of recent TV documentaries in the UK have been real eye-openers - the working conditions in modern-day India, for example, make the Victorian mill or factory look luxurious.

Subject: RE: BS: If I Sound Predjudice......
From: Amos
Date: 01 Jun 08 - 01:30 AM

It is not prejudice to resist economic invasion, anymore than it is to join the underground against a military invasion.

A

Subject: RE: BS: If I Sound Predjudice......
From: Gurney
Date: 01 Jun 08 - 01:06 AM

At risk of sounding old, I remember when it was Japanese gear that was cheap and crappy. Shortly thereafter it was cheap and pretty good. Then not so cheap, but good. Now, dear and good.

When you buy Chinese, you are just getting in on the ground floor.

When all the world is on similar wages, we can go back to buying locally made.

Subject: RE: BS: If I Sound Predjudice......
From: Ed T
Date: 31 May 08 - 11:50 PM

Throw in McCain's, Sobeys and Jodrey's and you got the rest.

Subject: RE: BS: If I Sound Predjudice......
From: Beer
Date: 31 May 08 - 11:09 PM

Ed T.
Most of it and P.E.I., N.S. and Newfoundland. But Gnu could answer this better than me.

Subject: RE: BS: If I Sound Predjudice......
From: Peace
Date: 31 May 08 - 11:08 PM

They THINK they do.

Subject: RE: BS: If I Sound Predjudice......
From: Ed T
Date: 31 May 08 - 11:05 PM

Is it Irving paper that you hold so near?

Does Irving not own New Brunswick anyway?

Subject: RE: BS: If I Sound Predjudice......
From: Bobert
Date: 31 May 08 - 09:18 PM

Played one a couple years back and I thought it sounded as good as my ol' D-18...

No, I'm not offering to trade...

Subject: RE: BS: If I Sound Predjudice......
From: Beer
Date: 31 May 08 - 09:08 PM

I have to admit that I also really love my BR-40 Blueridge Guitar.

Subject: RE: BS: If I Sound Predjudice......
From: frogprince
Date: 31 May 08 - 08:28 PM

My experience with Chinese products hasn't been encouraging at all. I've had a couple of dress belts that lasted all of a few days. I made sure the last one was labeled all genuine leather; when the paper thin top layer split, it was stuffed with pulpy paper. Of course I couldn't find the receipt for the thing. I looked all over town for a tire gauge; every one in town was the same Chinese brand. I don't think the thing even suspects what the actual pressure in the tire is.
I'm wearing a real nice American made belt that I got online, for no more than the crap cost. I also have a nice solid one I recently got as a gift, made & purchased in Mexico. My American made tire gauge, also purchased online, just arrived.
No complaints, though, with my Chinese made Olympus E500 camera.

Subject: RE: BS: If I Sound Predjudice......
From: John on the Sunset Coast
Date: 31 May 08 - 08:12 PM

Well, Beer, before I get to the topic at hand I just want to let you know that the room you refered to as the 'John', we call the 'Adrien' in my house... or the 'Frank' or 'Sidney' or the "whoever calls that place the 'John'." !>)

I help Ms Sunset Coast with the shopping betimes. I was selecting Apple Juice, and noticed the store brand said, "Concentrate from China". Well enough is enough, dammit! Washington produces enough apples to stuff millions of roasted pigs, to say nothing of that good juice and cider. New York and eastern Canada are huge apple producers too. Well I may have to buy shoes made in China, or pants and shirts, but I'm not buying foodstuffs from China, especially not dog food.

BTW, I wrote a card of complaint about the apple juice to store corporate management, so if you're prejudiced, I must be a downright Sinophobe.

Subject: RE: BS: If I Sound Predjudice......
From: Escapee
Date: 31 May 08 - 07:54 PM

It won't just happen by itself. Looking at labels is a good first step. I just can't seem to find any domestic Irish whiskey or Swiss army knives.

Subject: RE: BS: If I Sound Predjudice......
From: Bobert
Date: 31 May 08 - 07:46 PM

Now settle down, Beer...

It ain't all about what is made in Canada that you need... It's about what Canada produces that offsets the imports... If China can make a "widget" better and cheaper than Canada and Canada can make a "wadget" better and cheaper than China then let you buy their widgets and let them buy your wadjets...

It is a world ecomonomy and as long as governemnts don't screw it up with tax breaks, exploitation of workers then at some point all we be well...

....ooooohhhhhhhmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm......................

Subject: RE: BS: If I Sound Predjudice......
From: Beer
Date: 31 May 08 - 07:34 PM

Good point Bobert. I guess I'm bias. I think I'm going to start looking at what is made in Canada in my homestead and see if I can also find replacements for the obvious and buy Canadian (or American).

Subject: RE: BS: If I Sound Predjudice......
From: Slag
Date: 31 May 08 - 07:22 PM

...ah, so...

Subject: RE: BS: If I Sound Predjudice......
From: Bobert
Date: 31 May 08 - 07:09 PM

There is a duifference between "prejudice" and "bias", beer...

B~

Subject: RE: BS: If I Sound Predjudice......
From: gnu
Date: 31 May 08 - 06:35 PM

BTW... be careful about what you buy at Crappy Tire these days.

The Mastercraft stuff is lifetime Guarantee and good quality.

The "Jobmate" stuff is not. I had a look at a 261 piece socket set with a NICE large door style tool box for CHEAP last week. Something caught my eye... I took a half inch wrench and a 12mm wrench and spied them side by each... same with the 13mm (AND the 14mm was close)... all the same... just a different stamp.

If you are reading this, you are on the net. Go to Crapping Tire and read the product reviews before you buy. I will say this much, Crappy is honest about the product reviews. They don't chuck out the negative ones. Well... some, anyway.

Subject: RE: BS: If I Sound Predjudice......
From: gnu
Date: 31 May 08 - 06:22 PM

Hehehehee! I was just talking to a buddy of mine... just now. He is drinking Molson's "Moncton" ale. A new ale in honour of their plant opening (or a marketing ploy??? hehehe). Says it's excellent. But, I assume he may be predjudiced, as he is from Moncton.

Subject: RE: BS: If I Sound Predjudice......
From: gnu
Date: 31 May 08 - 06:07 PM

BTW, Molson just opened a big new plant here too... so you can get Canuck products from here coming and going.

Subject: RE: BS: If I Sound Predjudice......
From: gnu
Date: 31 May 08 - 06:05 PM

Irving proudly "salutes" you, Beer.