Made in America vs Chinese Drywall.... rant-lite

This morning I was cleaning out the back of my pickup truck, and I found an old Igloo brand picnic cooler that I've had for more than 20 years. I keep it in the truck to carry drinking water, ice, Pepsi, etc. (and an occasional Bud after work). The cooler has blown out the back of the truck onto the freeway numerous times, been run over by a tractor and used as a saw horse on more than a few occasions.

Strangely, while retrieving the cooler, I noticed some words embossed on the bottom of the box.. "MADE IN THE USA."

At the same time, on the radio, I heard a story about Chinese drywall, and how hundreds of people in town (with no other housing options) would have to leave their group home because of mildew and rotten egg smell from defective Chinese drywall.

Made in America for 20 years vs Chinese Drywall... hmmmm? Synchronous, yes, but it turned to sadness with the realization of what the PTB (powers that be) have done to the standard of living in this country.

I wonder if anyone in Washington has even noticed?

Life is very good for them. There are a very few representatives that are not rich and are not completely insulated from the WallyWorld existence that we have been relegated to, but they are the exceptions.

America, or any economy for that matter, simply must make things and sell them in order to function. This bizarre notion that we can have an economy based on shuffling paper and money around was ludicrous when they told us about the "information economy" and it still is, as we've now had demonstrated to us.
:kick: & R

I have a two burner Coleman camp stove. I bought it at a yard sale about 25 years ago for $5. The pump didn't work quite right so I sent a letter to Coleman with the model number and request for info and the cost of replacing. Actually I didn't expect them to even have the part - thought they would tell me to throw it away.

Soon I received a personal letter from Coleman congratulating me for owning one of their earliest made camp stoves, the part (free) and their hope I would continue to use Coleman products.

I am still using it and a few years back I even went to their main store in Wichita when I had a lay over- its also a small museum which was very, very interesting. I told the Coleman employee about my yard sale purchase, etc. She was so proud of her company and she gave me windbreaker - its bright red with Coleman logo.


Made in U.S.A.