Friday, November 30, 2007
Picture Du Jour...
I have not been very attentive to the present school of bottom-feeders trying for the nomination, mainly due to political burnout. I think this picture represents my views of national politicians as a whole. They are quite a disgusting lot, overall.
Monday, November 26, 2007
Product Safety
As we prepare for the upcoming celebration of stuff, I wanted to share something with you. The ongoing issues concerning recalls and safety concerns about products manufactured in China are quite troubling. We have had to return several items the kids got at birthday parties and even products the Boy Scouts use due to safety issues. All of these products were made in China.
Thus, we have decided to avoid products manufactured in China to the best of our ability. We check the place of manufacture on a product before we buy it, and if it is made in China, we do not make the purchase. Even better, we actively look for products made in the USA that meet our purchasing needs.
With the upcoming Holiday season, I'm sure many are thinking of what to get for children this Christmas. I have requested that if you purchase a gift for our kids, make sure it is not made in China. Buy something made in the USA, with union and safety controls on production!
I'm quite serious here - if we receive anything that is made in China, it will be returned unused and unopened.
It is very troubling that the pursuit of higher profits has resulted in not only the pursuit of the cheapest labor on the planet, but also the lackadaisical corporate attitude towards quality and product safety.
Many of you know that I worked for Armstrong as an electrical engineer for about a year in the mid-1990's. One of the projects I worked on was the setting up of a flooring manufacturing plant in China. Part of my work in this area included certifications/safety (such as adhering to the UL label requirements). In the USA, there are many guidelines for plant safety and product safety that a company has to follow. When I worked on this project, the only guidelines we needed to follow were self-imposed. In other words, we could make our own rules, cut corners if we wanted to, and not worry about it. However, Armstrong is a good company, and we followed the same guidelines as if the plant were opening in the USA. Food for thought as you take for granted the policies and concerns of the corporate world whose products are going to be under many brightly lit Christmas trees in about a month.....
Thus, we have decided to avoid products manufactured in China to the best of our ability. We check the place of manufacture on a product before we buy it, and if it is made in China, we do not make the purchase. Even better, we actively look for products made in the USA that meet our purchasing needs.
With the upcoming Holiday season, I'm sure many are thinking of what to get for children this Christmas. I have requested that if you purchase a gift for our kids, make sure it is not made in China. Buy something made in the USA, with union and safety controls on production!
I'm quite serious here - if we receive anything that is made in China, it will be returned unused and unopened.
It is very troubling that the pursuit of higher profits has resulted in not only the pursuit of the cheapest labor on the planet, but also the lackadaisical corporate attitude towards quality and product safety.
Many of you know that I worked for Armstrong as an electrical engineer for about a year in the mid-1990's. One of the projects I worked on was the setting up of a flooring manufacturing plant in China. Part of my work in this area included certifications/safety (such as adhering to the UL label requirements). In the USA, there are many guidelines for plant safety and product safety that a company has to follow. When I worked on this project, the only guidelines we needed to follow were self-imposed. In other words, we could make our own rules, cut corners if we wanted to, and not worry about it. However, Armstrong is a good company, and we followed the same guidelines as if the plant were opening in the USA. Food for thought as you take for granted the policies and concerns of the corporate world whose products are going to be under many brightly lit Christmas trees in about a month.....
