Return of the TPQ...

[Warpigs]

For some of you semi-veterans who've frequented the General Talk forum in the past and have been PMing in wonder about the next series of TPQ (Thought Provoking Questions) -- wait no longer.

For those new to this little game, I'll post a question that has me a little bamboozled and leaves me wondering why society has chosen some of the norms it has. For instance, I remember a pretty long thread on my "why do girl babies wear pink/blue for boys" question.

Without further ado...

While at a parade today for Memorial Day, I was watching to see how many little kids would get side-swiped by firetrucks while they scrambled out in the street for candy. When this became boring, I noticed a small American flag displayed near my lawnchair and noticed a "Made In China" sticker on it. I found this perplexing and figured it was some prank. So I made my new focus the rest of the night to check out as many little American Flags as I could. They all were made in China. I ran to Wal-Mart to see that almost all of the ones there were also made in China.

I stopped at a Chinese Buffet with the family and talked about this disturbing finding with my wife and kids. When the waitress brought out the bill and our fortune cookies, I noticed the wrappers and thought the Apocalapse was upon us. The fortune cookies were made in New York, USA. I asked around, and supposedly almost all fortune cookies that wind up in our local chinese restaurants are American mad.

So, my question is why the HE** can't we trade the Chinese and get our little American flags back. I can't imagine that we're helping put food on the table for some Chinese family every time I feel like being patriotic and purchasing a mini-flag. While I know the fortune cookie didn't originate in China, don't you think the Chinese would rather have their cookies back? Couldn't we simply trade companies?

Anyway, what are your thoughts??

[mysticphysh]

In Iraq, troops are allowed to purchase flags to fly over the bases there. While my sister-in-law was there, she had them fly a few flags over the air base where she was stationed to send back home to family. My wife and I were one of the lucky ones to get one. It came with a neat little certificate declaring that the flag was flown over the US Air Base in Kirkuk (sp?).

When I unfolded it, I noticed in tiny little print "Made in China". I chuckled about it at the time, but that's when I notice this phenomenon. This is a fullsized 5' flag, so it's not just limited to the little flags.

Don't get me wrong, the flag holds a great honor in our household to honor my sister-in-law's year service in Iraq! As a matter of fact, to prevent it from being ruined, it is only flown on the national flag days. All other days, we fly the flag we bought at a store (also made in china). Sadly, I wasn't able to fly it yesterday because it is packed away due to getting the house ready for sale.

Maybe its just me, but I think there should be a law against the manufactoring of the American flag overseas. I dont care if it costs a little more to make here, I'll pay the extra money to buy it! Somebody call John Ratzenberger!!!!

[mutantseabass]

As long as people continue to purchase products(cars, electronics, flags and whatever else) they will continue to have products made overseas. Stop buying foreign products and it will keep Americans in business. In the "what are you driving" thread i was amazed to see how many people drive foreign cars. Alot of the American business relys on the Automotive industry.

[ShoelessJoe]

As far as the fortune cookie side of the question goes, fortune cookies are actually American invented and only given away in North American Chinese Restaurants. The fortune cookie actually originated in California and is thought to have been based around the Chinese 'moon cake'. The 'moon cake' is presented at the 'moon festival', a festival that has been celebrated for centuries in China. That's why they're made in the USA.

[Warpigs]

As far as the fortune cookie side of the question goes, fortune cookies are actually American invented and only given away in North American Chinese Restaurants. The fortune cookie actually originated in California and is thought to have been based around the Chinese 'moon cake'. The 'moon cake' is presented at the 'moon festival', a festival that has been celebrated for centuries in China. That's why they're made in the USA.

Yeah, but it sounds like a nice little gig for the Chinese to get into. Can't we offer this as a piece offering before taking back the American Flag business??

[TTTBone]

I don't know all the details of our trade relationships with China, but here's another disturbing little anecdote.

A few months after 9/11 a new shop opened up in Mall of America here in the Twin Cities. I think it was called something like "The USA Pride Store" or some such thing (I can't recall the exact name).
You can probably imagine the products they sold.
Anyhow, a local reporter did a story on the shop, and was unable to find a single item in the store that was made in the USA. Most were produced in China.
Now, that's just soooo wrong.