Anyone can offend anyone all they want.  Write an editorial for your local newspaper or go log on to your favorite website for political discussion.  Set yourself up a website and write a blog.  Just take it someplace other than here.
 
If you had your own business website and someone started making political statements or discussing controversial topics that might offend a percentage of your customers on your site, would you be happy about it?  If you're in a business that sells only a few hundred units per year, it hurts to lose even one or two customers, especially for reasons that aren't related to your business.

to bob and phylo
 
---- OFF

My, how collegial...

I don't get it.  What's the big deal about being firetrucked by the Chinese?
 
As I learned in grade school:  
 
Q - What word starts with F and ends with uck?
 
A - firetruck!!!!
 
Bill, tgo

that wasnt grade school bill
 
it was soupy sales@!

White Fang & Black Tooth
 
Philo Kvetch
 
Hey, Do the Mouse
 
We're getting old(er)!
 
Bill, tgo

It is funny that a Communist country is teaching us all about hardcore capitalism...whatever happened to 'you get what you paid for'? seems we've all bought into the lie of the best service, best products at the lowest price...well, something's gotta give!
When I was in the bicycle industry, companies here found that the only way to get consistent quality was to have a QC agent THERE (Korea,Taiwan,etc...) then you got what you wanted; otherwise things got slack...face it, most manufacturers anywhwere would do the same if they were so separated from the final consumer and insulated from any retribution...
Sadly we are all complicit in this to some degree, untill we shop local and small-store and accept that quality products and service has a cost...

Sadly we are all complicit in this to some degree, untill we shop local and small-store and accept that quality products and service has a cost...
 
Agreed - sadder still is that a certain bass player publication has had two reviews in the last two issues that merrily point out how wonderful it is that manufacturer XXX is having a less exspensive version of their product made in China!
 
I am flabbergasted! I am dissappointed.

Have you ever seen an instrument magazine give a bad review to anything?  I don't read bass magazines, but I do check out a few guitar magazines.  They always like everything they review.  A bad guitar, amp, or pedal has never been manufactured ... if you believe the magazines!
 
Bill, tgo

Yes - that's why I prefer the approach of  hifi and car magazines that do group tests - with a conclusion that ranks each product against its competitors. This is much more useful for a consumer wondering which product should I buy. The problem with some US music magazines that do shootouts is they don't do a comparative ranking.
 
I have recently started doing group tests of bass related products for Australian Guitar magazine. The last test was 24 distortion pedals! (Which we had to split over two editions.)
We have a number of judges that give each product a score out of ten for a number of criteria. These are then averaged across judges and the full table published along with the article.

In the motorcycle world, there is a mag (Motorcycle Consumer News) that has no advertising, and so reviews of bikes and other products are not affected by pressure to slant the reviews toward the positive side. The reviewers are free to TELL THE TRUTH about the products...  It is very refreshing, and it is the only bike mag to which I subscribe.

That is a good magazine Ben. I also read Ride Texas, I find some great roads to ride in that magazine, but I don't read any product reviews. I stick to MCN for that.
 
OO

FWIW, I'm in NZ and I worked in China on and off for two years.  Generally enjoyed it there and its given me a lifetime of adventures and memories.
 
All I'm gonna say is the country definitely has issues with people trying to pull a fast one but lets not forget the USA has its own issues.  Enron, anyone?  Madoff?  Sub prime mortgages?  
 
So I'm going to put that to one side and lets just take up the issue of craftsmanship.  China is capable of putting out some exquisite craftsmanship that is breathtaking beautiful in its sensitivity to materials and attention to detail.  
 
http://www.chinaculture.org/library/att/att/20041123/xinsrc_1711012320458162173941.jpg
 
Unfortunately that's not where the market is for China so long as there's a bigger Yuan and a competitive advantage to be made from mass manufacturing, then thats where their main interest is going to lie.  In fact some US companies DON'T begrudge the Chinese making a buck at all, which is great.  All those US manufacturers (like Ampeg for example) importing Chinese components, assembling them in the US and call it US made.  Gotta be good for both economies, right?   Everyone makes a buck!
 
Having said that, even then the Chinese are capable of putting out some excellent mass manufactured workmanship if the Quality Control procedures are properly implemented.  Warwick Rockbasses may not be made from the best materials but the workmanship, the accuracy of the neck joints and the machining is superb.
 
I could go on, but I think I've made my point.  
 
Don't believe the hype people, I encourage you to get over to China sometime and experience it first hand.  
 
(Message edited by Crazykiwi on July 09, 2009)
 
(Message edited by Crazykiwi on July 09, 2009)

Why blame the Chinese for wanting to make some money, just as (un)ethically as we have in the last century? Why blame them for old economy companies (that's us again) using their workers, products and materials to save money / make bigger profits? Why blame them for the general consumer just wanting cheap, cheaper, cheapest?  
 
And another thing: xenophobia / misplaced nationalism doesn't belong in a global community.  
 
Wilfred
 
(Message edited by the_mule on July 10, 2009)

misplaced nationalism doesn't belong in a global community.
 
Good point, Wilfred. It has always been my contention that the day of nations and nationalism is coming to an end. The arbitrary lines drawn on the globe which divide the people of earth are going to be questioned as to their usefulness and validity as the issues of global economy and ecology come to the fore.
Was it Wavy Gravy who said, My planet, right or wrong, and to hell with the marines of Uranus!? Or something like that...