Is anything made in the U.S.A.

[MossRoad]

...
There's enough steel laying around in our junkyards to build lots more giant, outdated, vulnerable icons of past wars. ...

Not any more. All of the scrap yards around here are bare to the ground. They sell it to China as fast as it arrives.

 

[cp1969]

Why do you need steel if you have nukes?

I know that sounds flippant, but that is the way it is. I doubt we will see another world war in our lifetime, but suspect we will see a nuker go off. Horrible reality, indeed.

Nukes are most definitely not the answer. In any case, we are dismantling nukes, not building more. At the rate we're going, we'll be down to Gore's (or was it Kerry's?) target of 100 total in the stockpile before long.

I love it, how when you elect a guy, he adopts the policies of the loser.

 

[Iowachild]

I was in a Harbor Frieght store yesterday, 2/24, for my first time. I bought Goodyear 3/8" air hoses which have "Made in USA" all over them.

 

[daTeacha]

Jobs of any type will go where the company can make the most profit. People will buy what they think is the best deal for the money.

Unfortunately, we seem to be well on the road to a throw away mentality. Not many kids know anything about fixing something or making it work -- they just pitch it and get another one. It may even work just fine, but it's out of "style". My stepson is an example. He got an Ipod for Christmas a couple of years ago. Had to have the biggest one out there. Shortly before this past Christmas, it seems his Ipod has developed an intermittant skipping/hanging up problem. He decides he just has to have a new one, which just happens to be about 5 times the memory of the older one, which he sold on Ebay. Then he just had to get a car, but not just a car, one which met his or his friends standards of "cool". Of course the car had to have a radio that could play his Itunes, and the simple method of using a cassette insert was cheap and tacky, so he had to get a device that allows him to dock the Ipod in the console storage bin, feed the signal through the trunk mounted CD player plug, and have all his thousands of songs available whenever he wants to take the hour long drive home from college.

I'm not knocking the kid -- he paid for a lot of those things with extra money he earned working overtime at a schoolbook warehouse this summer. It's the attitude about having to always have the newest, latest, coolest, nicest thing on the market. It isn't just him, it's our society.

So, yeah, Wal Mart makes billions selling cheap stuff. People buy it and don't care if it's low to moderate quality stuff since they figure they can just throw it away and buy another one when the existing one gets out of style, dirty, or a little bit behind the times.

Speaking of Dell and their need to sell so many computers -- ever hear of planned obsolescence? That idea went over so well we don't even think about it anymore, it's just ingrained into the fabric of our lives.

How many of you have anything that's more than 20 year old -- wives not included! Even in that arena, it seems to be the national trend to trade in your spouse on a different model far more than was customary in the past.

 

[MossRoad]

At the rate we're going, we'll be down to Gore's (or was it Kerry's?) target of 100 total in the stockpile before long.

That will never happen. Each side will always maintain thousands.

 

[cp1969]

"Always" is a long time.

 

[NewToy]

Why do you need steel if you have nukes?

I know that sounds flippant, but that is the way it is. I doubt we will see another world war in our lifetime, but suspect we will see a nuker go off. Horrible reality, indeed.

Once you play the "Nuke" card it's all over. It is a last resort option. All other conventional options will be excercised before we detonate a nuke. Oh, BTW my dad saw a few nukes lit off in Japan.
There are too many members in the Nuke Club these days to consider using them. Kind of funny if you think about it. The only thing they are good for is "Assured Mutual Destruction" of all the participants in the initial war. Wait until our chums in Iran start testing nuclear weapons. There will be more than a few aircraft carriers in the Gulf. Hopefully the "Aegis" class ships will perform as advertised and offer some protection for the carrier's.
I hope our Government doesn't subscribe to your steel vs nuke theory. What would Halliburton do?

 

[NewToy]

That will never happen. Each side will always maintain thousands.

Who are you referring to when you say each side? Things aren't as simple as they were in the cold war days. Too many other "sides" out there that have the bomb. You don't need thousands of them to be a player either. 10-12 of them would change the way we live forever.

 

[Builder]

It isn't a matter of who has what right now. What matters is who can make what by when--Germany didn't have squat in 1925 but had the ability to produce it. We had to match that effort--could we do that against the Chinese today given the fact that the industry that makes tools upon which products are made is gone? At least we had an intact machine tool industry within our borders in 1941--we don't now.

Ummm, let's back up a moment shall we? The Chinese have how many aircraft carriers? How many long range strategic bombers? How many stealth bombers? How many submarines with multiple long range tactical nuclear warheads? Come on hoss, China couldn't build the weapons systems we have in 50 years. We just launched the most modern aircraft carrier EVER BUILT. Built right here in the US of A, right? Didn't need no stinkin Chinese to build that one, did we?

We don't have 50 carrier groups. Twelve to fifteen is more like it.

Correct, but I didn't say CARRIER GROUPS, I said aircraft CARRIERS. Yes, we have a lot more than 12 or 13. We have several more smaller carriers called AMPHIBIOUS ASSAULT CARRIERS than the 12 or 13 are nuclear powered class or larger carriers. United States Navy ships - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The military knows full well the vulnerability of ships and believe it or not, has heard of the Silkworm and its like and will act accordingly. You cannot, however much you'd like, wage war from afar. In the end, it amounts to occupying territory and that means troops. Troops means weapons and armor. Weapons and armor have to be produced, here. You cannot rely on a foreign country to supply this material.

The military knows it, but the lobbyists and the dumbasses who run our political machine don't care about much more than producing large vulnerable weapons platforms, like aircraft carriers. Of course you need troops & armor to occupy space. When did I imply you didn't need troops & armor? Who said we were going to rely on foreign countries to supply material. Geeziz H, man take a look around. I cross the old navy Yard on I-95 in South Philly at least once a week. We got more advanced ships in moth balls than most countries have as front line equipment. who ever said we don't need any industry to build weapons? I said we have enough carriers. We need more sophisticate weaponry to stop the next 911, not the Chinese invading Coney Island.

American companies having access to the largest consumer market in the world is not incentive enough?
Well, let's hope they can because we won't be able to give them much help. Need I remind that the Egyptians didn't use their citizenry to build the pyramids and the Germans were more than willing to use slave labor to build the munitions of WWII. How shall we stop a regime that decides to go down that path again? By plugging their gun barrels with flowers? Or can we anesthetize the aggressors by showing them enough Power Point slides? (It seems to work well in a corporate setting.)

Oh, I see, now you're insinuating I'm a "liberal" I guess with the "flowers" comment? Far from it. Don't be so judgemental. I'm for extremely tough overseas policies conducted with INTELLIGENCE and the proper equipment, not just a bunch of vulnerable flattops. Remember the COLE and tell me what it took to flippin dang near sink it..... a couple terrorists with a plan scribbled in the sand and a crude homemade bomb on a 30' garbage scow. No my fanatical flattop friend, I'm more afraid of the terorism that is already attacking our country and how to stop it. I think a couple well placed [numerously existing]tactical nuclear warheads dropped right down Shang Hai's rear end or a nice strafing of their troops with a couple C-141 gattling gunships, taking out about 10,000 reg army in one pass and China won't have the gumption to send their billion man army to invade us.

Think ahead, not behind.

We need a space weaponry platform to take down any incoming launched weapon, we need the best intel money can buy. We need world class weaponry that's SMART, not another carrier. We have more carriers than the rest of the world combined.

 

[coffeeman]

With all this cold weather, snow and ice... bet nine months from now something will have been made in the eastern part of the country! Lots of new birthdays this fall.

mark

Talk about changing subject???? Oh? Made in USA.... GOT IT!

 

[Podunkadunk]

Hey Patric, That would be a 2006 model 4120 JD (43 hp). This is the smallest JD tractor made in Georga with the JD powertech engine. Below 40 hp, you a right, the tractors are powered by the Japanese Yanmar and I would not consider those an American tractor even if they are painted green. At 40 hp you are close, but just below the point where you can get a JD with a little more North American content. I have freinds in Canada and Mexico and am not opposed to their contributions on this machine as I would be from those who brought us Pearl and Bataan.

I value everyone's opine...contrasting points of view make the world rotate...it's all good! However, I would like to add that if you don't like the Japanese for "bringing us" Pearl Harbor and Bataan, how do you feel about the Germans, Russians, British, Spaniards, French, Israeli's....heck, the list is too long of countries/nations that have wronged other people/countries/nations, to list here! You must hate people from the United States too for invading/raping/pillaging/plundering the NATIVE AMERICANS of their land.

Get over it man...everyone has a color tractor they prefer, car they prefer etc. It's an awesome paradigm. Most of us wave the red, white and blue and remain silent for the national anthem. It's all good, but the last sentence in your post that I quoted is ludicrous. Thinking like that is your right, but at least be fair about it and oppose the contributions of EVERY industrialized nation on earth, because at some point in time, they have almost ALL gravely wronged some other nation or country.

While on a deployment to Japan, I went to Nagasaki (the second ground-zero), the Japanese are very reverent of this place, just as we are the Arizona Memorial off Ford Isand. They screwed up, they know it and payed dearly for it, but they don't think of America in general as a bunch of horses-arses and consider our "contributions" as vile.

I will never say Americans don't work hard. Good ole American ingenuity is hard to beat. I will say though that the Japanese treat work more like we feel about vacation. What I mean is, it's part of who they are. They are extremely dedicated to their jobs. They are so unwavering in their pursuit of perfection in their products, that it's almost scary. It's not just a "job" that pays the bills, they literally love to work. It beat all that I had ever seen. I remember thinking to myself while watching workers in the Kawasaki plant I was touring, no wonder they were so hard to beat. They are meticulous in their duties and attention to detail is unsurpassed.

Buy/drive/wear what you want, It's all good...but if you want to hold hostilities against ANY other country's people, be sure and level the playing field by including ALL industrialized countries in that mentality.

-Podunk

ps... I may joke around about this tractor, that tractor, this color, that color...but the truth is, I love them all. I bought what I did because of a farmer friend of mine. He knows more about tractors than I will ever know. He uses Massey F's and JD's to farm, but told me that he would by tractor "X" if he were buying one for my particular application. I don't bleed any color and no tractor/car/motorcycle company sends me an endorsement check every month. I, like you drive/use whatever motivates me. Christ, let me get off my soapbox. Have a good evening friend.

 

[cp1969]

Ummm, let's back up a moment shall we? The Chinese have how many aircraft carriers? How many long range strategic bombers? How many stealth bombers? How many submarines with multiple long range tactical nuclear warheads? Come on hoss, China couldn't build the weapons systems we have in 50 years. We just launched the most modern aircraft carrier EVER BUILT. Built right here in the US of A, right? Didn't need no stinkin Chinese to build that one, did we?




Correct, but I didn't say CARRIER GROUPS, I said aircraft CARRIERS. Yes, we have a lot more than 12 or 13. We have several more smaller carriers called AMPHIBIOUS ASSAULT CARRIERS than the 12 or 13 are nuclear powered class or larger carriers. United States Navy ships - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia



The military knows it, but the lobbyists and the dumbasses who run our political machine don't care about much more than producing large vulnerable weapons platforms, like aircraft carriers. Of course you need troops & armor to occupy space. When did I imply you didn't need troops & armor? Who said we were going to rely on foreign countries to supply material. Geeziz H, man take a look around. I cross the old navy Yard on I-95 in South Philly at least once a week. We got more advanced ships in moth balls than most countries have as front line equipment. who ever said we don't need any industry to build weapons? I said we have enough carriers. We need more sophisticate weaponry to stop the next 911, not the Chinese invading Coney Island.



Oh, I see, now you're insinuating I'm a "liberal" I guess with the "flowers" comment? Far from it. Don't be so judgemental. I'm for extremely tough overseas policies conducted with INTELLIGENCE and the proper equipment, not just a bunch of vulnerable flattops. Remember the COLE and tell me what it took to flippin dang near sink it..... a couple terrorists with a plan scribbled in the sand and a crude homemade bomb on a 30' garbage scow. No my fanatical flattop friend, I'm more afraid of the terorism that is already attacking our country and how to stop it. I think a couple well placed [numerously existing]tactical nuclear warheads dropped right down Shang Hai's rear end or a nice strafing of their troops with a couple C-141 gattling gunships, taking out about 10,000 reg army in one pass and China won't have the gumption to send their billion man army to invade us.

Think ahead, not behind.

We need a space weaponry platform to take down any incoming launched weapon, we need the best intel money can buy. We need world class weaponry that's SMART, not another carrier. We have more carriers than the rest of the world combined.

I think I will wait until this post settles on its final form. It seems to be changing as I try to respond to it.

 

[Builder]

The silkworms are a little more sophisticated. Remember the fate of the British ship Sheffield? Sunk by an Exocet missle during the falklands war. Some of these weapons are available or already owned by some nations that are ruled by fanatics.

Iran has hundreds of them. Did you watch the tests they ran with them? Made that pretty little ship go KaBlooey pretty nice.

 

[Builder]

I think I will wait until this post settles on its final form. It seems to be changing as I try to respond to it.

OK, I'll be quakin' in my size 14 boots waiting for your reply!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[cp1969]

OK, I'll be quakin' in my size 14 boots waiting for your reply!!!!!!!!!!!!

Whatever. When it degenerates to this, I'm done. Continue to spout your wisdom to whomever will listen.

 

[Podunkadunk]

I think I will wait until this post settles on its final form. It seems to be changing as I try to respond to it.

I have heard several Admirals speak during my tenure in the Military, this is an indirect quote made by all of them:

"When there is a skirmish anywhere in the world, the President's first question to his Chiefs of Staff is: Where's the nearest Carrier?"

That says a lot to a nation when a little piece of our sovereign nation comes floating up to within a couple hundred miles of their coastline with up to 100 flying cans of whoop-*** on it.

My .02 worth

 

[Builder]

Whatever. When it degenerates to this, I'm done. Continue to spout your wisdom to whomever will listen.

Hey man, sorry I jerked your chain too much. I won't do it again.

I'm just tired of the fear people have that we won't be able to build weapons systems here anymore because we have no industry left, even though we just built the most advanced carrier ever and just launched the Raptor fighter and some other very impressive weaponry.

The weapons manufacturers will stay here and stay intact, even though USX and Bethlehem Steel are long gone. Electric Boat, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, Rockwell, TRW, NASA, Honeywell, G.E., the Navy Yards, Tenneco, Continental, Hummer, and all the others I forgot still have their facilities humming along to make lots of big steel weapons platforms.

Sleep tight. Look to the future of weapons. We have almost all the playing cards right here in the USA.

 

[Builder]

I have heard several Admirals speak during my tenure in the Military, this is an indirect quote made by all of them:

"When there is a skirmish anywhere in the world, the President's first question to his Chiefs of Staff is: Where's the nearest Carrier?"

That says a lot to a nation when a little piece of our sovereign nation comes floating up to within a couple hundred miles of their coastline with up to 100 flying cans of whoop-*** on it.

My .02 worth

Very true. And that's because we have them I mean what's the alternative? Send Al Gore?

I just think the fear of nothing being US made when it comes to national security is unecessary hysteria. We still build all the weapons here with mostly all American industry. When war breaks out, we have plenty of weapons and we can still build more.

 

[wolc123]

Hey Pokadunk. The Germans treated our prisoners for the most part per the Geneva convenntion. We have not faced the others on your list in a "fighting war" in modern times so they are irrelevant to me personnally. Maybe you are too young to know about the Japenese treatment of American Prisoners during WW2. I can assure you it was something I can forgive but will never forget and yes it does influence my buying decisions to some extent. In my case I was able to get a tractor of predominately North American content that outspec'd those with heavy Japenese content for the same or better price. I have "forgiven" up to around $2000 price difference and if thier machines of equal capability were that much cheaper I would think about buying them. I have a lot of freinds and realitives who would probably lynch me if I did but hey, everybody has a price.

 

[Podunkadunk]

Very true. And that's because we have them I mean what's the alternative? Send Al Gore?

I just think the fear of nothing being US made when it comes to national security is unecessary hysteria. We still build all the weapons here with mostly all American industry. When war breaks out, we have plenty of weapons and we can still build more.

I agree wholeheartedly! We can take care of ourselves. We are constantly thinking of better, faster and more lethal ways of killing our neighbors.

The Chinese don't have the logistics to bring the fight over here to us. They are a technologically advanced country however, and this new satellite killing technology they are perfecting is scary. I heard a nationally syndicated radio host talking recently. He noted that because the Chinese would need years and years to perfect a Navy to be able to logistically move troops and war machines to our region, they know it's futile. So, they are using their technology to weaken us instead. If they can knock out all the satellite's which we use to control almost everything we do militarily, then they have crippled us dramatically. He made some great points in his segment.