I do not think it is any coincidence that Intel has settled an anti-trust case by agreeing to pay rival chip maker, AMD, $1.25 billion and Apple just notified me that it was finally shipping my new 27” iMac with the Intel Quad core chip in it.  I cannot tell you how happy I am to hear that my computer is finally on its way to me.

That joy, however, comes with a caveat.  Last night I heard about a family, here in Georgia, who bought a bedroom set for their new baby.  They bought this particular set because the company makes furniture here in Georgia.  There were two problems with that furniture, however.  First, it gave off an odor.  The family had it tested by an environmental lab, here in the Atlanta area, and discovered it was giving off formaldehyde fumes three times the company’s recommended limit.  There are no EPA limits for formaldehyde.  The second problem was discovered when the family found out that while the company, from whom they purchased their furniture, does make furniture in Georgia, the particular model, that they purchased, was, in fact, made in China.

I have written about China before.  I wrote about them when they sent us “lead free” children’s toys that were heavily laden with lead.  They even made children’s beads that turned into Rohypnol when the kids put them in their mouths.  I wrote about China when they killed countless numbers of children with cough syrup sweetened with antifreeze.  I wrote about China when they killed and sickened hundreds of cats and dogs here with pet food laden with a ceramic that mimicked protein.  I wrote about them when they sold us defective tires that delaminated and killed hundreds of people.  I wrote about heparin made by Baxter, in China, that was responsible for hundreds of deaths in this country.

I wrote about them when I explained that it would cost the American consumer nothing to bring those jobs back here.  In fact, it would be an improvement in that it would put people back to work.  We might find our pride again.  People would have some place else to work besides Walmart. AND, we might even be able to put quality back into the products we buy.  At least we could possibly make things that would not kill us.  I was going to try to track down where those Maclaren baby strollers were made, the ones whose hinges amputate fingertips.  No luck with that yet, however.

Why do we have everything to gain and nothing to lose if we stop importing from China and start making things here again?  The answer is simple.  The cost savings we were promised when we shipped all those jobs overseas are not being passed on to us, the American consumer.  They are going to the CEOs, upper management, and the shareholders.  We still pay the same price, as if the products were still made here.  So why don’t we make them here?

And that brings me to my conundrum.  I was about to rage at you and tell you to bring back our pride and productivity.  Buy from companies that make things here, like those proud parents from Georgia tried to do.  So, what happened?  I received notice that my iMac is finally on its way.  I went to the Fed Ex tracking information, only to find, my new Apple computer is originating in Shanghai, China.  Fraq!