The Chainlink

Hey Chainlink, know what I think is lame?

When a website that claims to be promoting local cycling in the city of Chicago has a banner ad for a site which is one of the many internet discount outlets that make it hard for local bike shops.

Way to go Chainlink, bravo.  Is the advertising dollar worth making things harder on the local shops here in Chicago?

Is this site about serving the local community or is it about being a profit center for it's owner?

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Permalink Reply by Duppie on January 11, 2012 at 9:26am

On their facebook page. Cannot find the actual post anymore. Starting with their spring collection, products will be mainly made in China. So a bag you buy today is still made in Chicago

Melanie said:

Where did you hear that? Are they planning on changing the names of their bags to reflect the Chinese Provinces in which they are made, instead of using familiar Chicago neighborhood names?  Kind of ruins the "Made in Chicago" tagline on their website.  Sad and disappointing, considering I was thinking about getting one of their satchel bags for my work commute instead of my traditional pannier. 

Duppie said:

Good News. That will offset Po Campo which is moving the majority of their production to China. So much for 'made in Chicago' bicycling bags...



notoriousDUG said:

In related news Velocity rims will soon be made in the US again.

Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on January 11, 2012 at 9:36am

So is the issue with not buying local because of the ecological costs of transporting stuff around the world or because people in China are less-deserving of your money than someone who looks like you and lives next door?

Because, seriously, much of the stuff made in the USA is made from stuff that comes from China or elsewhere.  

I''m pretty sure that all humans share the same DNA and are just like you and me regardless of the color of their skin, hair, eyes,  or what language they speak.    I can't wrap my mind around some idea that people who live near me are somehow better than those who live a long ways away.

Permalink Reply by Duppie on January 11, 2012 at 9:50am

It's called dollar voting. Everyone does it daily. And everyone should do it according to their own values and beliefs and economic situation.

This is less about doubting why someone does not share your values, and more about you living according to your own values.

I get tired about all the action alerts I get: Shop Here! Don't Shop There! I have my own values and try to live according to them. Some days I succeed, some days I don't. That is all there is to it.

James BlackHeron said:

So is the issue with not buying local because of the ecological costs of transporting stuff around the world or because people in China are less-deserving of your money than someone who looks like you and lives next door?

Because, seriously, much of the stuff made in the USA is made from stuff that comes from China or elsewhere.  

I''m pretty sure that all humans share the same DNA and are just like you and me regardless of the color of their skin, hair, eyes,  or what language they speak.    I can't wrap my mind around some idea that people who live near me are somehow better than those who live a long ways away.

Permalink Reply by Tony Adams on January 11, 2012 at 9:56am

The ecological costs are part of it for sure, but for me, the largest reason to buy local, or at least not from China is that that we have a huge trade imbalance with China. We buy way more stuff from them than they buy from us. As a result, we owe them a TON of money and that is bad for our economy. 

http://welkerswikinomics.com/blog/2010/11/10/yeah-we-have-a-trade-d...

There are tons of other reasons to buy local, or as local as possible, but I'll leave that to others to discuss. I'm gonna hop on my bike and ride to the Salt Creek Trail.


James BlackHeron said:

So is the issue with not buying local because of the ecological costs of transporting stuff around the world or because people in China are less-deserving of your money than someone who looks like you and lives next door?

Because, seriously, much of the stuff made in the USA is made from stuff that comes from China or elsewhere.  

I''m pretty sure that all humans share the same DNA and are just like you and me regardless of the color of their skin, hair, eyes,  or what language they speak.    I can't wrap my mind around some idea that people who live near me are somehow better than those who live a long ways away.

Permalink Reply by Melanie K on January 11, 2012 at 10:00am

@James BlackHeron- I feel you really spun this around into a totally different discussion by bringing in race and language and whatnot, which has absolutely nothing to do with purchasing anything and was completely off the mark and not related to this discussion as far as I see it.

My point is that I would love to see more things manufactured locally and think that jobs are being kept and created because of it.  I can't control where the raw materials are coming from to make stuff in the U.S.A., but I do like to support the manufacturing of goods in the United States and the jobs it can create by buying things that are made in U.S.A. as much as possible.  Sometimes that isn't possible, but I have seen too many times where people's lives are devastated because the company they worked for all their lives decided to move manufacturing to Mexico, China, India, or wherever is cheaper, so that the bigwigs at the top can earn an extravagant income at the expense of firing and laying off American workers in favor of cheap, almost slave labor wages that are paid in other countries.  My feelings are very strong on this, as I was born and raised in Michigan, near major manufacturing areas, and this happened to my family- who were hard working immigrants, working most of their lives in a manufacturing facility, which was closed down when the Company decided it was cheaper to manufacture elsewhere. Look at the unemployment rates in Michigan or take a visit to Detroit if you want to see what has happened there. I have no problem with people making a living, but I would prefer to support people making a living locally. 

Second, my thoughts are that if you advertise your products as "Made in Chicago" and name them after neighborhoods in Chicago, then the products should be made where you say they are being made in.   If they are made in China, name them something else from now on or drop the insinuation that they are being made locally, just because your main office is local. 

That is what my issue is. Thank you.



James BlackHeron said:

So is the issue with not buying local because of the ecological costs of transporting stuff around the world or because people in China are less-deserving of your money than someone who looks like you and lives next door?

Because, seriously, much of the stuff made in the USA is made from stuff that comes from China or elsewhere.  

I''m pretty sure that all humans share the same DNA and are just like you and me regardless of the color of their skin, hair, eyes,  or what language they speak.    I can't wrap my mind around some idea that people who live near me are somehow better than those who live a long ways away.

Permalink Reply by Duppie on January 11, 2012 at 10:16am

You said it very well about Po Campo. I don't have anything against manufacturing in China, but please be honest about it.

See Maria's comment on GridChicago from December 2011. She insinuates that Po Campo bags are made in Chicago and will be in the future:

http://gridchicago.com/2011/what-would-it-take-for-chicagos-messeng...

Then see her facebook comment from November where she discusses moving production to China:

https://www.facebook.com/PoCampoChicago/posts/10150374804474693

This borders on deception.

Melanie said:

Second, my thoughts are that if you advertise your products as "Made in Chicago" and name them after neighborhoods in Chicago, then the products should be made where you say they are being made in.   If they are made in China, name them something else from now on or drop the insinuation that they are being made locally, just because your main office is local. 

That is what my issue is. Thank you.



James BlackHeron said:

So is the issue with not buying local because of the ecological costs of transporting stuff around the world or because people in China are less-deserving of your money than someone who looks like you and lives next door?

Because, seriously, much of the stuff made in the USA is made from stuff that comes from China or elsewhere.  

I''m pretty sure that all humans share the same DNA and are just like you and me regardless of the color of their skin, hair, eyes,  or what language they speak.    I can't wrap my mind around some idea that people who live near me are somehow better than those who live a long ways away.

Permalink Reply by Doug Haynes on January 11, 2012 at 10:16am

Yeah, pretty much.  You want good jobs and good businesses in your local area you need to spend the money in your local area at place where the most money stays in your area.

MagMileMarauder said:

Should I boycott Target too?

Minh said:

Boycott amazon guys

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/08/bookstores-boycott-amazon_...

and if you shop at walmart fuck off.

Permalink Reply by Doug Haynes on January 11, 2012 at 10:19am

We have actually been busy enough I have not had time to do this.  However I can tell you that it is going to be a lot of stuff made in China or other places overseas; there are just not a lot of US made option in bike parts and accessories.

in it to win it said:

DUG, what did you find here?


in it to win it said:
DUG
Pick up 20 random objects in Rapid Transit and record where they were made. I bet China/Asia is tops.
Was there a local/US option available, albeit at a higher price? Hmmm......
Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on January 11, 2012 at 10:19am

Jobs kept FOR whom and FROM whom?

What is this us and them thing all about?  Aren't we all hoomanz on this planet? -or are some hoomanz better than other hoomanz?

We are all "us" on this planet as far as I'm concerned.  No hoomanz is more equal than other hoomanz.

Like Duppie said, we all make our purchasing decisions about where we spend our dollars according to personal values.  I don't know what your values are Melanie -but my values state that all people are hoomanz and I'm going to spend my dollars on freely exchanging value for value on a zero-sum basis to those hoomanz that give me something that I value while I exchange, in kind, something that THEY value.

It's win/win when done right.  My values say that when this is done right everyone on the planet wins -not just the folks I wave the same flag with.   Just because someone is a USA-ian doesn't make them any better (or worse) in my mind than someone in any other corner of the earth.

 



Melanie said:

My point is that I would love to see more things manufactured locally and think that jobs are being kept and created because of it. 

Permalink Reply by Doug Haynes on January 11, 2012 at 10:20am

Trader Joe's = Aldi

They do actually treat their employees rather well.

Tony Adams said:

ugh - they are hugely disappointing. Why do we need whole wheat pasta from Italy? I mean, sure, they make good pasta there, but who can tell the difference once one has slathered the stuff in sauce and veggies?

 (I do shop there, but it is not convenient, so I don't shop there often.)


MagMileMarauder said:

Trader Joe's? I know you do...

Permalink Reply by Duppie on January 11, 2012 at 10:27am

Get your facts straight:

Trader Joe's is owned by Aldi Nord

Aldi (US stores) is owned by Aldi Sud.

They are under separate ownership, and have separate operations.

notoriousDUG said:

Trader Joe's = Aldi

They do actually treat their employees rather well.

Tony Adams said:

ugh - they are hugely disappointing. Why do we need whole wheat pasta from Italy? I mean, sure, they make good pasta there, but who can tell the difference once one has slathered the stuff in sauce and veggies?

 (I do shop there, but it is not convenient, so I don't shop there often.)


MagMileMarauder said:

Trader Joe's? I know you do...

Permalink Reply by Michael J Blane on January 11, 2012 at 10:33am


Here're links to a couple of Wikipedia pages that might explain the differences and owners:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aldi

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trader_Joe's


Duppie said:

Get your facts straight:

Trader Joe's is owned by Aldi Nord

Aldi (US stores) is owned by Aldi Sud.

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