China's a US state now??

Plenty of companies are based in the U.S., but have their products manufactured in China. The isn't too different from Apple's "Designed in Cupertino; Made in China."

The Chinese will do anything to sell us their crap.

@Whiskey Tango Foxtrot?: Yes, a red state.

@Whiskey Tango Foxtrot?: With the amount of our debt they hold, I'd say it's probably the other way around...

This is an example of what I call "pay no attention to that man behind the curtain" syndrome ... where someone tries to dissuade one from noticing the obvious or drawing conclusions from it. The flag is intended to misdirect. Since most people's brains are more visual than verbal, the average person will (erroneously) conclude — based on the picture of the US flag — that it's an American-made product.

FWIW I wish there were a nice acronym for this syndrome, but PNATTMBTC is not very aesthetic. Oh well.

Anyone who would buy an item because it happens to have an American flag on the package under some belief it was US made when it say "made in China" right on the front is nuts.

I think they did this to trick people, very stupid people.

@smartmuffin: Actually, that was a play on communism..but hey, whatever.

@PLATTWORX: And the more we buy their lead-filled toys and poisoned food, the dumber we'll get.

That's a culture that thinks very long-term. They may very well be trying to make future generations of Americans less intelligent.

The company that packaged it is an American company, but their claims to be a proud one seem to be a lie.

@PLATTWORX: This approach worked at Wal-Mart. They used to put giant "Made in the USA" signs all over their store. Of course, it was above the single item that actually was made in the USA, but with a giant sign, it gave the clear impression that everything in that area was made in the USA.

Also, did you know there's a town in Mexico called Usa(USA)? So the items would say "MADE IN USA Mexico"

Let's face it, for a certain group of individuals, you can put an American flag on a just about anything, and the pseudo-hypocrite-patriots would buy it.

@supercereal: Its actually pretty clear although badly designed layout. Its a US company that manufacturers in China. The company appears to be located in Chatsworth, CA.

I sell the same-looking flashlights for $2.50 a pop, proudly made in China. There's nothing about them that says "America" anywhere on it, I don't even think the bulk packaging has a label saying the company that sells them is American. Bright lights, though!

@brain_grenade: (psst... smartmuffin wasn't replying to you, take it easy)

@tonalanswer: Damn. I'm not awake yet. Sorry!

@ARP: More like when scanning a row of flashlights, someone interested in having a sustainable national economy is likely to choose the item with the flag, assuming it is a symbol representing the product's country of origin.

Means USA has finally taken (at least part of) China?

@sybann: Most of time the craps are made by Chinese slave army but sold by american companies.

It's pretty obvious to most people. China owns the United States, thus they have full legal right to use our former flag.

@Vandelay Import Export:

I think Stanley Works took some flak years ago for having their products substantially made outside of the USA, but having the finishing done here so they could say "made in USA".

Another reason to buy Maglites.

[www.maglite.com]

@ARP: i didn't--i'll have to keep a look out for that trickery!

@wrjohnston19283: And isn't Stanley based off shore somewhere?

@sybann:

Yeah, like agree to a manufacturing contract from a company in CA to make stuff to order so that the American company can package it and sell it to Americans.

The chutzpah.

My favorite is the "Distributed by" packaging. Stuff so good (usually food or health stuff) they won't even tell you where it comes from!

@krispykrink: True...most American flag stuff is made in china.

I wouldn't blame the Chinese...they're not the ones getting rich off of offshoring.

@fantomesq:
No?
[maps.google.com]

@triscuitbiscuit:

The flashlight company is based in Chatsworth, not Apple. Fantomesq' comment was about how the flashlight company is a proud USA company that makes things in china.

i love how the ad proudly says the following:

"led construction ... lifetime of trouble-free performance" and then on the next line "anodized ... years of durable use." which one is it?!? or do i only have a few more years to go?? oh noes!!

@wrjohnston19283: A lot of companies are doing that these days (having product made 90%+ in china then having it finished in the preferred country.)

One of the more notable are the Italian bag makers like Prada, Louis Vuitton, Guici, etc. have their purses and bags made in china except they are shipped to Italy needing one last sew and the nameplates attached. That way they can label it as made in Italy and give the impression Italian leather artisans hand crafted them and charge ridiculous amounts.

It also explains why some of the knockoffs can be so close to the real thing, they may have been made in the same factory.

@Vandelay Import Export:

Nope, Stanley is still based in CT. Several years ago they were planning on moving to Bermuda to avoid US taxes, but the public outroar was so much they decided not to. If I recall, it also would have caused current stockholders of Stanley to be forced to recognize any gains they currently had, as "USA Stanley" stock would be exchanged for "Bermuda Stanley" stock, and this would not be a tax free exchange. So if I had a $25,000 gain on paper, I would have pay up to $8,000 in capital gains tax that I otherwise would not have to pay.

@nstonep:

How so? If US companies weren't offshoring manfacturing, the chinese factories would sit ideal, and the owners would not be making a profit, and the workers would not be getting a paycheck.

Granted, a US company that replaced a $30/hr job with a $2/hr job is making MORE than the chinese company, but the chinese company isn't making flashlights for free.

@ARP: Just like some people will buy anything "designed in Cupertino."

Pretty soon the U.S. will need to set up its own RIAA/MPAA type organization to go after other countries for using its flag and name without paying licensing fees.

@SteveBMD:

Well said. Well said.

@wrjohnston19283:

I like.

However, Ontario CA is pretty close to the Mexican border if ya know what I mean.

Other than pure jingoism, why does it even matter where the product is made?

@Bob Lu: Other way around, my friend.

@trixrabbit: Well, the lifetime performance is specific to the LED, which is the actual "light" part. The anodized aluminum is specific to the body construction.

In short, some number of years down the line, you'll be left with a body-less flashlight that'll still shine bright.

@LupusGray: Well, in Current American History 101, people tend to like products made in America (except for cars) because A) they know that Americans weren't put out of a job so it could be made, and to a lesser extent B) because they can rest assured that the person that made it was paid at least an American minimum wage and not forced to work in inhumane conditions.

So in other words, in Current American History 101, people hate capitalism? I'm confused.

@Whiskey Tango Foxtrot?: Vice versa. [www.census.gov]

@PsiCop: Oz syndrome, perhaps!

@youbastid: wow, I thought those was exactly the two reasons why American people emotionally love but absolutely HATE TO BUY products made in America.

@LupusGray: People do hate capitalism, but can't live without it.

@nstonep: Including, but not limited to, those 'Support America' ribbon magnet things that were all the rage a few years back.

@LupusGray: No, people aren't thrilled with the race to the bottom. For some reason, Americans just don't want to live in a polluted hellscape, in company dormitories, working 15 hours a day, 6-7 days a week like the workers who made those flashlights.