FEATURE Let’s ask... Is it
Made in America? W
by Maggie Zeibak
e’ve made our pledge to the Flag countless times, then real- ize with horror, that the Flag is
made overseas, not in the USA. America doesn’t manufacture very much these days, although more and more people are focusing on this fact, asking retailers to stock American-made goods, and giving preference to online websites that pro-
holds here in town are struggling and many families are in danger of losing their homes. What, exactly, can we do about it? Recently, World News with Diane
“I have come to a resolution myself, as I hope every good citizen will, never again to purchase any article of foreign manufacture which can be had of American make, be the difference of price what it may.” - Thomas Jefferson.
mote these products. As we gain more awareness of how
our economy is suffering we can bring subtle pressures to bear, but it isn’t easy, es- pecially when we find out that around 98% of the clothes we buy are made overseas. We love the cheaper prices yet turn a
blind eye to the fact that they are sewn by cheap labor operating in less than ideal work- ing conditions. Other countries don’t have the same laws of pro- tection that we enjoy, and we’d be appalled at the squalid working conditions endured by their citizens for just a pittance in salary. Adding to our emo- tional discomfort, the unscrupulous, under- ground sweatshops op- erating throughout our nation shouldn’t be overlooked as an addi- tional source of dilut- ing our economy. Unfortunately, we
Sawyer ran a segment challenging viewers to furnish their homes with products made in America – a difficult task at best! She quoted economists as saying “If every American spent an extra $3.33 on US- made goods every year, it would cre- ate nearly 10,000 new jobs in this country.” Read that again … “just three dollars and thirty-three cents.” Last year, the
US Census re- ported that San Clemente’s popu- lation was 63,522,
so get out your calculator and start doing the math to see how much revenue could be generated if every resident spent an extra $3.33 on American-made goods. With the additional demand, more jobs would be created as retailers passed on higher or- ders. Bearing in mind that we are a small community, our impact might appear miniscule in the big picture. Can we make a difference? For a start, we can
shop locally. The holiday season is approaching and we’ll be buying gifts for family and friends, so the following suggestions might help you in your campaign to buy Ameri- can.
Home & Garden Phil and Wendy Reed
Riccar Vacuums in Pico Plaza
have indulged our- selves in instant gratification, so when we see something we like, we want it, and we want it now. How easy it is to charge it, not caring that the credit card bill will have to be paid one day – that is, until we lose our jobs and source of income. Many house-
have plenty of expert ad- vice and professional serv- ice at Best Blinds and Vacuumin the Pico Plaza. Sprucing up the house in readiness for a big gather- ing this year can easily be accomplished by ordering
Hunter-Douglas window blinds, plus a spanking new Riccar, world-class vacuum cleaner made in Missouri. Throw in a garbage disposal cleaning brush, too. San Clemente’s official flower is the vi- brant Bougainvillea. Sporting eye-catching
deep pinks and oranges, it is a colorful addition to any garden. Shore Gardens, on Ola Vista, can help with various sizes priced from $10-$23, and if it isn’t planting season, then a gift certificate should do the trick, they’ll be happy to help you.
Auto It can sometimes be a great
challenge to find something for the auto enthusiast, but O’Reilly Auto Parts, on Camino de Es- trella, stocks a great line of clean- ing products headlined by Meguiars Liquid Cleaner and Wax each $7.99, and if you need a huge con- tainer of Fast Orange Pumice Hand Cleaner there’s one for dry skin. Investing in a reusable K & N High Flow Filter at $57.99 can save you enough money to buy a Ford Utility Mat for $9.99, Versachem’s Wind- shield Repair Kit $9.99 or tubes of Plastic Welder and Epoxy Glue for under $6. Plus, there’s every man’s dream – a whole roll of Gorilla Brand Tape for $11.99.
Sports S.L.A.M. (Soccer, Lacrosse and
More), in the Pico Plaza, is a great place to buy Champion socks, a Shock Doctor Gel Mouth guard or a ProZ Warrior Lacrosse Helmet, but their color range of Sweet Spots is unmatched. These rub- berized bands fit over the sports shoe and keep the laces tied – coaches love them as they are a great coaching tool – under $10.
For baseball lovers,
San Clemente Sports on Los Molinas offers a variety of bats from the DeMarini Bat Company. Designed for the 7-9 year old, the Junior Big Barrel most likely will transport a happy kid halfway up a batting cage, and you can be sure that somebody’s wish list is headed with a Nakona hand-crafted glove made from top grain American hides, cut, stamped, stitched, laced and embroi- dered down in Texas since 1934.
Wine and Beer For those last minute invitations Bob’s Fine Wines, next to Big Lots, is open on
Far Niente on special at Bob’s Fine Wines.
for $30, usually $40. Call Bob at 949/496- 3313 so he can recommend your Califor- nia wines. Home-grown Left Coast Brewing Co.
keeps Victoria Market downtown supplied with tall bottles of Trestles Pale Ale ($5.99). Add a premium 100% cotton T-shirt to
your gift from local Heavyweight T- Shirts ($25) on El Camino Real, who spe- cialize in surf culture. Check out their Aloha shirts and line of Cutting Boards ($50). The guys will go crazy.
Family It gets harder every year to know what
to buy each member of the family, so con- sider a group family gift, something that all members can use and enjoy. Who doesn’t need their aching muscles massaged at some point? Yolanda Holly of Medi-Rub Corp points out, “The fact that Medi-Rub® mas- sagers are Made
in America has significantly con-
tributed to our many years of suc- cess. Our cus- tomers know that our foot and body massagers are not only Made in America, but also
NIkona Gloves
in only one location, San Clemente, Ca. Medi-Rub® always stood for America,
Quality and Service.” In fact, if you go to the website
www.medirub.com you’ll find the Foot Massager for $280, but you might have to break up the fights about who uses it first. We love our feet. Sam’s Shoes and
Repairs on Del Mar stocks a good selec- tion of Island Slippers from Hawaii
SANCLEMENTEJOURNAL 5
major holidays. Bob Clanton has just the perfect gift for every adult – 2009 Far Niente Chardonnay from the Napa Valley. He’s negotiated a special price for San Clemente customers, regularly $59 down to $39. In addition, he suggests a Talbott Pinot Noir from the Sleepy Hollow Vine- yard in the Santa Lucia Highlands, on sale
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76