https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/28/asia/china-journalist-zhang-zhan-intl-hnk/index.html

Believe it or not, I really hate politics or getting political.  This is certainly not a sudden feeling on my behalf - I am no fan of our "trading partner on the Pacific Rim".

This has nothing to do with the PEOPLE (citizens) of China - more to do with their government and its very extremely shoddy policies of human rights and other diabolical behavior.

I am no "right-winger" and I do not subscribe to wild and insane conspiracy theories (there are those among us who are so much better at this).  There's no way to say that Covid was intentional or not.  If you ask me to prove that it was (and that's not what I'm saying), I could ask you to prove that it was not.  I think it'd be fair to end that part of the discussion in a draw.  I do believe that their government - and our own - knew about the virus before letting us know.  Again - a topic for debate.

The Chinese government has now locked up one of their journalists for daring to keep track of the virus.  That's the gist in the link - but not the end of my Monday morning diatribe.

As a consumer of products I feel that we have turned over way too much of our business and industry to China.  This goes way back before the virus.  It's gotten to where pretty much anything for sale in a store was manufactured in China.

Again - no problem or issues with the folks who live there.  We're getting a bunch of shoddily made $hit at super low prices.  These are items that use to be made in factories that employed people.  Those jobs once had benefits that included health care and retirement.  We make hamburgers in this country now.  That's about it, really.  

Before you're done rolling your eyes, consider the music business.

As a Christmas gift, I received a gift card for a very generous sum for one of the on-line music gear sellers.  For $hits and grins, I decided to see where this merchandise was manufactured.  It's hard to find any of it (beyond the higher end guitars) that was NOT made in China.  

Ironically, this imported virus (geography lesson: Wuhan is NOT in Portugal!) has resulted in the near halt of jobs for musicians everywhere. Back to the merchandise - and manufacturing.  There is a recording console (porta-studio type thing) that I would really like to have.  It sells for right at $1k.  Yep - made in China.  Think about the "value" of such a console.  I already own an older, similar piece of gear.  It is a very useful and money saving tool!  Studio time costs anywhere from $75 to ... about as much as you'd care to spend.  This device would still be a bargain at 3 - 4 times its purchase price!  I, for one would be willing to pay that much more for it.  But I am NOT gonna buy this particular one.

Again, I am not a raving, lunatic, xenophobe.  I am pretty pi$$ed that this virus has shut down so much or our very lives.  I am historically unhappy that we have sent our manufacturing (largely) gift-wrapped to them.  

I personally choose to boycott China.

Sorry for the rant.  Maybe not.