Buying American In the Mass Market, Part Two

Posted by Neal Shaffer on Wednesday, August 10th, 2011

Back in May when I posted Part One of this series, I didn’t imagine waiting until August to do Part Two. Truth is, though, that it’s hard to find good examples of everyday (mass market) goods made in the US. They’re out there, sure, but too often you’ve got to dig. All the more reason to keep these companies in the back of your mind and kick them a few bucks when buying time comes.

1. Maglite flashlights

These things are so ubiquitous, and so generally acknowledged as a quality item, that it’s easy to forget (or never have known) that they’re still made right here in the US. Indeed, the company has a strong commitment to US manufacturing, which you can read about here.

Anyone who’s ever owned a Maglite, as I have, can tell you that they offer a great mix of quality and value.

2. Weber Grills

Summer’s almost over, sure, but cookout weather will linger for at least a couple more months. If you haven’t already, do yourself a favor and get a Weber. Preferably the iconic kettle grill. Still made here, still awesome.

And remember: charcoal > gas.

3. KitchenAid Stand Mixer

This one was a surprise to me, but according to moneywatch.com the classic KitchenAid Stand Mixer is, indeed, US-made. I can’t vouch for this one personally but I do know that if/when I decide I need a mixer, this is now the one I’m going to get.

4. Filson outdoor clothing/gear

Like I said above, summer’s almost over. Enter Filson, an icon of rugged Americana since 1897. Not for everyone, surely, but a quintessential “glad it’s there when you need it” brand. Good for your next camping trip, autumn hike, or job interview at Woodberry Kitchen (I kid, I kid).

5. Wiffle Ball

God help us the day they stop making Wiffle in the US. Enough said.

Note: comments have been weird lately. If you leave one, it might not show up. I believe, however, that I’ll still see it.

Posted in americana, business, essentials, living well, made here | 2 Comments »

Dealing With Difficulty: Ten Valuable Words

Posted by Neal Shaffer on Monday, May 30th, 2011

A few nights ago I got to thinking about how I handle various kinds of bullshit that come up in the day-to-day course of conducting both business and life. Or, more accurately, how I should handle them and how I need to remind myself to handle them.

Because, let’s be real: it’s easy to slip into bad habits and let frustration, anger, and cynicism take over. That mentality creeps in with little resistance. It takes old-fashioned work to ward it off.

Such work becomes both easier and more effective with the right approach. I’ve got a post I’m working on that deals with the importance of having a “Way” and this is kind of a prelude to that. As part of the process of finding my own Way I worked up a ten-word summation of my ideal philosophy:

Deal with it when it comes up. Compartmentalize. Move on.

Deal with it when it comes up. Not before and not after. Forecasting is a waste of resources, but so is avoidance. Handle it either right now or as close to right now as feasible.

Compartmentalize. Put it in its proper place. Give it only as much weight as it truly deserves (which is often not very much at all).

Move on. You’re after something, aren’t you? Don’t give in to distractions and burdens.

I can’t say I always do this. I can’t even say I’m always capable of doing this. But it’s what I’m after. Eventually I want this approach to be my default setting and I’m constantly reminding myself to take steps to get there.

What about you? If you had only ten words to define your ideal approach to handling bullshit (however you choose to define it), what would they be?

(Ed. note: this is cross-posted with my blog at Slant Six Creative)

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Buying American In the Mass Market, Part One

Posted by Neal Shaffer on Tuesday, May 10th, 2011

Whenever I find myself in position to purchase a product I want but don’t necessarily need, I check the label. Specifically I look to see where said product was made. If I see that it was made here — in America — I’m far more likely to make the discretionary buy than I would be if it’s just another “Made in China.”

Why? Because I live here. Simple. The American economy is my economy and I like to support it when I can. I’m aware of the complex economic arguments that circle around this issue and I’m certainly not advocating a withdrawal from the global economy. All I’m saying is that when I’m spending my “maybe” dollars I’m generally trying to spend them here.

I know I’m not alone in that, which means I’m also not alone in understanding how hard it is. Over the past few months, though, I’ve purchased a handful of very nice, American-made products that I think are worth a mention. Eventually I hope to expand this list and turn it into a kind of resource (thus the “Part One” in the title of this post). For now, here are four:

1. Case Knives

As I’ve stated before, everyone should carry a knife. It’s a basic matter of readiness.

I picked up a Case pocket knife on a whim at Lowe’s one day to replace my trustworthy Victorinox. The US-made pedigree was, at the time, the main reason why. Since then I’ve been more than pleased with the choice, so much so that I bought a second one. These knives are durable, sharp, well-constructed, and pleasant to hold.

2. Tramontina Cookware

The Tramontina website isn’t much and, as a result, I don’t know much about the company. What I do know is that I was at Costco one day and I saw a US-made frying pan I could use. I bought it and have no complaints.

From what I can gather, Tramontina doesn’t manufacture in the US exclusively. Regardless, I can vouch for that frying pan in a big way.

3. Anchor Hocking Glassware

I was at Target, thinking I could use a replacement for the old plastic measuring cup I had at home. Not that what I had wasn’t still functional, it was just heavily worn. So I picked up what looked like a damn nice piece from Anchor, and I saw it’s made in the US.

Sold.

4. Zippo Lighters

I realize, alas, that smoking is no longer in vogue. As a result, a lot of folks probably don’t see the need to own or carry a lighter. That’s a mistake.

A ready source of flame is, like a pocket knife, smart to have on hand. Maybe you don’t smoke — someone you know might. Maybe you need to light candles for a dinner party. Maybe you need to handle fireworks duties on July 4th. Maybe you’re camping and need to start a fire. Maybe you’re staring down a zombie invasion and need some torches. Whatever. Having a quality lighter is just good strategy.

No better option than Zippo. Classic, iconic, and made in PA. ‘Nuff said.

As I said above, I’d like to turn this preliminary list into a resource. Please pass along your recommendations for everyday, US-made goods that you use and enjoy.

One note on that: comments are moderated and don’t show up automatically. As long as it’s not spam, though, it will get posted.

Posted in americana, business, essentials, living well, made here | 1 Comment »

Gary Stewart, Forgotten Honky Tonk King

Posted by Neal Shaffer on Friday, April 1st, 2011

Within the catch-all designation known as “country” music there has always existed a range of styles. Cowboy music, country-folk, pop country, country-blues, Americana, Western swing. A voice more expert than mine could probably cite a dozen.

One such style — mostly forgotten* in today’s country scene — is Honky Tonk. Most folks probably know it, if they know it, via the practitioners of “outlaw” country in the seventies and eighties. Guys like Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, Kris Kristofferson, and David Allan Coe. Honky Tonk is the rough, rebellious edge of country music. It’s the rock & roll side of country. It’s the scruffy, workingman’s answer to the mainstream and the middle-of-the-road.

As writer Nik Cohn put it in a 1976 article for New York magazine:

“Traditionally, it has been the music that Country makes when it comes to the cities. Farm boys leave the land and go to work in factories, on construction sites, and oil drills. Their world changes and so, inevitably, do their songs. Out go the church, the family, the village community; in comes honky-tonking.”

Within the forgotten style there are also forgotten artists, none more deserving of a contemporary renaissance than Gary Stewart.

I came to Stewart a few months ago when I heard “Whiskey Trip” for the first time. The chorus grabbed me and wouldn’t let go.

Takin’ me a whiskey trip
Loving her with every sip
I’m just like a sailing ship
Waiting for the winds to blow

Whiskey, you’re a friend of mine
You can blow away my mind
To some other place and time
Taking me a whiskey trip

The music made me embarrassed to not already know the name. For in Stewart one finds all the same things that made Jennings and Nelson and Haggard into legends, and maybe even a little something extra.

That something — which is admittedly hard to pinpoint — is probably the reason Stewart isn’t more widely known. He’s just a bit more idiosyncratic than most of his contemporaries, a little harder to decipher. I wish I could say exactly why but the truth is you have to listen. If you like Jennings et al you’ll probably like Stewart, and you’ll probably understand exactly what I mean.

Below, two clips to get started. If you’re at all intrigued I highly recommend downloading The Essential Gary Stewart and riding on from there.

Let the lyrics sit with you for a bit. This guy was the truth.

YouTube Preview Image YouTube Preview Image

*Mostly, but not entirely.

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Life Lessons: Eight Things Every Man Should Know and Understand

Posted by Neal Shaffer on Wednesday, March 16th, 2011

Let’s start at the end, with the disclaimer: I’m no expert. I’m not yet a fully tenured gentleman. Probably never will be. I make my mistakes, suffer my flaws. I’m no stranger to falling short.

Even so, I’ve picked up a few things along the way and over the years. Developed a few good habits to mix in with the bad. Discovered a few bedrock principles. And, being someone who believes in the value of a generous spirit, I think it’s only right to share.

What follows is by no means an exhaustive list. But I guarantee you can’t go wrong by abiding it.

1. Open and hold the door for a woman. No exceptions.

In any situation where a man has the opportunity to either open or hold a door (or both) for a woman, he should do it. There can be no debate on this matter.

This includes opening her door first when you’re getting into a car. Under no circumstances should you unlock her door from the inside.

2. Sexy > Hot

Hot is a matter of what you see. That’s easy. Sexy is something altogether more mysterious and valuable. Being able to grasp this intuitively shows evidence of evolved thinking.

(This, if it needs to be said, is about much more than just finding another person attractive.)

3. A good woman is hard to find. If you have one, don’t screw it up.

Relationships are difficult. They require work, and sometimes that work isn’t worth doing. When it is, though, do it. You’ll be rewarded.

PS: If you’re a woman reading this, the point remains the same when you reverse the genders.

4. Learn to do for self as much as possible.

The institutions, people, and systems on which you presently rely will not be around forever. They will fail, disappear, or die. Do what you can to not get caught short when that happens.

5. Develop and maintain a healthy distrust of power and authority.

Anyone who has a claim to power over you, or anyone to whose authority you must submit, is by nature in a position to act against your interests. It doesn’t mean they will act against your interests, it just means that, at any point, they could.

The less chance you have of that, the better.

6. Ask: to what extent am I guilty myself of things I criticize in other people?

If you perform this exercise with fearlessness and honesty it will blow your mind. Embrace what you find.

7. You are responsible for your own happiness.

The one thing you truly control in this world is how you view, react to, and relate to it. Once you accept that fact — and the responsibility that comes with it — you’re on the road to understanding that happiness is a state, not a circumstance.

Easier said than done, sure. Just remember that small steps, when diligently and consistently applied, lead to large results. Be patient.

8. Be patient.

Always.

***

Have items of your own to add to the list? I’d love to hear them.

Posted in advice, essentials, living well, people, style | 4 Comments »

Breaking Down “Gimme Shelter” Track-by-Track

Posted by Neal Shaffer on Thursday, February 10th, 2011

“Gimme Shelter” enjoys status as one of those rare few cuts that has likely been heard by everyone who’s ever listened to rock music. And deservedly so — it’s a classic among classics. But with that kind of ubiquity comes a softening of impact. I feel about it the way I feel about most of Zeppelin’s most popular tracks. Great songs, yeah, but do I really ever need to hear them again?

Turns out in the case of “Gimme Shelter” that what I needed was to hear it again for the first time.

Over at the Dangerous Minds blog they’ve posted a series of clips that break the song down into its elemental components: vocals, guitar, and guitar/piano (the bass and drum tracks were once available, as well, but have been removed).

In a word: amazing. Listening to Keith’s guitar track by itself (embedded below) gives the song a new dimension that changes the way you consider the sum of its parts. Same goes for the Mick Jagger/Merry Clayton vocal track which, when heard by itself, reminds you that Mick is and has always been more than just a showman.

Hearing these is kind of like getting a chance to look at The Starry Night with the option of seeing only the blue paint, or the yellow. It adds a completely new level of appreciation.

I doubt I’m the only one who’d happily drop some coin if labels started making stuff like this available for download.

YouTube Preview Image

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Alfred Eisenstaedt: the Martha’s Vineyard Photos, Part Two

Posted by Neal Shaffer on Thursday, January 13th, 2011

Back in early October, you might recall, I posted the first set from my Eisenstaedt discovery at the LIFE archives. Summer was a less-distant memory then, something we could still feel if not quite touch. Today the temperature threatens never to rise above freezing and the first signs of spring are at least five or six weeks away. January is the toughest of months.

No better time to dig back in and offer up another batch of the great photographer’s scenes from the northeast coast. Enjoy.

(All credit/copyright/etc. to the Google/LIFE archive.)

Posted in americana, icons, photography | 1 Comment »

Defining an “American” Brand

Posted by Neal Shaffer on Monday, January 10th, 2011

There’s an interesting nugget buried in this recent article about a Baltimore architecture firm winning a job designing a Chinese shopping mall:

The project is part of a burgeoning trend. Chinese developers are building more retail centers as Chinese shoppers, who have more disposable income, clamor for goods from America and Europe, including clothing from retailers such as The Gap, said Malachy Kavanagh, a spokesman for the International Council of Shopping Centers, a trade organization for the shopping center industry. (bold emphasis mine)

Curious phrase there, “goods from America and Europe.”

The Gap is a quintessential middle-market American brand. No doubt about that. Yet they, like many American retailers, outsource most of their production to places like India and, yes, China. They’re clearly an American company, but are they really selling “American” goods?

When you open up an Apple product one of the first things you see is the phrase “Designed by Apple in California.” It is, as the linked post points out, a smart move. It’s Apple getting straight out in front of the question of origin and letting you know about the homegrown ingenuity that brought you your iPod, iPhone, or Mac. Yet the actual product was, of course, manufactured in China.

Is that a moot point? Is the design and engineering of a product its true heritage while the actual manufacturing simply a matter of efficiency and logistics?

If we’re being honest with ourselves the true answer is “yes…and no.”

If Gap started including “Designed by Gap in New York” on the tags of its Chinese-made or Indian-made shirts and jeans I’d bet a lot of folks would snicker. They’re pretty clearly “American” in name only. (Side note: Gap actually got in trouble recently for playing a little fast and loose with the notion of “Made in the USA.”)

Apple might be different — or perhaps just perceived differently — because their stuff boasts many of the qualities we’d like to associate with a true “American” brand: innovation, quality, durability, etc.

What we run into in both cases is that Apple and Gap are American companies but global brands. They are as “American” as we want — or don’t want — them to be.

I actually like that because it gives us a chance to appreciate truly American brands — companies that do both their design/development work and much or all of their manufacturing right here. American brands making American products.

It’s no slight to Apple or Gap or anybody else. Not unless you want it to be. It’s simply a necessary acknowledgment that the realities of the global economy dictate a nuanced consideration of the nature of what we buy. On the whole that’s a good thing. Ideally we’ll get to the point where folks — here or overseas — with a taste for “American goods” will start digging a little deeper. There’s no shortage of options and the list is growing.

In the meantime, though, it’s hard not to laugh at the idea of someone walking into a Gap in China and buying a pair of Made-in-India (or wherever) jeans to slake a thirst for “American” goods. They may be getting what they want, but they probably don’t know what they’re missing.

(Photo via Flickr user D. Bjorn)

Posted in advertising, apparel, business | 1 Comment »

In the New Year

Posted by Neal Shaffer on Monday, January 3rd, 2011

From “The Carpenter,” a publication of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America.

Yes, let our New Year’s resolution be, that we will be loyal to the cause, give proper thought to all matters before action and go at it in real earnest, not in that halfhearted earnestness that cannot be relied upon, and something will surely be accomplished.

January, 1910.

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Holiday Buying for the Gentleman in Your Life: Part Three

Posted by Neal Shaffer on Tuesday, December 14th, 2010

With the holiday shopping season underway, the braintrust at Gentlemanly Means Pursued has been working hard to make it easier to buy for the man in your life. Your boyfriend, husband, lover, father, brother, son, uncle — most everybody’s got one or more of ‘em. And, yeah, they can be difficult creatures. Never fear. We’ve got you covered.

This is part three, wherein we offer gifts in the $150 and up range.

You can also read Part One, covering gifts $50 and under, and Part Two, covering gifts $50-$150.

Table Radio by Tivoli Audio
$150 and up, available from amazon.com

It sounds as good as it looks, looks as good as it sounds. The Model One (pictured) is a great, basic radio, and the company offers a slate of other products for applications like iPod integration and internet radio. If you’re buying for a music lover, this will stand out.

Shirt by Taylor Stitch
$120-$165, available from Taylor Stitch

Yet another company I’m unapologetically writing about for the second time. I can’t help it — while I don’t own one of these yet, I love the company’s story and approach (the fact that one of their founders participated in the comments last time I covered them should tell you all you need to know). Handmade in San Francisco and, frankly, fairly reasonably priced considering that nice shirts can easily go for much more.

A shirt, by itself, might not seem a terribly inspired gift. One of these would be.

Really Nice Denim
prices vary, look to denimdebate.com to learn more

Good jeans are something you make your own. By wearing them in, washing/rinsing them, breaking them down, and generally turning them into an evolving extension of your lifestyle. Less a pair of jeans than a wearable project. The sartorial equivalent of building a doghouse or renovating a room.

You have to start with denim that can live up to that weighty calling. I’m in the process of making this decision myself, and I’m eyeing up companies like Baldwin Denim, Raleigh Denim, and Imogene+Wille — all of which are made right here in the US.

Again, “jeans” wouldn’t be a great gift, but great jeans most definitely would be.

Wusthof Kitchen Knives
prices vary, available from amazon.com

Admittedly only relevant if the man in your life likes to cook. But if he does, he knows that the difference between a regular knife and a good knife is huge. Make him happy and splurge for a set of Wusthofs, then demand that he use them to make you something awesome.

Thus concludes the Holiday 2010 edition of the Gentlemanly Means Pursued gift guide. Here’s to plenty of love and your in your life this season — regardless of your particular holiday/faith — and, as always, feel free to add your own suggestions in the comments.

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