The Great Trade War : A Day in the Life of a Real American

Good morning, America. As alarms on clock radios made in Taiwan signal the start of another workday, a typical consumer might roll out of a bed made in Sweden and place his, or her, feet firmly on a flotaki rug from Greece while searching the night stand for a pair of glasses--frames made in Italy. And so begins a day, like any other, in which products manufactured abroad play key roles in our lives.

BATHROOM

Flipping the switch for the Italian light fixture, we find:

* Soap and razor blades made in Britain

* Faucets and tile from Italy

* A hairbrush and comb manufactured in China

* A hair dryer imported from Taiwan

GETTING DRESSED

And now the hard part--what to wear. Maybe a T-shirt from Israel, pants made in the Dominican Republic and shoes direct from Brazil? How about:

* A rugby shirt from New Zealand

* Athletic shoes or a scarf made in Indonesia

* A jacket from Taiwan

* A wallet made in Brazil

* A watch from Switzerland

KITCHEN

Now that our consumer is dressed, it’s time for breakfast. First, some Kenyan coffee goes into the electric pot from Germany and then is poured into a mug from Japan. Some toast pops up from the four-slice model made in Hong Kong, goes onto a plate from Portugal, along with a little English jam, and you’re set--almost:

* Bananas brought to market from Ecuador

* Coconut milk imported from Thailand

* Juice glasses and a food processor from France

* German-made knives, pots and pans

* A tablecloth from India

* Salt and pepper shakers from Portugal

* Place mats and napkins from China

AT THE OFFICE

Now it’s into the imported car--Korean, German or Japanese, take your pick. After tossing the briefcase from Thailand onto the desk, the American worker may find that these items will come in handy:

* An answering machine from China

* Pens made in Japan

* A pocket calculator made in Taiwan

* Scissors from Germany

DINNER

Home at last. And after brown-bagging it at work, it’s time for some real nourishment. But first, a glass of German beer while preparing the pizza:

* From Italy, some imported mozzarella and tomato sauce

* Anchovies from Morocco

* Australian wine

* Bottled water from France

LIVING ROOM

Unwinding in front of the Japanese TV after a long day, our consumer might want to pop a Korean-made videotape into that VCR, also from Japan. Want something that leaves a little more to the imagination? How about reading a book, printed in Hong Kong. But wait, there’s more:

* A lamp from Mexico

* A crystal vase from what was once Czechoslovakia

* Fabric from Thailand

THE EXTRAS

After all, our lives cannot always be divided into nice, neat categories:

* An iron from Singapore

* A sewing machine from Poland

* A Japanese camera

Source: Los Angeles Times