This proves a good point manufacture the stuff in your own country, and also do it yourself. May be a little more costly but this shutdown would not interfere with your business. Sometimes it is better to make it yourself, package it yourself and ship it yourself. Then you know that there is a hell of a lot better chance that what ever you are making will get to where you want it to go. Besides others can have jobs working for you to get the stuff out for others. Sometimes saving a buck will cost you more in the long run.

This proves a good point manufacture the stuff in your own country, and also do it yourself. May be a little more costly but this shutdown would not interfere with your business. Sometimes it is better to make it yourself, package it yourself and ship it yourself. Then you know that there is a hell of a lot better chance that what ever you are making will get to where you want it to go. Besides others can have jobs working for you to get the stuff out for others. Sometimes saving a buck will cost you more in the long run.

Okay, and labor disputes never happen in domestic manufacturing?

While there is certainly an argument to be had for domestic manufacturing, this is hardly a case that 'proves' that point.

The problem is that just saying "manufacture locally" shows zero understanding of the economics of manufacturing, supply, labour and the globalisation of production for consumer goods.

The reason that products are made in China/Asia is because they already have the facilities, the industrial supply lines of resources like plastics and metal, and a cheap labour pool (compared to other countries). If the games were manufactured in the USA they would likely take twice as long to produce, cost $300 a core set, and still would have to get shipped OUT of the USA to reach the rest of the world via the ports that were in dispute.

In short, everyone outside the USA would loose, and even then American gamers would have to pay twice as much.

Mav is right about the cost. Those who say they would prefer to buy domestic sometimes don't realize the labor cost difference.

However, there is more to it than just labor cost. Germany is an export country, despite being a very high labor-cost country. Of course, Germany also has a reputation for extreme high quality.

Yet, both China and Germany also benefit from certain exchange-rate manipulations, which make them cheaper than they really should be. In China's case this is straight-up pegging of their currency to a basket of other world currencies. Germany has basically done the same by pegging its currency to the currencies of its neighbors and calling it the euro. In the process the Germans have distorted their neighbors' economies and now they are wagging the finger of fiscal righteousness at them.

Now both the Chinese and the Germans are reaping what they've sown. Germany is tied to a small basket-case economy that may tear the whole zone down, and China has slowing growth and rising inflation at the same time. The good thing is that the Chinese middle class and blue collar workers are becoming more affluent and demanding higher wages. Hopefully that will mean a certain re-balancing in global economics.

Heard Friday night that the longshore union had a contract to vote on. Here's to hoping they approve and everyone gets back to work.

...Now both the Chinese and the Germans are reaping what they've sown. Germany is tied to a small basket-case economy that may tear the whole zone down, and China has slowing growth and rising inflation at the same time. The good thing is that the Chinese middle class and blue collar workers are becoming more affluent and demanding higher wages. Hopefully that will mean a certain re-balancing in global economics.

This is a pretty darn good summary of the situation.

Further, here's hoping that the re-balancing is as painless as possible.