Don't like vuvuzelas - thank China.

[tabatha]

Vuvuzelas a gold mine for China manufacturers
BEIJING, CHINA - Jun 18 2010 10:35

The vuvuzelas providing the ear-splitting soundtrack for the Soccer World Cup in South Africa are proving a gold mine for manufacturers in China and a hit with buyers in the Asian nation.

Sales of the braying plastic horns both in China and other parts of the world have soared, with manufacturers struggling to keep up with demand and supplies selling out on some Chinese websites.

China's state-run Global Times said nearly 90% of South Africa's vuvuzelas -- whose bee-swarm buzz at World Cup matches has triggered complaints from fans, players and broadcasters alike -- are produced in China.

One company, the Jiying Plastic Product based in the eastern province of Zhejiang, sold more than one million of the horns in the first four months of the year, mainly to South Africa, and the orders keep coming in.

"We plan to produce 300 000 to 500 000 more through the end of the World Cup," said Wu Yijun, the firm's general manager.

The company produces 37 types of vuvuzela, at a wholesale price of about two yuan (29 US cents) apiece, he said.

Chinese fans and merchants are also getting into the craze.

"Starting from May, we received domestic orders for about 150 000 vuvuzelas. Before that, all the vuvuzelas we produced were for export," Wu said.

"The World Cup frenzy has greatly driven our business, and we expect revenue will jump more than 100% this year from a year earlier."

According to Huicong Plastic, a Chinese website that provides news on the plastics industry, manufacturers in toy-making hub Chenghai in the southern province of Guangdong have made "several million" vuvuzelas.

Chenghai toy manufacturers were quoted as saying that factories were working overtime to meet World Cup demand.

"We expect that even after the end of the World Cup, South Africa will still need vuvuzelas, and other countries will also add to vuvuzela orders," the report said.

Meanwhile, vuvuzela sales have been brisk on Taobao, the Chinese equivalent of eBay, with some individual merchants on the website selling out of thousands of the trumpets, at prices averaging around 20 yuan each. - AFP

http://www.mg.co.za/article/2010-06-18-vuvuzelas-a-gold-mine-for-china-manufacturers

[TomCADem]

1. They sound like midget moto-cross.

[tabatha]

2. Deafening Vuvuzelas leave SA soccer fans’ lips bruised, swollen

JOHANNESBURG - A secret horn called ‘vuvuzela’, which is capable of creating an ear-shattering experience at the stadiums, has left many football fans with bruised lips from their continuous blowing of the instrument on Friday.

South African fans overwhelmingly used ‘vuvuzelas’ during the opening game of the 2010 football World Cup to inspire their players on Friday.

The vuvuzela can reach 131 decibels, which is almost as loud as a gunshot, according to a report.

“I’m enjoying this, but look at my lips. They’re dry and bruised. Too much blowing the vuvuzela,” Sports24 quoted estate agent Jonathan Adams, as saying.

Medical student Mohamed Yusuf’s lips were also sore. “But the atmosphere is so awesome here, I can’t stop,” he said.

“My lips were swollen the last time. This time I took it easy, but I admire the people who blow the vuvuzelas. It takes a lot out of you,” said Shamir Rampersadh, a 20-year-old student.

Earlier, fans were rushing to medical stores to purchase earplugs for the sake of their ears with the coming back of husky and deafening ‘vuvuzelas’ ahead of the World Cup, but local Cape Town stores said that supplies had run out due to the overwhelming demand. (ANI)

http://blog.taragana.com/sports/2010/06/12/deafening-vuvuzelas-leave-sa-soccer-fans-lips-bruised-swollen-110581/

[NightWatcher]

3. toughen up, wusses....signed A Trumpet Player

[tabatha]

4. I am guessing that trumpets are not made of cheap, very cheap plastic.

[Buns_of_Fire]

23. So a vuvuzela is kinda sorta like a bugle?

Well, heck, you can play tunes on a bugle (ref: "Taps") -- why not on a vuvuzela?

Picture National Vuvuzela Orchestras springing up all over the place. Young whippersnappers practicing "The Flight of the Bumblebee" on their prized vuvuzela for hours on end (and the emergency room visits for sprained lips from people trying just that). Vuvuzelas appearing on "(Pick your country)'s Got Talent!". Would playing "The Star-Spangled Banner" on a vuvuzela at the beginning of a baseball game be far behind? The seventh-inning vuvuzela? Marching vuvuzela bands in the Tournament of Roses Parade? Proctologists reporting increased business (for obvious reasons)?

I think it's a commie plot, myself.

[tabatha]

24. Yep, but cheap, cheap plastic.

I saw a clip where it was "played" - I don't have it.

Here is another very creative video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdYEMwM8Roo

And here is Hitler and the vuvuzela:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-Ln_rqPpPk

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You Tube comments

"The Vuvuzela (named after a greedy businessman) was created by a greedy deceptive plastic company in 2001, it is a copy of other instruments, it has nothing to do with South African culture. It was a money-making scheme and the product itself is the poorest made product in history, it is made in China for 2 cents by child slaves."

"Originally made out of tin, the vuvuzela became popular in South Africa in the 1990s"
"This type of plastic horn or trumpet has been used in Mexican stadiums since the 1970s"


"Well, i heard in the news that even Africans said that the vuvuzela isn't so traditional in their continent, so don't speak bad about all Africans, i think they are just doing it, because EVERYBODY is doing it.. when the first game started every half an hour there were some people having a vuvuzela with them in my village and i live in Germany, so i don't think it's just the Africans fault ;) "

"I went to a match and guess what. All the Argentinian supporters were blowing the vuvuzelas. I mean wtf!!! So wtf are the rest of the visitors in South Africa blowing the trumpets for. Black people cannot afford to go to the matches. So its not the South Africans ruining the world cup - its all the moron tourists that are coming here."

[Buns_of_Fire]

25. Thank you. At least Dr. Copley (the first link) was creative with it.

On the other hand, I can envision that, shortly after the end of the video, was when Hitler retired to the bunker to end it all.

(I wonder if I could get a government grant to write "The Vuvuzela in History"?:-))

[tabatha]

26. What history?

From when China found another market to sell their crap? 2001? That kind of history?

It is really, really too bad, because African singing (in groups) is fantastic, and would have been a true cultural addition to the games. Instead, there is the thoughtless, money-making, profit driven crapola.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xu-n3PgszVo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B86Unh-fXO8

[smoogatz]

5. What matters is whether the South Africans like them.

They seem to. Fine with me.

[tabatha]

10. They really had no choice.

If something had been made in South Africa that was quieter, I am sure they would have chosen those.

I think someone saw a marketing opportunity, and with the lack of anything better, they came to symbolize active participation in the matches.

[liberal N proud]

6. I can't imagine the noise level in the stadiums

I can't stand the sound on the teevee, so what would it be live, in person?

One might go mad before the end of a single match.

[kiva]

9. As far as I can tell, people who are attending the matches in person

are more supportive than those of us watching on TV, something to do with the fact that if you're in the stadium there's more of a sense of an orchestra. There have also been questions about the sound interfering with players attempts to communicate (don't know if it's any worse than other crowd noise or if it's an excuse).

The fact is that soccer/football is not supported by the few thousand people who can afford to attend in person, it's supported by TV and radio revenue, and that's where the complaints are being registered. If this affects viewership (and revenue), South Africa won't be hosting any more major world events that involve vuvuzelas.

[backscatter712]

16. I just got back from watching drag-racing at Bandimere.

Hey, at least there it's supposed to be noisy, and the noise is caused by fast dragsters, not douchey fans. Earplugs are highly recommended.

[xxqqqzme]

7. Wonder what toxins are

being 'recycled' in the plastic formula?

[amandabeech]

8. Lead is out. Cadmium is in. n/t

[Zavulon]

11. No, "thank" the inconsiderate fucks who use them.

If a guy blasts his car stereo too loud, should I "thank" Sanyo?

The blame goes to the assholes who don't give a shit about anyone within earshot.

[tabatha]

12. People who live near freeways and airports

have problems with noise.
Blame the ignorant fucks who manufactured cars and airplanes / who use cars and airplanes.

People who live near construction sites have problems with the noise of the machines.
Blame the ignorant fucks who manufactured the equipment / who use the equipment.

"Most construction workers lose a lot of their hearing. You lose hearing slowly, so you may not notice. But if you can't hear, you may be in danger on the job. Noise doesn't just hurt your hearing. You can also get tinnitis, a ringing sound in your ears. Too much noise can make you tired and nervous. It can raise your blood pressure and add stress that can help lead to heart disease."

Navy sonar harms whales and dolphins.
Blame the stupid fucks who run the navy.

And on and on and on.
I guess we are all just stupid fucks.

[Zavulon]

14. I'm saying that we SHOULDN'T blame China for this.

If I were inconsiderate enough to light a firecracker close to your ear and give you hearing loss, would you blame the Chinese for that, too?

People who blow 125-decibel horns non-stop during a 90-minute soccer match are being inconsiderate to those around them, period. I'm not going to join the OP in passing the blame to China, but feel free to do so if YOU want to.

[tabatha]

15. Yes, I am --- because like most products

from China, they were not quality tested.

The people who made the vuvuzela have said that they will be manufacturing a quieter version. Duh! why did they not think of that in the first place?

So please tell me which of the stupid fucks who use the vuvuzela have the equipment to measure the decibels?

If a toy maker makes a toy that is harmful or dangerous --- do you blame the person who bought the harmful toy, or does the toy maker issue a recall. I would think the latter.

See Toyota recall, toys with lead recalls, etc

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Product_recall

[Zavulon]

17. Wow.

When a vuvuzela's lead coating injures a child, or when a vuvuzela's brakes fail, I'll blame China. I don't think a stupid fuck who blows one should have to measure its decibels to know it's inconsiderate to do that near the ears of dozens of people around him. Even if we get quieter ones, that won't stop them from being annoying, and that is the fault of the stupid fuck using one, not the manufacturer.

[tabatha]

19. I don't think you get it.

The civilized world is full of noise created by people who are not stupid fucks, but they get a pass from you. Next time a deafening airplane flies over my roof, I will shout out to them that they are stupid fucks and please stop flying the planes.

I blame China solely - the device was meant to make noise and if the noise is too much then they should have not made the product - or made a quieter one.

Funny that the people sitting next to the blowers in the stands are not complaining. Only the television viewers who can turn down the volume.

When did someone blow a vuvuzela in your ear?

[eShirl]

13. "I got your vulvazela, right here!"

ha! I slay myself sometimes

[Bo]

18. They have destroyed the Game...no more chants or club songs

I hate the F·cking things...bizarre piece of crap, people here in South America hate them.

[tabatha]

21. And they are not really part of the African culture.

They are imports from China designed to make someone a lot of money, including the Afrikaner who imports them. They started out as a plastic toy designed in America for kids to blow and were converted into the vuvuzela.

[nichomachus]

20. Still less annoying than the sound at Nascar races

[tabatha]

22. Yes, I went to a car race once, and never again.

[conspirator]

27. I wouldn't blow on an item manufactured in china. I don't want contamination or

skin allergy