Made in China - Again...

[Paolo]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7614083.stm

If you'll recall, this is the same chemical discovered in poisoned pet food last year. Or perhaps New Zealand, it's not clear where the stuff was made.

Chinese baby milk scare 'severe'

The number of Chinese babies known to have fallen ill with kidney stones as a result of contaminated milk powder has risen to 432, officials have announced.

"This is a severe food safety accident," health ministry official Gao Qiang, said. Those responsible would be "severely" punished, he added.

Later, it was announced that 19 people had been arrested.

Tests showed the milk powder contained the industrial chemical melamine. One infant has died.

The new scare revived memories of a fake baby milk formula scandal four years ago in which at least 13 babies died.

Vow to punish

"As of 12 September, there are 432 cases of kidney stones in the urinary systems of infants according to reports from health departments nationwide," Gao Qiang said.

"None of the milk powder was exported to other countries or regions," Mr Gao said.

"Only a fraction of the milk powder was sold to Taiwan for food processing," he added.

Gao Qiang said the Sanlu Group had been ordered to halt production after its products were found to be responsible.

"We will severely punish and discipline those people and workers who have acted illegally," Mr Gao said.

Melamine is a toxic chemical used in plastics, fertilisers and cleaning products.

New Zealand-based dairy product company Fonterra Cooperative Group Ltd, a part-owner of Sanlu, ordered a recall of about 700 tonnes of powder contaminated with melamine believed to be in circulation.

Melamine has been used by Chinese suppliers of animal feed components to make them appear to have more protein.

It was linked to the formation of kidney stones and kidney failure in pets in the United States last year, leading to thousands of deaths and illnesses.

A fake milk powder scandal in 2004 killed at least 13 babies in the eastern province of Anhui.

Investigators found that the milk given to these babies had no nutritional value, and the resulting scandal triggered widespread investigations into food safety.

[mrt (imported)]

I've never understood why we feel its important to make a level playing field with Dictatorships like China that paint toys with Lead based paints and poison food and mandate abortions etc etc etc.

I guess KMart would have to close its doors? Which btw wouldn't bother me for an instant.

[amahl_shukup (imported)]

China has a history of dealing harshly with people who get caught doing such things. There will probably be some show trials followed by speedy executions. The Chinese manner is (or used to be) the perps being frog-marched to a firing squad and tied to an upright pole, and several soldiers with AK-47s firing a single round each at them. Then as a nice touch, the families are billed for the cost of the bullets. Ah, you have to love those fun loving Chinese.

[A-1 (imported)]

China has a history of dealing harshly with people who get caught doing such things. There will probably be some show trials followed by speedy executions. The Chinese manner is (or used to be) the perps being frog-marched to a firing squad and tied to an upright pole, and several soldiers with AK-47s firing a single round each at them. Then as a nice touch, the families are billed for the cost of the bullets. Ah, you have to love those fun loving Chinese.

YEP!

Too late to abort them.

However, in China 'honor' and 'family name' are concepts that still have meaning. So, maybe they can organize witch hunts execute ALL of their close relations for them having done these things. Argue that paying for the bullet just isn't enough.

That, Amahl, should be VERY AMUSING to watch...something like the Taliban executing teenage girls who have been raped for adultry after their clitorises are hacked out before puberty.

Yes, the joke was on them... right? They couldn't have enjoyed being raped anyways, could they?

[jemagirl (imported)]

Given the state of our economy it makes no sense to me that people in this country are buying products such as baby formula from China when they could be supporting families over here by purchasing similar goods produced locally.

Oh yeah.... we don't do that anymore because we outsourced those jobs to China so we could have cheap goods at Wal-Mart. In Wal-Mart's defense they are going to take care of anyone harmed by tainted products RIGHT? Sigh....Oh well it's all good for the economy. Well as long as you aren't a middle to lower class blue collar worker that is

It's not in our long term interest to buy goods just because they are cheap. If we keep doing this there is no possibility of a living wage. This is not a problem the politicians are going to solve because they are owned by companies like Wal-Mart. We as consumers, have to start buying with our neighbors in mind.

Start with locally grown produce. Then work your way toward more durable products. When it comes to cars you aren't limited to Detroit. I believe Honda and Toyota have plants here. Just think about where your food and other things come from and who you are supporting when you buy. We can still have free trade, but we don't have to sell our soul to the company store.

It's up to us how this all works out.

[amahl_shukup (imported)]

YEP!

Too late to abort them.

However, in China 'honor' and 'family name' are concepts that still have meaning. So, maybe they can organize witch hunts execute ALL of their close relations for them having done these things. Argue that paying for the bullet just isn't enough.

That, Amahl, should be VERY AMUSING to watch...something like the Taliban executing teenage girls who have been raped for adultry after their clitorises are hacked out before puberty.

Yes, the joke was on them... right? They couldn't have enjoyed being raped anyways, could they?

I can't decide if you're being ironic, or if you're actually suggesting that I might defend honor killings. If it's the former, no offense taken, as I'm a fairly ironic kind of guy...but if it's the latter, nothing could be further from the truth. I am as appalled as anyone over honor killings, partly for the brutality against a vulnerable group (powerless women), but also partly because of all the ignorant superstition and patriarchal traditions behind it. And to think, women in the West think they've got hard lives. Whatever "glass ceiling" still exists here (if it exists at all) is nothing compared to the kind of shit Muslim women have to endure, from honor killings to genital mutilation to getting the death penalty for daring to get raped. I ask it all the time of my local friends, but I might as well ask it here as well: What is wrong...and I mean WTF is wrong...with these superstitious ignorant morons?

[Paolo]

Anyone who is caught doing this crap to make a buck SHOULD be shot. In public. And his family SHOULD get the bill. Adding toxic materials to things like pet foods and baby formula to make an extra buck is inexcusable. I'd like to have five minutes alone with the person responsible for this, Chinese babies or not. In essence, someone in that company gambled with the lives of infants to maximize profits. I'm sure there's a special place in Hell waiting for him, and I'd love to be the one at the Gates to meet him and lead him in.

[JesusA (imported)]

However, in China 'honor' and 'family name' are concepts that still have meaning. So, maybe they can organize witch hunts execute ALL of their close relations for them having done these things. Argue that paying for the bullet just isn't enough.

In imperial China, as in any modern state, there was a range of punishments available depending on the severity of the crime. These ranged from caning through castration to execution of the perpetrator with increasing severity of the crime.

For extremely serious crimes, the lineal family of the criminal were also punished. This included execution of his father (if living) and of sons and grandsons above a certain age. Younger sons and grandsons were "merely" castrated.

For the MOST severe crimes, this was extended out to collateral relatives, including the brothers of the criminal and the brothers' sons and grandsons.

This did result in families watching and policing their members very closely.......

[amahl_shukup (imported)]

Anyone who is caught doing this crap to make a buck SHOULD be shot. In public. And his family SHOULD get the bill. Adding toxic materials to things like pet foods and baby formula to make an extra buck is inexcusable. I'd like to have five minutes alone with the person responsible for this, Chinese babies or not. In essence, someone in that company gambled with the lives of infants to maximize profits. I'm sure there's a special place in Hell waiting for him, and I'd love to be the one at the Gates to meet him and lead him in.

Since I don't believe in Hell (it being a fairly recent invention by the Big Three Religions and what all), that might not be good enough. But I'd back you up for your five minutes alone with the responsible party (or parties). I'll knee-cap 'em with a .45 and stand back to watch as you do your thing. I'd suggest a nail-studded club or the old medieval mace...WAY cool.

[Paolo]

Since I don't believe in Hell (it being a fairly recent invention by the Big Three Religions and what all),

I find it quite the novel concept and can't wait to see it.