A Must Read for Pet Owners - Industry Responds to Reports of Lead in Wal-Mart Pet Toys

This article is from ConsumerAffairs.com. They recently tested a number of pet toys from Wal-Mart and, you guessed it, found elevated numbers of heavy metals in them. This is, of course, bad for the pets, but if you also have children, those same children also play with the pet toys, too. So it's a concern.

An interesting thing is Wal-mart's response; expected, but interesting nonetheless. Read on...

Industry Responds to Reports of Lead in Wal-Mart Pet Toys:
"“Our Boston Terrier kept throwing up and we finally narrowed it down to the toy squirrel we had purchased for her. After looking at the label and noting it was ‘Made in China’ we then looked at all the other pet toys we've purchased. Every single one said ‘Made in China.’

“Once we took the toy squirrel away from her toy box, she stopped throwing up,” Kathy added. “We tried giving it back to her and she started throwing up again . . . pet toys from China are harming and perhaps killing our pets.”"

IBM Licenses 45nm Technology To Chinese Foundry | Tom's Hardware

IBM Licenses 45nm Technology To Chinese Foundry | Tom's Hardware: "Some concerns have been raised over exporting 45nm technology to a Chinese company as there are several export laws limiting the transfer of advancement technologies and processes to China.

China Link Suspected in Lab Hacking - New York Times

China Link Suspected in Lab Hacking - New York Times:
"SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 8 — A cyber attack reported last week by one of the federal government’s nuclear weapons laboratories may have originated in China, according to a confidential memorandum distributed Wednesday to public and private security officials by the Department of Homeland Security."

Get ready for more of this as US companies send orders to China

Detroit stamping company goes under, converts to Chapter 7:
"Solar Stamping asked the court to convert the case to Chapter 7 earlier this month because GM was finalizing its plans to obtain parts from another supplier and because its financing was set to expire."

See story below for GM's plans to build in China.

There may be an upside to the Chinese toy debacle

Parents shy away from Chinese toys:

"Instead of a small mountain of toys under the Christmas tree, the Donais family of Windsor is opting for fewer presents, quality time with family and gifts that spur the imagination of their three-year-old daughter. And the shift is largely due to concerns over the safety of Chinese-made toys."

Any time personal interaction is substituted for consumerism, it's a good thing. Let's keep it up.

Chinese-made miter saws are recalled : Science Technology

Chinese-made miter saws are recalled : Science Technology: "The WMH Tool Group Inc. of Elgin, Ill., initiated the recall when it was determined the Chinese-made saws' handle switch can fail, causing the saw to smoke, spark and trip circuit breakers, thereby disabling the safety brake. The saw also can keep operating unless the unit is unplugged, posing a laceration hazard to consumers."

Laceration hazard? I know a (former) guitarist who cut off all four fingers of his left hand with a properly functioning saw. What happens with one that doesn't turn off?

Just when cars were starting to get pretty good...

GM plans Chinese-made hybrid cars -- china.org.cn: "

General Motors Corp will build hybrid cars in China from 2008 in time for the Beijing Olympics next August, Automotive News said, citing Martin Murray, the car maker's manager of Asia-Pacific hybrid engineering.

The cars will have GM's four-cylinder Ecotec engine, which is made in China, the report said. The auto maker hasn't said which models it will make in the country and when they will go on sale, Auto News added. Murray wouldn't specify how many vehicles will be built, it said.

Toyota Motor Corp's Prius, the only hybrid assembled in China, went into production in December 2005. Hybrids use gasoline or diesel engines and electric motors to power the wheels, Auto News said.

Michigan Local & Small Business News – Economics & Finance News Articles - MLive.com

Michigan Local & Small Business News – Economics & Finance News Articles - MLive.com: "'I never checked toys to see where they were from,' the 30-year-old Bay City mother said. 'I just assumed they were all safe because they were in the stores for sale."

A New Online Store for Toys Made in America

I'm putting together my own online store for folks to purchase goods not made in China. I am starting with Toys made in America, and you can see it here:

http://astore.amazon.com/harrystoyshop-20

It will change in the comings days and weeks as new goods are added, so please stop by often.

Eventually, I plan to offer goods of all types from the US.

China blocks USS Kitty Hawk carrier from Hong Kong - Yahoo! News

China blocks USS Kitty Hawk carrier from Hong Kong - Yahoo! News:
"HONG KONG (Reuters) - China has refused permission for a U.S. aircraft carrier and accompanying vessels to visit Hong Kong for a long-planned Thanksgiving holiday visit, the U.S. State Department said on Wednesday.

"The USS Kitty Hawk group and its crew of 8,000 airmen and sailors had been expected in Hong Kong on Wednesday, but will now spend the holiday on the South China Sea.

"Hundred of relatives of crew members of the Kitty Hawk had flown to Hong Kong to celebrate Thanksgiving with them."

Unbelieveable - They don't Value your Child (Their Customer)

China Christmas toy orders up despite quality fears | Reuters: "BEIJING (Reuters) - Orders for Chinese toys are on the rise in the run-up to Christmas despite a wave of product recalls that have shaken confidence in the safety of Chinese-made goods, the country's product safety chief said on Wednesday."

More China Toy Recalls, and American Corruption?

Safety agency issues new batch of toy recalls | U.S. | Reuters:
"WASHINGTON (Reuters) - More recalls of lead-tainted toys made in China were announced on Wednesday by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, including 380,000 toy cars sold at Dollar General stores.

Other warnings included smaller recalls of Dizzy Ducks music boxes, Winnie-the-Pooh spinning tops, 'Big Red' wagons, Dragster and Funny Car toys, and Duck Family collectible wind-up toys, all because of paint with unsafe levels of lead.

Millions of similar toy recalls, most involving Chinese-made products, have alarmed American consumers in recent months. Lead is toxic and can pose serious health risks to children, including brain damage. The new batch of recalls totaled about 403,000 toys. No injuries were reported, the safety commission said.

U.S. lawmakers have proposed legislation that would virtually ban lead in toys and give the product safety agency more funding for testing, recalls and enforcement. They have also criticized the safety agency's acting chairman, Nancy Nord, for accepting industry-funded trips.

The toy cars recalled Wednesday were sold at Dollar General retail stores from April through October this year for about $1 per pack of two or four cars. Consumers should return the toy cars to a Dollar General store for a refund. "

The China Toy Debacle Now Moves into US State Courts

California sues 20 companies over toys with lead | Reuters:
"The lawsuit, which names U.S. toy companies including Mattel Inc, and retailers, including Toys 'R' Us Inc and Wal-Mart Stores Inc, says the companies knowingly exposed children and their parents to lead and did not provide sufficient warning about its risks.

'Despite the lengthening global supply chain, every company that does business in this state must follow the law and protect consumers from lead and other toxic materials,' California Attorney General Jerry Brown said in a statement.

The lawsuit follows a series of recalls this year that have led to millions of toys being taken off store shelves. Many of the recalled toys were made in China."

China's e-waste nightmare worsening - Yahoo! News

China's e-waste nightmare worsening - Yahoo! News:
"GUIYU, China - The air smells acrid from the squat gas burners that sit outside homes, melting wires to recover copper and cooking computer motherboards to release gold. Migrant workers in filthy clothes smash picture tubes by hand to recover glass and electronic parts, releasing as much as 6.5 pounds of lead dust."

Panel: China's Spying Poses Threat to U.S. Tech Secrets - washingtonpost.com

Panel: China's Spying Poses Threat to U.S. Tech Secrets - washingtonpost.com:
"And the Defense Department may be inadvertently outsourcing the manufacturing of key weapons and military equipment to factories in China."

"...As weaponry gets more and more sophisticated . . . I think we'll find ourselves more vulnerable for parts that are being manufactured by an adversary. It's really something the Pentagon needs to look at seriously," said commission member Bill Reinsch, who is also president of the National Foreign Trade Council, which promotes free trade on behalf of businesses.

"...The report stated that China's military advances "have surprised U.S. defense and intelligence officials, and raised questions about the quality of our assessments of China's military capabilities."

And where does one think they got those technological advances? I can't be the only one not wearing a dunce cap...

CPSC Feed Added to Site

Hiya! Please note that to the right and down a bit is a feed from the Consumer Product Safety Commission concerning all toy-related recalls.

Be sure and also have a look at the CPSC Non-Toy recall list, also listed to the right. It's huge!

Rufies for Kids!

Aqua Dots Recalled For 'Date Rape' Drug Danger

WASHINGTON (CBS News) ― China-made toys seized in Hong Kong were being tested Thursday after scientists in Australia found that similar toys contained a chemical that converts into a powerful 'date rape' drug when ingested, officials said.

At least five children in the United States and Australia have been hospitalized after swallowing the toy beads, which are used in arts and crafts projects. They can be arranged into designs and fused when sprayed with water.

"They look like brightly colored little candies and they're manufactured in China, where, as you know, they're cutting corners in these factories, using toxic chemicals," Julie Vallese, spokeswoman for the Consumer Product Safety Commission told CBS' "The Early Show".

Australian scientists say a chemical coating on the beads, when ingested, metabolizes into the so-called date-rape drug gamma hydroxy butyrate. When eaten, the compound - made from common and easily available ingredients - can induce unconsciousness, seizures, drowsiness, coma and death.

My God, someone actually gets it!

How clean tech will bring manufacturing jobs back to U.S. | Tech news blog - CNET News.com:

"Shipping materials from China also "blows the whole point about zero carbon dioxide," he added. "You're on the wrong side of the energy curve."

State governments are also offering substantial incentives--free rent in industrial parks, tax holidays, loans, grants--to woo these companies. "States do not want to be left out of the next industrial revolution," Surace said.

Some of the most aggressive states include New York, California, and New Mexico.

The heartening part of all of this is that Surace isn't alone. Bruce Jamerson, CEO of Mascoma, which wants to make cellulosic ethanol, has said the same thing. Mascoma is building plants in Michigan, New York, and Tennessee because that's where the wood chips and vegetable matter are. Several analysts have said shipping is one of the big barriers for Chinese solar-panel makers.

Granted, it's not like these companies are staying in the States because the CEO woke up one day to a Bob Seger song playing on the radio and started getting misty-eyed over the disappearance of the industrial heartland. They are being encouraged to stay stateside in part because of subsidies.

But other factors--like shipping costs, the low prices of their products, and the proximity to local markets--could conspire to get the manufacturing arm of the country moving again."

Egg Piracy in China

Egg Piracy in China: "The artificial egg can be fried sunny-side up or steamed. Although bubbles appear on the white of the egg, those who have tasted it say the fake stuff tastes very much like the real thing. But experts warn of the danger of eating fake eggs. Not only do they not contain any nutrients, a Hong Kong Chinese University professor warned that long-term consumption of alum could cause dementia."

Wal-Mart Voluntarily Recalls Thousands of Chinese-M

Wal-Mart Voluntarily Recalls Thousands of Chinese-Made Toys

Reports: China 'hijacking' Google, Yahoo, Microsoft search sites | Tech news blog - CNET News.com

Reports: China 'hijacking' Google, Yahoo, Microsoft search sites | Tech news blog - CNET News.com

Ticked off that the United States gave the Dalai Lama the prestigious Congressional Gold Medal this week, China may be taking out its aggression by "hijacking" American search engines.

There's speculation that the Dalai Lama's recent award from President Bush (their meeting, pictured above) has prompted Net users in China to be rerouted from U.S. search sites to Baidu. (Credit: White House)

Over at Search Engine Land, Danny Sullivan reports that numerous users trying to access Google, Yahoo, or Microsoft search engines from within China or using Chinese Internet service providers are being redirected to Chinese-owned search engine Baidu.

Sullivan says it's not exactly clear how that process is working, but he cites a news report from 2002 that indicates this sort of thing has happened in China before. At the time, a Baidu official denied having any part in the rerouting.

So is the Chinese government to blame? After all, its extensive attempts at censoring what its citizens view on the Internet have been well-documented.

It's worth noting, however, that the reported redirects may not have any direct link to the Dalai Lama events. The Associated Press reported earlier this week that Beijing has been ramping up its filtering of political sites in an attempt to stifle political dissent leading up to the Communist Party Congress, a meeting in which leaders are selected to serve under the president for the next five years.

Fake IPhone: 3G SPhone Is Made of Paper, Costs a Bomb and Looks Familiar - Gizmodo

Fake IPhone: 3G SPhone Is Made of Paper, Costs a Bomb and Looks Familiar - Gizmodo: We've seen all sorts of iPhone wannabes from China, but this SPhone is yours for just 3,999 Yuan — $533 — remarkably expensive for something that seems to be made out of paper.

China might be onto something - if a bit extreme

FOXNews.com - China Bans TV, Radio Ads for Bras, Underwear -

Regulators have already targeted ads using crude or suggestive language, behavior, and images, tightening their grip on television and radio a few weeks ahead of a twice-a-decade Communist Party congress at which some new senior leaders will be appointed.

The latest ban by the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television, or SARFT, also bans advertisements for sexual aids including tonics and sex toys, along with "inelegant images" in ads for what it referred to simply as "adult products."

Don't you wish we could just turn down the "crude" button on media? It ain't funny, kids, just gross and stupid.

Some Serious Irony

Souvenir at green conference: lead tainted coffee cups | Tech news blog - CNET News.com:
"They came from China with a warning on the bottom: caution contains lead."

Now This Takes the Chow Fung

Mattel apologizes to China for toy recalls - Yahoo! News

First time I've ever heard of a client aplogizing to his contractor for receiving poorly-delivered services.

The USA - Land of the Apologetic Fairy.

Fujifilm to Shift Digital Camera Output to China

PC World - Fujifilm to Shift Digital Camera Output to China: "The camera company plans to shift its remaining digital camera production to China and cut an unspecified number of jobs."

A Race to the Bottom

I've been debating economic policy lately with some friends who work in manufacturing. They get the new China Syndrome all right, but only the small picture. They're focused on the bottom-line price as compared to their competitors. They feel boxed-in by manufacturing costs, particularly labor.

And here's the American worker - enjoying the highest standard of living the world has ever known - awash in incredible services, a mostly peaceful existence inside the country, plenty of food, decent work, a safe place to sleep and a warm place to crap.

And boy, is this our Achilles heel.

It's our downfall because all of this "culture" costs money: in order to pay for these things we have to earn enough to do so. That dough comes from wages supplied by employers. But can the US manufacturers compete in the low price arena with such high overhead?

Enter China and Mexico. In particular, China has almost none of the services we have, and therefore their cost of living is very low (particularly when one considers the communist factor where most things are provided by the government, except freedom). So, with few financial pressures, Chinese workers can do rather well making a very slight fraction of what US workers must make to survive. Needing less, Chinese manufacturers can charge less than other developed countries. And so begins our conundrum.

What do we do - compete to see who is the least common denominator? Do we lower our services so that our cost of living is less, government does less, taxes are less, and workers can earn less? In short, reduce our way of life to that of our low-price trading partners? Actually, something like that happened here before, albeit for different reasons. Everyone's standard of living dropped like a wet stone overnight in October of 1929, but no one really liked what happened then.

Or, should we simply stop trading with partners who have such a cost of living imbalance?

My solution is to stop trading with Asian companies, because we need to learn to pay the price for what things actually cost to support this country - you remember, the country that paves your street and puts your kid through school.

Imagine that - local prices based on local reality. What a novel idea...

We gotta do something, before we're all using moldy old recycled chopsticks to eat last week's pet dog killed by his food, him served on lead-painted plates. Yum.

Apparently, They're All Crooks!

Former China F1 circuit boss convicted on embezzlement charges - MSNBC Wire Services - MSNBC.com: SHANGHAI, China (AP) -The former head of Formula One racing in China has been convicted of embezzlement, state media said Wednesday.

Yu Zhifei, a former city government official and general manager of the Shanghai International Circuit, "embezzled large amounts of money and should bear criminal responsibility,'' the China Daily quoted the prosecutor as saying at Yu's one-day trial on Tuesday.

China says it opposes threatening Iran with war | Reuters

China says it opposes threatening Iran with war | Reuters: "The United States, Germany, France, Britain, Russia and China have backed two rounds of U.N. sanctions against Iran over its refusal to halt uranium enrichment and other sensitive work that could be used to make nuclear weapons."

And why do you think this is? Because China is a HUGE supplier to Iran of technology, building supplies and other goods that support Iran's nuclear efforts.

[UPDATE 2007 Sept 19] This could get really bad. News agencies are reporting that Iran is sabre-rattling toward Israel. So then, we'd have Iran, allied with China, and Israel, allied with the US, all nuclear-armed and all pissed off.

Does anyone remember how World War One started? Same type of meaningless regional dispute involving tiny countries, which dragged the major powers into a huge conflagration killing millions. And the WMD of that day was the newly-invented machine gun. Only this one might be World War Last.

Imagine Iran being the cause of the end of the world. This is now a plausible scenario.

Veterinarians warn of China-made jerky treats - USATODAY.com

Veterinarians warn of China-made jerky treats - USATODAY.com:

In the last few weeks, dog owners and veterinarians have noticed cases of dogs becoming sick after eating Chinese-made jerky treats. Symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea and lethargy. No deaths have been reported.

The number of reported cases is low, but the American Veterinary Medical Association, the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine and Cornell University's College of Veterinary Medicine are all tracking the problem.

The AVMA has posted an alert on its website. It hopes to gather information quickly from members on whether there is a problem, and if so, how large it is, spokeswoman Sharon Granskog said.

Affected dogs show maladies that a typical clinic might see just once or twice a year, said Richard Goldstein, a veterinary kidney specialist and professor at Cornell University's College of Veterinary Medicine. He described them as "Fanconi-like syndrome" symptoms. Fanconi's syndrome is an inherited disease that affects the kidney's ability to function.

Drug Companies outsource manufacturing - Times Online

AstraZeneca to outsource manufacturing - Times Online:

“Manufacturing for AstraZeneca is not a core activity,” Mr Smith said. “AstraZeneca is about innovation and brand-building . . . There are lots of people and organisations that can manufacture better than we can.”

Mr Smith, who is leading a restructuring drive designed to cut costs and improve profitability before the expiry of patents on key drugs, said that the priority would be to outsource all of AstraZeneca’s manufacturing of active pharmaceutical ingredients – the basic chemicals used to formulate conventional medicines.

He said that it would be possible to find significantly cheaper contract manufacturers, many of which would be in the Far East. “We are looking to access China and India in a much more meaningful way,” he said.

Later, the company would seek to strip out and outsource more sophisticated manufacturing and logistics activities.

Other big pharmaceutical companies, such as Pfizer, the huge American group, have also begun outsourcing manufacturing recently. The company, which is the world’s biggest drugmaker said last week that it was shedding 420 jobs at its British factory, at Sandwich, Kent, and that it would opt to outsource some functions.

Related Links

• Drug industry slow to embrace outsourcing

• AstraZeneca to cut 4,600 jobs

China recalls leukaemia drugs in safety scare

China recalls leukaemia drugs in safety scare | Reuters:

Earlier this month, the government suspended production and sale of the generic drugs -- methotrexate and cytarabin hydrochloride.

Several children suffering from leukaemia in three hospitals of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Shanghai City felt pain in their legs and some had difficulty walking after being injected with the methotrexate drug in early July, according to the report.

Investigations showed several batches of the two drugs had been contaminated during production, Xinhua said. The factories were closed pending the outcome of the investigation.

Xinhua did not say how widely the drugs had been distributed or whether any had been exported.

More about jerky treats

The State | 09/16/2007 | More about jerky treats:
• China is a primary source of chicken jerky-style treats, as dark meat is more popular there than white for human consumption.
• Unlike the recent Menu Foods recall, where the products were made in U.S. and Canadian factories using tainted wheat gluten from Chinese suppliers, most jerky treats are made in China and carry that designation on their product labels."

Consumers could face higher toy prices - Yahoo! News

Consumers could face higher toy prices - Yahoo! News:

"That means a $6.99 Barbie doll could go up to about $7.70, or a $70 child-friendly digital camera could retail next year for almost $80."

And, for a cheap toy for the kiddies, one could just get them a package of razor blades. Nice stocking-stuffer.

Is it me, or this consideration of price not worth discussing?

Cheap Bastards R' Us.

A View on News from a Chinese Citizen - [Re:Thousands of Ex-Soldiers Riot in China ]

Thousands of Ex-Soldiers Riot in China - Topix:

Below is a comment posted to the above article by a Chinese citizen living in Beijing. Tell me your heart doesn't break, and tell me you still want to support the PRC?

"It is my first day on this website, I get to know here just about 20 minutes ago. I am happy for I can know much more news from here.
"As I am living in China I think I should know all what happend in China ahead by the media here in China. But I did not hear any such news here.
"I do not want to get any trouble so I could not say any about it. I am sorry.
I hope I could be good friend to American."

I hope he lives to see the online responses.

China accused of cyberattacks on New Zealand | Tech News on ZDNet

China accused of cyberattacks on New Zealand | Tech News on ZDNet:

Warren Tucker, New Zealand's Security Intelligence Service director, hinted to local newspaper The Dominion Post that the Chinese government was responsible for the attacks, referring to previous allegations about the country's spying activities by Canada's secret service.

The allegations come only a week after the Chinese foreign ministry denied that the Chinese government had endorsed attacks on the computer networks of Germany, the United States and the United Kingdom.

"Any accusation of Chinese military force attacking computer systems of foreign governments is groundless, irresponsible and out of ulterior motives," Chinese foreign-ministry representative Jiang Yu said in a recent press conference. "As far as I know, up till now, the Chinese police have not received any request for investigation assistance from the relevant countries."

Why are all communists so damned paranoid?

China: Net spy damage has been 'massive' | Tech News on ZDNet

"... foreign officials have been alleging through news reports that China has been mounting Internet raids on government computer networks in the United States, Germany, Britain and other countries. China has denied such allegations.

"Lou said it is the United States and other developed powers that threatened China online. Those countries use teams of writers to compile "harmful information" and exaggerate bad news, he said.

"China has 140 million registered Internet users. Lou said they are being perverted by "degenerate and backward" content. He urged even stricter censorship than the government already imposes.

Christmas for Buddha

The Chinese are looking forward - and to a large extent already enjoying - the benefits of Christmas in America. I mean, American toy manufacturers signed deals long ago with Chinese manufacturers to make about 90% of the toys that will be sold here during Christmas. Those sold in Wal-Mart, especially.

What a lot of my friends don't know is my experience with toymaking. My father, in his retirement, became a toymaker, selling his goods at craft shows and such. His mantra was, "A toy without a child is a sad thing."

I recall manning his booth one Saturday, and a young couple came up and began admiring the toys. They were very nice, handmade and wooden. They had a nice finish. The toys I mean, not the couple. Their question: "What do you use to finish these? Is it safe for a baby" I honestly couldn't answer them. I knew the stain used was the finest kind, but didn't know if it was safe if ingested. Both my father and I had never considered it. But after that one question, all his toys were made with an edible finish. With fava beans and a nice chianti, it was very good.

These days, I feel sorry for parents. They love their children and want them to have a happy Christmas. However, they're in a bad position: the greed of companies that manufacture and sell here in the US has led them to make toys in the cheapest of places around the world. Sometimes, these toys were made by children who themselves couldn't afford them. How sad is that?

So for Christmas, what's a parent to do? Buy made-in-China goods and risk lead poisoning for your child, or don't buy Chinese-made and risk have a very sparse Christmas.

For this, I will try to help. I'll be looking around for non-made-in-China toys and posting links here, so stay tuned.

I hope I can help make things good for the little monsters. So they can grow up to be just like you.

Trade gap narrows despite jump in Chinese imports - Sep. 11, 2007

Trade gap narrows despite jump in Chinese imports - Sep. 11, 2007:

China, despite its size and rapid growth, bought only $4.8 billion of U.S. goods in July.

The only better market for U.S. goods are the nations of the European Union as a group, which bought $18.9 billion in U.S. exports while selling $31.9 billion in exports to the United States as a group. But no European country by itself was anywhere near the level of Chinese goods shipped here.

The trade gap of goods to and from China now accounts for 40.2 percent of the nation's overall trade gap, up from 35.6 percent in June and 29 percent a year ago.

PC World - Offshore IT Services Showdown: India Versus China

PC World - Offshore IT Services Showdown: India Versus China: "Offshore outsourcing's reigning champion, India, squares off against its upstart rival, China, on software quality, staff costs, advanced business skills and more. We also figure in a few top of mind questions for the IT manager who'll be traveling to his company's offshore provider once a quarter: Can I get a decent cup of coffee, and how long will I actually be on the plane?"

Intel breaks ground in China for US$2.5 billion silicon fabrication plant

Intel breaks ground in China for US$2.5 billion silicon fabrication plant - International Herald Tribune: "The US$2.5 billion (€1.8 billion) facility, one of the biggest single foreign investments in China, will be Intel's first silicon-wafer fabrication plant in Asia and its eighth worldwide. It is due to open in 2010 with a work force of 1,200."

Should we be worried? See next story...

Chinese hackers form US military cyber attack plans

Chinese hackers form US military cyber attack plans:
CHINESE military hackers have drawn up a plan to disable the United States' battle carrier fleet through a cyber attack, British newspaper The Times said on Saturday, citing a Pentagon report.

The blueprint is part of a plan by Beijing to establish 'electronic dominance' over its global rivals by 2050, particularly the United States, Britain, Russia and South Korea, said the daily.

The newspaper said two hackers working for China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) came up with the plan.

The Pentagon report says China's military regards offensive computer operations as 'critical to seize the initiative' in the early stages of a war, The Times said.

'China's ambitions extend to crippling an enemy's financial, military and communications capabilities early in a conflict,' said the newspaper.

According to The Times, Larry M. Wortzel, author of the US Army War College report, said, 'The thing that should give us pause is that in many Chinese military manuals they identify the US as the country they are most likely to go to war with. They are moving very rapidly to master this new form of warfare.'

The PLA hackers produced a 'virtual guidebook for electronic warfare and jamming' after studying NATO and US manuals on military tactics, the report said.

The Times said the Pentagon logged more than 79,000 attempted intrusions in 2005, of which about 1,300 succeeded.

China on Thursday denied that its military had hacked into the the websites of any foreign government, after press reports said Britain was the latest nation to fall victim to Chinese cyber attacks. -- AFP

DailyTech - Chinese Military Suspected of Hack on Pentagon

DailyTech - Chinese Military Suspected of Hack on Pentagon: "According to American officials, the Chinese military launched in June the most successful attack on the U.S. defense department. Representatives at the Pentagon confirmed that it had to shut down part of its computer system in response to an attack, though declined to comment on who it believed to be behind the attack. Sources say that the attack came from the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) in China."

EU says may ban unsafe Chinese-made goods - Forbes.com

EU says may ban unsafe Chinese-made goods - Forbes.com: "The European Union is not satisfied with the Chinese government's response when it was alerted by the EU about dangerous Chinese-made goods, said Commission spokeswoman for consumer issues Helen Kearns."

Bogus-drug peddlers thrive online

Bogus-drug peddlers thrive online | Tech News on ZDNet:

"Wieser-Herbeck said many bogus drugs appeared to originate in Asia, especially China, whose image has been badly tarnished recently by a range of product safety scares."

The Morning Brief - WSJ.com

The Morning Brief - WSJ.com: "A host of trade and political issues were already on the bilateral agenda for two of APEC's most powerful members, but reports of an alleged Chinese cyber attack on Pentagon computers this week provided a concrete focus for the simmering tension."

Chinese-Made Auto Fuses May Cause Fire

Chinese-Made Auto Fuses May Cause Fire: "California auto parts seller Harbor Freight Tools will recall as many as 295,000 sets of automobile fuses manufactured in China because they could malfunction and cause electrical fires."

Taliban using China-made weapons against UK, US-Rest of World-World-The Times of India

Taliban using China-made weapons against UK, US-Rest of World-World-The Times of India:

"For their part, the Taliban have recently begun boasting that they have now got hold of much more sophisticated weaponry although they refused to say from where. Afghan officials have also privately confirmed that sophisticated Chinese weapons are now in the hands of the Taliban.

They said these included Chinese-made surface-to-air missiles, anti-aircraft guns, landmines, rocket-propelled grenades and components for roadside bombs.

A senior Afghan official said: 'Chinese HN-5 anti-aircraft missiles are with the Taliban, we know this... and we are worried where do the Taliban get them, some of these weapons have been made recently in Chinese factories.'"

Mattel announces third Chinese toy recall | Reuters

Mattel announces third Chinese toy recall | Reuters:

"NEW YORK (Reuters) - The world's leading toymaker, Mattel Inc, on Tuesday announced a third recall of Chinese-made toys, saying it would take back more than 800,000 units globally that contain 'impermissible' levels of lead.

The latest recall involves three Fisher-Price toy models and eight Barbie brand playsets. No Barbie dolls were included. In total, 522,000 U.S. toys and 322,000 outside the United States are being recalled. The toys were shipped between August 3, 2006, and July 31, 2007, the company said.

A spate of toy recalls has sparked concern over the quality of products made in China. The U.S. House of Representatives' subcommittee on commerce, trade and consumer protection is to hold a September 19 hearing on how to protect U.S. children from imported products containing lead paint -- which has been linked to health problems in children, including brain damage.

The recall follows Mattel's investigation of its toys manufactured by vendors in China. In the last five weeks, the company already announced two recalls of millions of Chinese toys due to excessive amounts of lead paint and other dangers."

China's Influence Spreads Around World -- Newsday.com

China's Influence Spreads Around World -- Newsday.com: "KARRATHA, Australia - For nearly three decades, Chinese peasants have left their villages for crowded dormitories and sweaty assembly lines, churning out goods for world markets. Now, China is turning the tables.

Here in the Australian Outback, Shane Padley toils in the scorching heat, 2,000 miles from his home, to build an extension to a liquefied natural gas plant that feeds China's ravenous hunger for energy. At night, the 34-year-old carpenter sleeps in a tin dwelling known as a 'donga,' the size of a shipping container and divided into four rooms, each barely big enough for a bed. There are few other places for Padley to live in this boomtown.

Duct-taped to the wall is a snapshot of the blonde girlfriend he left behind and worries he may lose. But, he says, 'I can make nearly double what I'd be making back home in the Sydney area.'

The reason: China."

Cheap manufactured goods can add up to a big cost

Cadillac News:

“The first issue is that they don’t have the regulatory environment that we do,” said Bruce Schafer, vice president of manufacturing at Rexair in Cadillac. “Entrepreneurs have much more discretion until they’re caught but the penalties are severe.”

Schafer, who is familiar with manufacturing in China, said contract manufacturers are enormously competitive. That leads many to cut corners and “do things that aren’t normal,” Schafer said."

China to launch new label on food exports

Channelnewsasia.com:

"Food exports that have passed inspections will carry the label 'CIQ', which stands for China Inspection and Quarantine, the China Daily reported, citing a regulation from the nation's quality watchdog."

Now I know what to watch out for, so I can NOT purchase it.

Don't you wish Chinese-made products, or American-made with Chinese materials, were better marked? Call the company and tell them so.

More Chinese lead paint: Common Steel Problems

ABC News: Latest China Scare: Common Steel:

"Adley said that the hazardous steel would cost an estimated hundreds of thousands of dollars to clean up. If untreated, it could pose a slew of safety hazards to construction workers, the environment and the general population, he said."

The Gross Side of Chinese Food

ABC News: China Factory Recycled Dirty Chopsticks:

"China, on track to overtake the United States this year as the world's second-largest exporter, lacks the manpower to enforce food and drug safety regulations at home or for export. Imports are generally carefully scrutinized.

"A lack of business ethics and a spiritual vacuum after China embraced economic reforms in the late 1970s have been blamed for unscrupulous business practices and corruption."

What if...

I'm not a conspiracy theorist, but what if...

Any smart enemy looks for the weaknesses of its foes to exploit. And if those exploits can be self-administered, more's the better.

In America, the weaknesses are economic: greed and cheapness. So if the Chinese were smart and looking to make it easier for global dominance over the Big Dog of America, why not simply weaken us through our economy, as opposed to fight us outright?

If the Chinese hold stead over the manufacture of all or most goods sold here, there are a couple of things they could do. First, after we are completely dependent on them (as we almost are now), they could simply start to withhold those goods. But that would be a little too forthright for them. Remember, they are the "inscrutable" ones.

A more insidious idea (and more to Chinese thinking, if you know anything about them) is to poison the next generation. History has shown time and again that China is patient if nothing else. So what if - and I admit this is a big "if" - China were to feed to our populace a steady stream of bad goods, such as those containing lead, that turn our next generation into idiots? This has the added bonus of being imminently less expensive for China to do, rather than poison us outright. But on the other hand, maybe they're also waging a bacterial war against us with all the bad food products. Perhaps the pet food debacle was simply a test run?

Lord knows, they know their exports won't be inspected when they arrive here, and that American will happily buy them from Wal-Mart because they are "cheap."

A Chinese saying came to my attention yesterday: "If the the price is cheap, the product is no good." Their way of saying you get want you pay for.

On the other hand, maybe they're just cheaper and dumber than we.

I know you are, but what am I?

China warns on U.S. soy as Chinese goods under scrutiny | Reuters:

"BEIJING (Reuters) - China, the world's top soy importer, has accused the United States of exporting substandard soybeans even as its own exports come under growing scrutiny abroad over safety concerns.

'Recently, supervision bodies have found numerous quality problems in soybeans imported from the United States,' the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine said on its Web site (www.aqsiq.gov.cn) on Wednesday.

Harmful weeds and contaminated dirt had been found among the beans, which could threaten China's agricultural and forestry production and ecological safety, the quality watchdog said."

Tit for tat, as the Chinese scramble to recover their global image.

Here we go again

ABC12.com: Wal-Mart pulls two Chinese-made pet treats:

"Philadelphia television station WPVI reported last week that a woman claimed her two-year-old Chihuahua died after eating Bestro Chicken Jerky Strips.

The station reported that an autopsy found the dog died of an infection caused by toxic bacteria."

djournal.com

djournal.com:
"But guess what? We can put a little blame on ourselves for getting into this tragic situation in the first place. In our zeal for low prices, we really haven't cared all that much where our stuff is made. We might have given lip service to the idea of paying more for things 'made in America,' but when it comes to walking the walk, we've either slowed to a crawl or turned the other way.

Wal-Mart, the world's largest retailer, sells a billion dollars worth of good per day. Ever wonder how much of that is made in China? American consumers - and I include myself - are more often than not looking for the lowest prices. Wal-Mart and others are going to meet that demand if they want to stay in business.

This doesn't let the Chinese off the hook at all, if that's what you're thinking. Many companies - with a blind eye from the government - have been polluting the air, water and land with abandon as the country grows at double-digit rates."

The Electric Rickshaw

At $30,000 and 80-mph, an electric car for the common man - Aug. 13, 2007:

"If all goes according to plan, by 2009 you could be sticking it to Big Oil by driving an all electric, Chinese-made sedan for little more than the cost of a Camry.

"Both the low cost and the high range can be attributed to China, where low labor costs keep the price down and state-sponsored research into battery technology yielded what Rubin said was an advanced lithium ion power pack produced by Lishen Battery."

Would you plunk down 30-large on a Chinese car with unproven technology? I'd think a rickshaw would be a better play. And look better. And try recalling this one!

Another thing - why isn't the US government funding battery research like the Chinese? No wonder we're running out of juice, so to speak.

However, if this came from GM... hear that, Detroit?

The 800-pound Gorilla for the 21st Century

In 1945, The Allies won World War II, due in large part to the production power and capacity of American Industry.

Here it is, 2007, and if we were faced with such a challenge today, would we fare as well?

My guess is, No. Nearly everything of necessity, including food, is imported, and most of that comes from China. Nearly all electronics are made there, items that would be necessary to win another major conflagration.

In industrial terms, the Chinese have become the 21st Century 800-pound gorilla. What they make may not be all that great, but they can make one hell of a lot of it. Looking back at WWII, America could make good stuff, and a hell of a lot of it as well.

The Allies won the tank war against the Germans for many reasons, the most notable being that we outproduced German battle tank manufacture something like 10-to-1. To be sure, all the German battle tanks - Panzer, Tiger, etc. - were better than ours, as our Sherman tanks had deadly design flaws (they were unaffectionately referred to as "Zippos"). But even if you're in the best tank, it's mighty hard to win if you have to fight 5 or 10 other tanks simultaneously.

The Chinese military, in their precursor WWII dust-up against Japan, were asked about their infantry casualty losses; figures of 10- and 12-to 1 were being thrown around. The Chinese were ill-equipped and poorly trained compared to the highly motivated Japanese. However, a Chinese general answered the question with, "Yes, we lose 10 men to their 1. But soon, no more Japanese."

This is their thinking - massive quantities can overwhelm quality every time. And since it worked for both of us at times in the past - the US with tanks, ships, planes, etc. and the Chinese with soldiers, why not again?

In the battle for the global economy, these principles are the same. China will make huge quantities of poor quality goods, but eventually nudge others out with aggressive pricing. America the Cheap will support this by buying on the low end, and eventually kill off our own capacity for industry almost entirely. And this will create a huge security problem for us, because America will be at the economic mercy of a Communist country who has never shown any love for the US. And our inability to support our own need to defend ourselves with hard goods poses a diplomatic, political and ultimately military problem of the first order.

Many people talk about the security problems associated with illegal immigration into the US. I agree that needs addressing, but it seems to me that the death of American industry is a much more pressing security issue.

Who knows, maybe we can hire the Latino illegals to work in our new factories. Or build some in Mexico. We should before the Chinese do.

Made in China: tainted food, fake drugs and dodgy paint | Special reports | Guardian Unlimited

Made in China: tainted food, fake drugs and dodgy paint | Special reports | Guardian Unlimited:

"Shi Ying, 50, a businesswoman, said she was so concerned about food safety that she found it difficult to shop. 'I dare not eat farmed fish or meat because most are fed with growth pills or pumped with bad additives. I worry about vegetables in case they are tainted with pesticide. I even think twice about the water I drink because it might contain heavy metals.'

Although Ms Shi lives in Shenzhen, one of China's most-advanced cities, she has started to grow her own vegetables, eat less meat and drink water only from respected bottled brands or the family well. When she does have to shop, she puts safety above patriotism.

'I think foreign food is less risky. Even though they are not as fresh, I trust products from the US, Europe and Japan because those countries protect their environments. Sometimes when I see foreigners blithely eating raw lettuce in Chinese restaurants, I worry for them.'"

Chinese Factory Bulldozed; More Fish Farms Contaminated

Chinese Factory Bulldozed; More Fish Farms Contaminated

China's Food and Drugs Are Dangerous

China's Food and Drugs Are Dangerous:

"U.S. officials are said to be concerned about 'China's standards,' and are pushing for more written codes and regulatory inspections. This would all be risible were America's health not at stake. The truth is that China has no standards worthy of the name. What it does have is a pervasive culture of corruption that makes it possible for virtually any offical, up to and including the head of China's FDA, to be bribed....

"China, as anyone who has lived there knows, has virtually no safety controls on food and drugs. At the same time, it is in the midst of a no-holds-barred drive to increase its exports, and is heavily subsidizing its manufacturers to ship container loads of cheap goods of all kinds to the U.S. and other overseas markets. As a result, over the past few years, China has stealthily become the second-largest supplier of foreign toothpaste — and many other questionable food and drug products — to the U.S. market."

Digital Chosunilbo (English Edition) : Daily News in English About Korea

New meaning for "Dog Food"

"Meanwhile Chinese dogs intended for food purposes are being imported as pets. A KFDA official said that there's no way to restrict the entry of such dogs that will obviously end up as dog stew. According to the National Veterinary Research and Quarantine Service, an airline passenger can bring in up to four animals a month as long as the person can show proof that the animals have been vaccinated."

Digital Chosunilbo (English Edition) : Daily News in English About Korea

"It has been discovered that many Korean restaurants specializing in beef-rib soup or beef-kneebone soup use canned food from China. Some of these foods have been found to contain more than 10,000 times the permissible level of E. coli. Not long ago a TV show disgusted its audience by showing the filthy working conditions of a Chinese food factory. There have been several controversial incidents in the past of insect eggs found in kimchi from China."

Shoppers offered few safeguards against 'Wild West' imports - CNN.com

Shoppers offered few safeguards against 'Wild West' imports - CNN.com

"China is the Wild West right now because their regulatory system lacks the strong food and drug and cosmetic standards that were developed in the last 100 years," said Sally Greenberg, senior product safety counsel with the U.S. Consumers Union, the publisher of Consumer Reports magazine.

"Anything that does not meet our standards should not be allowed to be imported."

Well, Duh. Do you hear that, Wal-Mart shoppers? Can I refill that glass of anti-freeze, for you? For more information, since our schools stink and you probably have never heard of this, see The Meat Inspection Act of 1906. Teddy Roosevelt was our greatest President.

China's Chery to open auto factory in Iran, building ties - The China Post

Is China still a viable trading partner, given the internationally-troublesome behavior of Iran?

Bothersome is that China will favor Iran because of these trade deals, at a time when China will vote (in the UN, as it is now a voting member of the Security Council) on whether to sanction Iran for its nuclear admissions.

Conflict of interest?

FACTBOX: Recent Made in China safety scares and scandals | Reuters

(Reuters) - Mattel Inc., the world's largest toy company, recalled millions of Chinese-made products on Tuesday due to hazards from small, powerful magnets and lead paint, and warned it may recall more after testing thousands of toys.

Here is an overview of safety scares over China-made products in recent months.

PET FOOD:

-- At least 16 cats and dogs died, and more than 100 pet food brands recalled products in North America in March, after Chinese suppliers were discovered to have used the toxic chemical melamine in pet food wheat gluten and rice protein. China cancelled the export licenses of two firms linked to the products in July.

TOOTHPASTE, COUGH SYRUP:

-- Two brands of Chinese toothpaste were banned in the Dominican Republic in May because of fears that they contained the lethal chemical diethylene glycol, which was held responsible for mass poisoning deaths in Panama in May 2006. At least 100 people in Panama were thought to have died after consuming toxic, mislabeled drugs in cough syrups from China.

TYRES:

-- The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration insisted on the recall of as many as 450,000 tires made by China's second-largest tire maker, Hangzhou Zhongce Rubber Co. Ltd, in late June. It reported that the tires, used on sport-utility vehicles, vans and trucks, could fail at highway speeds because of an insufficient or missing gum strip that prevents belt separation. The company rebuffed the accusations.

TOYS:

-- The world's largest toymaker, Mattel, recalled more than 18 million made-in-China toys in mid-August because of hazards from small, powerful magnets that can cause injury if swallowed, just two weeks after it recalled 1.5 million toys due to fears about lead paint.

Source: Reuters

China Becoming An Issue In '08 Race, Country's Increasing Influence Has Attracted U.S. Presidential Candidates' Attention - CBS News

China Becoming An Issue In '08 Race, Country's Increasing Influence Has Attracted U.S. Presidential Candidates' Attention - CBS News

JOKE of the day

Parents, Toy Companies Stress After Recall, Frantic Search For Tainted Products Begins After Fisher-Price Recalls Nearly 1 Million Chinese-Made Toys - CBS News

"China has always conducted international trade in the spirit of being responsible to its trade partners and itself," China's Commerce Minister Bo Xilai said in a statement published Thursday on the ministry's Web site. "Ninety-nine percent of China's exports are good and safe."

What they didn't say: The other 1% we're sure to develop further for Wal-Mart.