Another Chinese Recall

Another Chinese Recall

news.yahoo.com

In negotiating details of the recall, Fisher-Price and the government sought to withhold details from the public until Thursday to give stores time to get suspect toys off shelves and Fisher-Price time to get its recall hot line up and running. However, some news organizations prematurely posted an embargoed version of the story online.

(visit the link for the full news article)

So did they seek to withhold details from the public for safety or because of current Chinese trade relations. Isn't someone from our commerce dept in China right now having discussions with them?

As a consumer i'm mad. As a parent i'm pissed. This is what you get when the people in charge of the agencies that protect us come from the industries they regulate.

news.yahoo.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

I'm not trying to bump my own post, but i thought this was too important to get up to spend time writing how i really feel. (Sorry about the mild profanity in the post, but no other word describes how i feel. Any warn or point loss for it i will gladly accept.) This is exaclty what happens when you place profit and trade above safety. I would have gotten this up as soon as it broke but i was too busy going through my childs toys making sure none of them were on the recall. I found one and it's out of my childs toybox. Like most children under three she has to taste most everything she has so i cannot begin to describe my anger right now. The link from Mattel is up and working (it wasn't after it first broke). It's in the source article and the recall info link is in the middle toward the bottom of the page.

I just woke my wife and told her no fischer price toys this christmas, and gave her my full permision to open the wallet at one of the local craft fairs to handel our daughters Christmas and birthday this year (they fall less than a week apart). Maybe we can find something that we can paint ourselves with something non-toxic . Luckily our daughter is young enough not to be infulenced by the toy marketing complex yet. For you parents with children a little older (lets say old enough to talk in sentences). How in the hell would you take something your child loves from them for their own good? I've been thinking about that myself, and the only thing i could think of is to LIE TO MY CHILD and say the dog ate it. Luckily, she's as entertained by tearing up our junk mail into little confettie pieces as she is with most of her toys right now.

This is exactly what we get when the people who run the agencies that are supposed to be protecting us come from the industries they are supposed to be protecting us from. With the toxic toys and feral foods, i'm seriously thinking about liquidating everything i own and doing some farming and animal husbandry to feed my familly. It may be tough back breaking work but at least I'll know my family is getting healthy food.

Why does it seem that the Chinese are being blamed here and not Fisher Price?

Also, why is it when I go to the link provided, it doesn't tell me which products may contain lead?

Owners of a recalled toy can exchange it for a voucher for another product of the same value. To see pictures of the recalled toys, visit www.service.mattel.com..." target="_blank" class="postlink">www.service.mat... tel.com. For more information, call Mattel's recall hot line at 800-916-4498.

Try this link Umbrax. www.service.mattel.com...

To get there, you hit the recall information link from the source article. In the middle of the page ther is a recall info link near the bottom. Then there is a link that says help me determine if I own products affected by this recall to get there.

If I seem to be blaming just the Chinese sorry. Mattel bears as much if not more of the blame in my opinion. However, Mattel doesn't sell dogfood or toothpaste. Once can be accident, two times can be coincidence, but three times and you've got the begginings of a definate patern here. And this is also the second time i've had to go through toys in the past year because of China issues.

I know that China has executed people involved in government regulation of health/safety lately. I honestly have no problems with this. Especially when my child was chewing on a recalled product just yesterday. One has to wonder,however if it's out of principle or fear of someone in whatever regulatory agency they have defecting and really scaring the rest of the world when they see a Made in China label.

To me this is the most important thing i've ever posted on ATS. If i'm in the wrong forum please move it where it belongs. I'm more of a responder than thread starter. I can't help being an angry daddy right now. The snippet from the source article I posted combined with trade negotiations occuring recently (if not while we speak) scream conspiracy to me.

(edited for clarity about how to get to recall info)
(second edit last paragraph and some spell checking)

[edit on 2-8-2007 by jefwane]

[edit on 2-8-2007 by jefwane]

Originally posted by jefwane
Try this link Umbrax. www.service.mattel.com...

Thanks.
I noted a lot of Dora and Elmo stuff on there. Those are pretty popular with the little ones.

I find it interesting that all these news are made relevant now when for decades no one made much of fuss about Chinese products except for being cheap. Are they trying to slow down China's economic boom?

Lemar,
Welcome to ATS! One of the truly great destinations on the web.

Your point is somewhat valid. Seems like i remember made in China on the toys I played with as a kid (30yrs old here). However, we have the internet now, and fortunately things that were for decades ignored can now be brought out and discussed much quicker than in the past. China refuses to allow a fair valuation of their currency. China acts like a spoiled child when other nations say stop sending us dangerous products and reciprocates by turning away that nations products. China is trying to slow down their own economic boom so that it doesn't overheat and crash the economy, so why not help them out and protect our children at the same time?

jefwanw,

Having the internet is one thing, how you get interest to look for news is another. Media has alot of exposure to direct you selectively, or simply state them in their reports... repeat it day in, day out... and in no time, you will start to believe them, partial right or one/afew incidents become a dialy massacre... proof becomes irrelevant.

If you don't think that the media is casting China in a negative light then this kinda shows a double standard. India is like the perfect example. It is so easy to contrast the two nations.. and how about Mexico ?

Moby,

I thought that I posted this because I was concerned about children, but apparently I'm just a tool of the mass media being used to stir doo doo with China.LOL

Ok so Indian and Mexican products are dangerous too. Real big surprise there (not really). I appreciate you pointing that out though. Do the numbers look a little strange to you. India has more shipments refused but less than half the value and a lower count than chinese refusals. And I thought the biggest danger from India was when i'd get a call center over there and bang my head against the desk out of the frustration of not being able to communicate with the person on the other end of the phone.

You're right China and India are easy economic comparisons, but China only has one political party and India is a relatively healthy multi-party democracy. That's a plus for India in my book.

Mexico, Mexico where should i start? It's a real shame that in a nation so minerally rich the people are so poor. A perfect example of what institutionalized political corruption does. Seems like Mexico has been known forever as one of the hardest contries to start a business in because of the amount of bribe and fee money an entrepreneur or foreign business has to pay out to start up a business. I'll have to look this up, but i seem to remember Dodge wanting to reward it's workers down there for their hard work with a pay raise and the Mexican government quashing it because they'd rather get that money. If i were Mexican i'd be headed north too for my childrens sake.

I grew up in a town whose main employers were in the textile industry. Needless to say, after NAFTA, my community has had a pretty rough 15 years. Milliken and Interface are the only two textile companies left here it seems. But things have finally started to turn around and Kia is building a huge plant that has me excited about the future for the first time in a while. A company called Inflation Systems moved from my home town to Mexico maybe 7 or 8 years ago (they make airbags, and airbags use actual explosives to deploy), rumor has it that they may be coming back cause the Mexican plant blew up. I find that hillarious (don't know if anyone died but that's what you get for moving to Mexico)

Jefwane,

Look buddy,

Personally, Whether China has one party or not, is not important (esp today's China). What matters is good Governance. When One judge a form of government of any country. You must understand the Culture and history of the country. Take a look at Singapore and Japan... they are essentially a one party government for a long time. Yes, there are other parties within the systems, but there are only one prominent ruling party. They are all successful.. even Taiwan can be considered... because of KMT dictatorship. You look at South East Asia, though many are Democratic, but in fact, they are all one party governments.. even dictators. Ruling parties hardly change hands, unless a coup occurred or due to massive blunder.

Now look at Middle East, how democratic can they be.. how many are, infact, democratic ?

Now look at India, her achilles heels of progress is also because of being too democratic (and corrupt)... having too many parties. Not to mention, her caste system... is that democratically viable to be considered truly democratic ?

Even the US, has only two Ruling parties, passing their batons after each other's blunder. No matter, which party is elected, the Corporations, Lobbys and the campaign contributors...actually calls the shots. Morally, How democratic is that ? Presidents come and goes, but people the likes of kissenger, Rumsfield, Rice, Cheny and albrights.. and all the back benches serves for decades in the administration.

Did you know that China in the 1911 was a democratic country, ruled by the KMT, started by Dr Sun Yat sen, who himself became a dictator. Not only were they inept, and lacks any practical knowledge of governance, they turned China in an Ancient Warring state, with tens of warlords battling each other till the 1930s.. until the communist appeared and later joined up to fight the Japanese.

The Culture of a country is an important factor.. For thousands of years, only an Emperial system can bring peace to China (or suffering, in which case, they will be overturned). What construed is a collective mentality, when the Manchu was overturned, the KMT leader Dr sun was seen as an Emperor (a new kind) but when they tried to be democratic - they couldn't fully control the population, thus became a dictator. When the Communist took over, Mao was seen as an Emperor.. and now as the Communist party.

The Western MSM has never been kind to China.. they are forever playing up the china Threat, even when she is at the weakest.. for what.. 50-60 yrs now. China has been the favourite whipping boy.

Did you know that the TianAnmem Square did not happened as the Press portrayed, and was slapped with a 20 yr old sanction... nobody was killed in the square, and the killed rioter outside were against reforms and not about democracy. If you don't believe.. read this Declassified Cable, From: U.S. Embassy Beijing, This document, as its authors state in the outset, "attempts to set the record straight" about the events of the night of June 3-4. Contrary to earlier reports in the western media, the cable asserts that many if not most of the deaths associated with the crackdown occurred on Changan Avenue and other streets surrounding the square, rather than on Tiananmen Square itself. The document calls the notion that the military could have suffered more casualties than civilians "inconceivable," but holds that "civilian deaths probably did not reach the figure of 3,000 used in some press reports," but believes that the figure put forward by the Chinese Red Cross of 2,600 military and civilian deaths with 7,000 wounded to be "not an unreasonable estimate." The cable concludes with a detailed, hour-by-hour chronology of the events of the night of June 3-4. You can see how violent were the rioters outside the square.. and they were warned repeatedly and was under Mashall Law for two weeks.
www.gwu.edu...

Originally posted by jefwane
Moby,

Ok so Indian and Mexican products are dangerous too. Real big surprise there (not really). I appreciate you pointing that out though. Do the numbers look a little strange to you. India has more shipments refused but less than half the value and a lower count than chinese refusals. And I thought the biggest danger from India was when i'd get a call center over there and bang my head against the desk out of the frustration of not being able to communicate with the person on the other end of the phone.

No, Each column are a seperate comparison entity. The first column is the total recall, while the second column is the frequency of selected violation. The third is the overall nett worth.

Moby,

No, Each column are a seperate comparison entity. The first column is the total recall, while the second column is the frequency of selected violation. The third is the overall nett worth.

I understand that. I was a bit confused about the signifigance of column 2. It's more of a this is the most common problem we have with food imports from this country and this is how often we see it. What i'm getting at is India had more shipments refused but less than half the value of chinese products refused. Couldn't we for example divide column 3 by column 1 and get an average value of refused shipments? I guess it's really comparing apples and oranges ( seeds/spices and seafood/noodles in this case). I only wish we had better country of origin labeling on food products (and especially food components) so i could avoid all three.

Your knowledge of Chinese history is much better than mine, I must admit. Interesting info, and thank you for taking the time to post it. Culturally China is so different from what i know it's hard to wrap my mind around what makes them tic. It's obvious that China makes decisions based on its national interest. Can't fault them there every country should make decisions based on national interest. Much like Brazil just did in its dealings with China. Seems like China doesn't want to play by the rules of the rest of the world ( market determined currency valuation being the main thumb of its nose to the rest of the world). China also seems overly sensitive to any outside criticism of its policies and sometimes acts like a spoiled child when other countries have to react to dangerous Chinese products. Like with the recent tit-for-tat product refusals.

Someone earlier alluded that I was just following the MSM's led (pun intended) in even mentioning this. I don't too much follow the Celebrity News Networks too much any more. I mainly watch CNBC and Bloomberg nowadays ( not because i'm rich or invest alot but because i got tired of Fox, MSN, and CNN speaking down to me and spending more time on opinion and fluff than reporting.) With the exception of today, the China cheerleaders on those networks outnumber China bashers by a large multiple. At least you know where the people on those networks stand, the only sin is not being as profitable as you could be if you moved production to China.

I'd really wanted to discuss how a corporation (Mattel), a government entity (CPSC), and the MSM appear to have colluded to withhold this information from the public for whatever reason for a specific time that coincidentily coincided with trade talks with China.

I guess my final question for you about China Moby is this. If we were Chinese, would we have access to and the abillity to discuss the topics you and I do here on ATS without fear?

Originally posted by jefwane
Moby,

I thought that I posted this because I was concerned about children, but apparently I'm just a tool of the mass media being used to stir doo doo with China.LOL

Ok so Indian and Mexican products are dangerous too. Real big surprise there (not really). I appreciate you pointing that out though. Do the numbers look a little strange to you. India has more shipments refused but less than half the value and a lower count than chinese refusals. And I thought the biggest danger from India was when i'd get a call center over there and bang my head against the desk out of the frustration of not being able to communicate with the person on the other end of the phone.

You're right China and India are easy economic comparisons, but China only has one political party and India is a relatively healthy multi-party democracy. That's a plus for India in my book.

Mexico, Mexico where should i start? It's a real shame that in a nation so minerally rich the people are so poor. A perfect example of what institutionalized political corruption does. Seems like Mexico has been known forever as one of the hardest contries to start a business in because of the amount of bribe and fee money an entrepreneur or foreign business has to pay out to start up a business. I'll have to look this up, but i seem to remember Dodge wanting to reward it's workers down there for their hard work with a pay raise and the Mexican government quashing it because they'd rather get that money. If i were Mexican i'd be headed north too for my childrens sake.

I grew up in a town whose main employers were in the textile industry. Needless to say, after NAFTA, my community has had a pretty rough 15 years. Milliken and Interface are the only two textile companies left here it seems. But things have finally started to turn around and Kia is building a huge plant that has me excited about the future for the first time in a while. A company called Inflation Systems moved from my home town to Mexico maybe 7 or 8 years ago (they make airbags, and airbags use actual explosives to deploy), rumor has it that they may be coming back cause the Mexican plant blew up. I find that hillarious (don't know if anyone died but that's what you get for moving to Mexico)

Good Stuff!

On the Recalled Toys

2 points.
1) ANY lead is bad for children. Why is it the stories say “excessive amounts of lead?”
2) Who learned about these lead painted toys? No one has said who first spotted this glaring disregard for the future of our children.
I have not heard from anyone on this one. Unlike our food, which effects all of us too, but which involves adults, there FDA jumped right in AFTER someone found out about the poison in pet foods. Not the FDA.
Our government has been privatized out of usefulness.

[edit on 8/2/2007 by donwhite]

The US has been using cheap Chinese labor for years, basically a legal way to employ child labor. The US is the biggest consumer BY FAR, I MEAN BY FAAAAAAR. If we look at the current conflicts regarding Chinese products that have been scrutinized and the Chinese response for our Beef, ect. we can see the current War has nothing to do with Bombs and Planes but Economics. We need cheap Chinese labor and they need our Money. Its pretty simple. If the Chinese are willing to give up the Money than we are in trouble.

The US can give up the cheap labor by increasing the Minimum wage and learning how to actually manufacture our product again. The only way this is going to work though is to increase the purchasing power of our Dollar. Since our Dollar is now worth basically nothing dont be surprised if the Amero comes to fruition. If this happens, the Chinese will need another consumer to buy there cheap goods, which there isn't any. This is the US's trump card, if no one will by your stuff than who are you going to sell it to.

Originally posted by jefwane
Moby,

Seems like China doesn't want to play by the rules of the rest of the world ( market determined currency valuation being the main thumb of its nose to the rest of the world).

Who sets the rules ? IMF, World bank ? There is only one veto power in IMF.. us. China is not the only country to capitalise their currency.. Malaysia did the same in 1997, ignored IMF and it saved their arse. Or when US dump the gold standard and de facto declared bankrupt in 1970s, after absorbing all the goods and services of the world ?

As things are going now, if China were to free float then, who would determine the value of yuan... bump up the Yuan or bump down the dollar ? Both are in trouble. As it is, US is a deficit country and a huge economy... sooo, pump up the Yuan ? China ain't stupid.

China also seems overly sensitive to any outside criticism of its policies and sometimes acts like a spoiled child when other countries have to react to dangerous Chinese products. Like with the recent tit-for-tat product refusals.

That is an unfair statement.

You yourself state that the US media are ganging up on China products.. China free labels, how many Chinese products have made the limelight, as compare to the thousands of Chinese products in the market, a drop of the ocean, but that few product has became a massacre like issue. Tit for Tat issues is the show US products are not all the safe either... fair is fair.

Every country are overtly sensitive to some sort of criticism. Apart from Venezuela, Cuba, the three axis of evil, Russia and China. Which other country's politician in power dared to criticise the Iraq War being Illegal ? a Japan's politician recently did, and was made to apologise.

China is Communist state, and of course, is sensitive for being criticise for being communist. You won't believe the amt of criticism centre on China, from everything to anything. You criticise the one Child policy, but does not give an alternative solution. You criticise their military budget, which only this year exceeds that of Japan (a pacifist country), and ten times less than US. You criticise her future possible military expansion, while indicate that the Pacific is an American Lake, while says that China can't even protect her shipping lanes in the Malacca straits and lacks any projection ability... etc etc.

I guess my final question for you about China Moby is this. If we were Chinese, would we have access to and the abillity to discuss the topics you and I do here on ATS without fear?

Actually yes,

The recent Kiln slavery and the Cardboard Meat Bun (Hoax) is an example. The kiln issues was alert from posting from the net. If you visit China's forum, we will be surprised at the amt of criticism of the Chinese government in Sina, China Daily etc . Because the west can't read Chinese, and the western media hype up this myth. China alone has one of the highest user of the internet. If you visit Beijing, you be surprised that the Chinese openly criticise the governemt policies in the open public. You must understand, criticism and anti-goverment subversion, are two different things. Saying the Communist is bad and over-throw is different.

The internet censor implimented by China, is because china can't compete with Western Propaganda. Take the TianAnmen Square incident, Tibet, Sino-Indian War, Taiwan, Xinjiang.. they were all twisted in history. When the Chinese defended the issue.. oh, Chinese source can't be trusted came naturely. why is it Western view of history contrevene chinese.. they know it better than them?

Originally posted by Umbrax
Why does it seem that the Chinese are being blamed here and not Fisher Price?

Also, why is it when I go to the link provided, it doesn't tell me which products may contain lead?

both should be blamed.. china should be blamed for not following instructions properly and they should also be blamed for taking short cuts to meet certain criteria on time.. its all about quantity over quality with china. The more they make the more money they get in return.. China should be a responsible nation. Fisher price should be blamed for not having a better idea on what its company is doing on foreign soil. They should have a better hold on things then they clearly do.

Ohh so they are bitching lead is on toys eh??

How about those cool light up shoes you buy your kid, do you know those have Mercury in them?

ya along with a long list of other products.. So let me see here...

Lead = Bad
Mercury = good?

www.state.nj.us...

Some of the places mercury metal is found are:

* thermometers, thermostats, barometers, electrical switches,
* dental fillings and medical equipment,
* some light bulbs, including fluorescent, high intensity, mercury vapor, high-pressure sodium, and metal halide,
* some clock pendulums,
* some athletic shoes, toys, and cards that light up or make noise.
* mercury metal is sold in botanicas for use in folk medicine, sometimes under the Spanish name "azogue".

I am suprised they didnt have the Flu shot and most kids vaccinations on here.. ohh well...

Anyway get the point. They want to beat China up about some lead.. Why dont they go after the bigger fish that put mercury in things your kids use every day..

how are you so sure that they arnt going after them sir?

And lead can cause cancer.. thats pretty serious.. it may not be as extreme compared to some of the more harmful substances.. but anything that can and will cause cancer is pretty darn serious if you ask me.

This is not the first time china has F'ed up... If china is going to be a serious player in world affairs then they will have to be able to take on the burden associated with such a role.

I cant get into it here.. it would derail the post..

I will state however the only place doing anything is Cali, they are banning all mercury related products in stores sometime soon..

As for them doing something.. There is some half assed law that place can listen to IF they want..

see key word there is IF.. actually I dont even think it passed.. I will have to look tho.. Its been a while since I bought my kids light up anything.

oh here ya go.
www.epa.gov...

a list of laws now in affect.. The ones we are looking for is mercury switches.

[edit on 8/3/2007 by ThichHeaded]