Mattel recalls more toys...

[Ilikemuppets]

Yeah, like I said, China's government has time and again committed acts against humanity. The Chinese people themselves have even protested against it for years. I will not be watching the Olympics that year, it's just wrong.

The funny thing about it is sense it's in such a comumist state. you really can lose your life for doing things like protesting and standing up agains the government and thwew's nothing anyone can really do to sotp it.

Well, what he did was selfish. I mean, he was the moneyed class in China. he probably had a Greedy Trophy wife to support and a spoiled rotten child to buy an education for.

Well, I don't buy the whole high class equals not feeling sorry for them. I'm not one to want to go around feeling sorry for anyone really. But it was his actions and not his what class ranking he was in that was inexcusable. There are people in ever class that are dishonest and selfish who don't deserve to felt sorry for.

But I blame all thins outsourcing by places like Wal-Mart as well. They are the ones who came up with the brilliant idea forced all the American manufacturing plants to close down by using cheaper sources over sees trying to save a buck make a lot more of them by getting the tings the cheapest way possible, and not it's coming back to bite them. I mean Baby bibs are contaminated with led now! Baby bibs! The infected toy could is up to 20 million now!

 

[karamazov80]

The funny thing about it is sense it's in such a comumist state. you really can lose your life for doing things like protesting and standing up agains the government and thwew's nothing anyone can really do to sotp it.

That's not entirely true (well, you definitely could lose your life for protesting there. . .). The U.S. COULD, in theory, hurt China by imposing barriers to trade, by forcing cutbacks on foreign direct investment, by building a symbolic international coalition against its wrong-doings, etc. . .BUT, the economic ties are so strong, and China holds so many U.S. T-bills (because we are in debt up to our eyeballs) and so much U.S. currency that you are right, in that in a de facto sense, we can't do much of anything. We never really complain too much even when China hurts us by, say, artificially manipulates the value of their currency. What happened right after the Tienanman Square incident? China gets approved for another yearly renewal of the "most-favored-nation status" by HW Bush.

But I blame all thins outsourcing by places like Wal-Mart as well. They are the ones who came up with the brilliant idea forced all the American manufacturing plants to close down by using cheaper sources over sees trying to save a buck make a lot more of them by getting the tings the cheapest way possible, and not it's coming back to bite them. I mean Baby bibs are contaminated with led now! Baby bibs! The infected toy could is up to 20 million now!

Well, it wasn't really like it was Wal-Mart's idea to close down U.S. factories. That's just a natural by-product of globalization, as is the infected toy issue, in my opinion (I consider the whole thing a "race to the bottom" where lower wages, lower benefits, and lower standards are all justified in order to maximize profits). Increased economic interdependence means that the U.S. can no longer dictate the terms of international trade and finance. Workers are cheaper in Guatamala, and if a company wants to make profits in a world where Chinese companies can export goods to your local grocery store just as easily as a U.S. company can, then that means improve efficiency: cheaper overhead+less benefits to workers+lesser quality of goods=profits. Anything else is economic suicide. Protectionism no longer works, because the WTO has enough power to bring the U.S. to its knees (look at the outcome of Bush's proposal to provide steel subsidies to U.S. companies a few years back). Its a brave new world. . .

 

[Ilikemuppets]

Okey doky!

 

[karamazov80]

Didn't mean to be obnoxious or a blow hard or anything. I'm obviously a huge nerd that pays attention to that stuff for fun. Sick, isn't it?

 

[Ilikemuppets]

No hard feelings taken! I think it's very impressive of you! And I totally agree with you on what you said about retailers! That's all very true.

 

[karamazov80]

I happen to like Muppets, too. How strange.

 

[Ilikemuppets]

Yeah! That's cool!

 

[CensoredAlso]

Well I have no love for Wal Mart at all! Lol

Many people don't deserve to be felt sorry for; I do it because it's the right thing to do. Though I do agree that there are plenty "non upper class" people who do horrible things. It's not just confined to the rich. People are people. And that's a good thing and a bad thing, heh.

 

[karamazov80]

Well I have no love for Wal Mart at all

No kidding. What a horrible, soulless place. I heard that they make their employees watch anti-Union videos. Horrible. Yet, I shop there all the time, because I am fairly poor (i.e. student), and us poor folk are forced to suck it up and contribute to their wealth and power because we can't afford to go to Whole Foods every week.

People are people. And that's a good thing and a bad thing, heh.

Wiser words were scarcely written.

 

[CensoredAlso]

Yeah I do understand that a lot of people are kinda forced to go there because it's inexpensive. The whole thing is very unfair. Especially when there are other retail stores who do treat their employees better.

Oh thank you! Hehe