Phantasy Star: Fringes of Algo

Secret_Surfer wrote:News for Thursday, September 27, includes more recalls from China. This latest batch of recalls includes baby cribs and more toys with lead found in them.

This is bordering on the absurd!

The Komrade wrote:

Secret_Surfer wrote:News for Thursday, September 27, includes more recalls from China. This latest batch of recalls includes baby cribs and more toys with lead found in them.

This is bordering on the absurd!

I quite agree. It's still a major part of the news almost everyday, it seems.

What is even more absurd is that the news reports, etc., are also saying that all these recalls, etc., are going to cost the consumer probably a 10% increase in the cost of merchandise, etc. What I'd like to know is, why do we have to pay for the mistakes made by those in China? It just doesn't seem right.

Secret_Surfer wrote:I quite agree. It's still a major part of the news almost everyday, it seems.

What is even more absurd is that the news reports, etc., are also saying that all these recalls, etc., are going to cost the consumer probably a 10% increase in the cost of merchandise, etc. What I'd like to know is, why do we have to pay for the mistakes made by those in China? It just doesn't seem right.

Such is supply and demand; time to boycott Mattel and buy cheaper toys from another company that isn't recalling everything. That'll teach them!

I think we should buy more " Made In The USA " too. There should be more supply of that available.


In news for today (Friday), did you hear about the missing woman that was found alive eight days after she became missing? She was found in her wrecked car. She was injured and couldn't get out. The police were just about to give her husband a polygraph test when they picked up signals from her cell phone and proceeded to find her. She's in pretty bad shape from the injuries but I heard she is expected to live. Whew!

Eight days? I'm surprised someone could last that long. She must have had some food or water with her. She's very lucky, in any case.

What I'd like to know is, why do we have to pay for the mistakes made by those in China?

Did you hear about Mattel taking the blame for it? They claimed their recalls weren't China's fault, but rather a flaw in Mattel's designs. I'm not sure I believe it; it sounds like a try to get back into China's good graces after getting them a lot of bad press.

Thoul wrote:Eight days? I'm surprised someone could last that long. She must have had some food or water with her. She's very lucky, in any case.

Yeah, I agree about her being lucky. I also think her husband is lucky because they were about to do a lie detector test on him probably because they thought he might have something to do with her disappearance. It's happened so many times before when a spouse disappears that it was just the next step, I guess. It is troubeling that they couldn't find her sooner though as I've heard of several people that have had wrecks and weren't found for awhile because no one could find or spot their wreckages. It makes me wonder how many have never been found.

Did you hear about Mattel taking the blame for it? They claimed their recalls weren't China's fault, but rather a flaw in Mattel's designs. I'm not sure I believe it; it sounds like a try to get back into China's good graces after getting them a lot of bad press.

No, I hadn't heard that. Why would Mattel take the blame when it is obvious that the lead paint was in the toy when it was made, and it was made in China? That's dumb to me. I do think they should have tested the toys better before putting them on the market or something though. I know some food products, etc., have to pass the FDA - isn't there some organization like that around for children's toys? If not, there absolutely should be.

News for today, Saturday, includes an announcement by former Speaker Of The House, Newt Gingrich, that he will NOT run for the office of President of the US.

Too bad, he may have made an interesting candidate but there are too many candidates running already, I think. Still, don't count him out of the race. He might make an interesting Vice Presidential candidate, or if a Republican wins office, then an influential member of the President's staff or cabinet possibly.

In my own opinion, I would not have voted for him as President since he resigned as Speaker Of The House, etc., I think, in another administration or at some time because of various reasons.


Also, more news includes a new Star Wars - YODA - stamp to be unveiled soon. Look for more on this on the new "Stamps" topic.

Also, I saw a short interview this morning on Fox News that they did with the exhiled Crown Prince Of Iran, who has been living in the US since 1984. He is the son of the Shah of Iran, I believe. They talked about Iran's President, Ahmadinjad. Interesting conversation. I agree with some of the comments regarding the ideas that Ahmadinjad should be overthrown or done away with somehow and Iran becoming a democratic society. I didn't know this Crown Prince Of Iran exhisted, or if I did, I had forgotten about him. Now, this is someone who needs to be leading Iran, in my opinion.

[quote"Thoul"]Did you hear about Mattel taking the blame for it? They claimed their recalls weren't China's fault, but rather a flaw in Mattel's designs. I'm not sure I believe it; it sounds like a try to get back into China's good graces after getting them a lot of bad press.[/quote]I think you're right that Mattel's trying to keep their Chinese branch happy. I say if Mattel wants the blame, they can have it. It's their loss.

Secret_Surfer wrote:No, I hadn't heard that. Why would Mattel take the blame when it is obvious that the lead paint was in the toy when it was made, and it was made in China? That's dumb to me. I do think they should have tested the toys better before putting them on the market or something though.

If Mattel's workers, wherever they were, created the flaw, it is technically Mattel's fault because they skipped quality control.

I know some food products, etc., have to pass the FDA - isn't there some organization like that around for children's toys? If not, there absolutely should be.

I believe the Federal Trade Commission already exists for such a purpose. It didn't prevent this mess. Mattel is going to pay for their lack of quality regardless of any government regulation, as people will start avoiding their toys entirely and cost them major $. That'll encourage Mattel to improve, regardless of government intervention, or they'll spiral toward bankruptcy.

News for today, Saturday, includes an announcement by former Speaker Of The House, Newt Gingrich, that he will NOT run for the office of President of the US.

I wouldn't have voted for him. My memory is a bit foggy about the ideas he put for in the late 90's ideas, but I have a generalized negative opinion of what he said. I think my opinion was formed on his harsh stance on abortion. I'll have to look into it.

Why would Mattel take the blame when it is obvious that the lead paint was in the toy when it was made, and it was made in China?

IIRC, they tried to spin it as a lack of quality control testing, under the justification that if they didn't get the products to market quickly enough, their ideas would be stolen by competitors. But really, it's just taking a bullet in the press so China wouldn't shut down their cheap labor factories.

Of course, this still doesn't explain all of the non-Mattel recalls related to China.

News for today, Saturday, includes an announcement by former Speaker Of The House, Newt Gingrich, that he will NOT run for the office of President of the US.

Good. If I remember right, he resigned from his previous office because he was caught having inappropriate relationships with women. The last thing I want to hear in the presidential campaigns at this point is more mudslinging, and that's exactly what his running would bring.

Thoul wrote:Of course, this still doesn't explain all of the non-Mattel recalls related to China.

Excellent point!

And, there seem to be quite a few of the other item recalls so far, and I don't think we've heard the last of it quite yet either.