New at Reason
Kerry Howley checks in on the effort to save American kids from the march of the Chinese poisoned soldiers.
Comments to "New at Reason":
ed | December 4, 2007, 12:44pm | #
shots of a toy store against Bach’s “Toccata and Fugue.”In scary D minor to boot. Keith Olberman uses the same hackneyed composition for his equally hackneyed "Worst Person In The World" segment. It's the Old Reliable of scary music. Incidentally, all be buying all the naughty kids on my list colorful Chinese toys. Does that make me a bad uncle? I hope so. Bwaaahaha.
The Wine Commonsewer | December 4, 2007, 12:44pm | #
defecating plastic dog to fearWell, you have to admit that this is a little more messy than Dr Phil's dolly that pees herself (comes with a potty chair).
The Wine Commonsewer | December 4, 2007, 12:45pm | #
The Wine Commonsewer | December 4, 2007, 12:45pm | #
There, closed the tagHow long have we had government regulations on toy manufacture? Probably over a hundred years. And they're STILL not working?
? | December 4, 2007, 1:09pm | #
more than 99 percent of toys from China have emerged taintedDamn those Chinese!
UM | December 4, 2007, 1:09pm | #
or the vague awareness that more than 99 percent of toys from China have emerged tainted.And it appears that Lou Dobbs has even invaded Howley's mind, leading her to subconsciously put tainted for untainted...
For all of you you worried and harried parents out in ReasonLand, I would like to remind you of one of our domestically produced, toxic free, chidhood favorites. IOW, Dicky the Stick®. Buy one today!
Jozef | December 4, 2007, 1:11pm | #
I don't really care where the toys come from; I'm just thankful that for a change I'm being informed about the potential danger some of the products present. I just wish I was granted the same courtesy when it comes to potentially carcinogenic food.Kerry Howley | December 4, 2007, 1:14pm | #
Thanks UM! Fixed.BakedPenguin | December 4, 2007, 1:20pm | #
Bach’s “Toccata and Fugue.”Actually, Bach didn't write that piece. I don't know why it was ever attributed to him, it doesn't sound like anything he is known to have written.
Back OT, I agree that this whole GHB thing is overblown. I went to the KB in the mall and licked half the toys there, and didn't even catch a buzz.
Whats the odds that this issue is about shortcuts on expense and China is using the cheaper method because Walmart wants it that way. By saying Walmart, I really mean the consumer. I'm not saying Walmart wants tainted toys, but they do want the cheapest toy manufactured, and China incorrectly thought this was a viable way to acheive that end.
Stevo Darkly | December 4, 2007, 2:14pm | #
Bach’s “Toccata and Fugue.”Cultured and classy person that I am, I know this as "The Theme From Rollerball."
This version of the piece appeals to me on so many levels.
The Wine Commonsewer | December 4, 2007, 2:31pm | #
If those guys saw the stuff my kids play with and do, including collecting dead coyote rib cages, sword fighting with pointed sticks, climbing up Darth Vader rock and perching on his helmet like birds (lots of bird poop up there), not to mention the dirt clod wars, they'd be happy to swap out the tainted Chinese toys.The Wine Commonsewer | December 4, 2007, 2:33pm | #
I, too, have lots of class. It's all low.Thanks, Stevo, for a little culture to brighten up our morning.
zig zag man | December 4, 2007, 3:36pm | #
"IOW, Dicky the Stick®. Buy one today!"Or buy his big brother, "Log". Everyone loves log.
Shannon Love | December 4, 2007, 3:39pm | #
The fear of Chinese source toys and other products springs from the very rational awareness that China still lacks both the free-market mechanisms and the legal rule of law necessary to safely manage complex manufacturing. It's quite possible for someone in the Chinese supply chain to pull a fast one, pocket the profit and then disappear behind a veil of state sponsored cronyism without either the Chinese or foreign partners they ripped off having any recourse.People understand this and rightfully fear the consequences. The fact that the problem today centers in China has nothing to do with it. Similar problems dogged Japanese products in the 60's and Korean products in the 70's.
Fortunately, market forces create evolutionary pressure towards integrity especially in luxury items like toys. Like all other societies before them (including ours) the Chinese will have to create reliable institutions to ensure people fulfill their implicit and tacit contracts or face economic ruin.
Minion of URKOBOLD | December 4, 2007, 4:11pm | #
ZIG ZAG HEREBY SHALL REPORT TO THE CURVATURE ROOM.LOG WAS ALREADY MENTIONED.
J sub D | December 4, 2007, 4:32pm | #
Shannon Love,That's pretty much my take on the hullabaloo as well. The Chinese will take a hit this holiday season and will llkely take self interested steps to improve their marketability. It's not that hard when you think about it.
AnonCowHerd | December 4, 2007, 5:19pm | #
I don't understand why US companies buying these toys don't have some minimal safety/acceptance testing in place. Sample some small percentage of each shipment (AnonCowHerd | December 4, 2007, 5:21pm | #
Lost everything above after my less than sign -less than 1% for lead or whatever
AnonCowHerd, when you use the < sign, followit with a [space]. The HTML doesn't get discombobulated. See < what I mean?.
From now on, I am only going to play with toys that were produced within 100 miles of my home.
I've solved the whole problem. This Christmas my kids will each get an American-made (or at least assembled) shotgun and a case of 250 shells.
Isaac Bartram | December 4, 2007, 11:17pm | #
LarryAI dunno, old boy, the way things are going in the American firearms industry, can you get an American made shotgun anymore? :)
Jim | December 5, 2007, 12:28pm | #
I deal with Chinese suppliers all the time for auto parts, and we find a tremendous variability there - some good & some bad. However I've experienced a lot of the same variability with American-based suppliers as well.I'm more concerned now about a report I heard on the radio this morning that some consumer group tested a bunch of toys off the shelves at stores and found 35% had lead levels 'above safe limits'. Anybody know the scoop on that?
Franklin Harris | December 6, 2007, 12:54am | #
If any of this Chinaphobia is responsible for my not being able to complete my collection of "Battlestar Galactica" Titanium Series spacecraft, Lou Dobbs is going to have one more thing to answer for.Francisco Torres | December 6, 2007, 10:34pm | #
I'm more concerned now about a report I heard on the radio this morning that some consumer group tested a bunch of toys off the shelves at stores and found 35% had lead levels 'above safe limits'. Anybody know the scoop on that?Well, first question that comes to mind is: What is the 'safe level' of lead? Who establishes it, the government? I believe that such benchmarks are a crock to scare people into submission. Most people were suckered into believing they were poisoning their kids with toys.