Auto-Xenophobia

I was in Park -n- Shop yesterday to buy food before the big typhoon event. While standing in a VERY long line (lots of people had the same idea as me), I noticed new signs on lots of food:

MADE IN HONG KONG

IMPORTED FROM JAPAN

Et cetera. You get the idea. The milk contamination issue has people on edge, and understandably so.

But I find it funny sometimes how Hong Kong often deals with it's 'new daddy;' a mix of contempt, fear and avoidance that is cast aside for stuff like the Olympics but comes roaring back as soon as a mistake is made.

I actually feel bad for China in this instance. Some of you may find that shocking, but it's true.

I understand that China is a nation struggling with incredible growth, and that it's government has a lot less central control than it (or even me) would like. (Most) people are trying ther best to move forward into a great new era for China, and there are great strides being made to that end.

Sadly, this milk thing is going to get an awful lot of press in the West under "We Told You So!", and it will tarnish the Olympic image. Not because it should, but because the media can (and want to) make it so. Sinophobia is never far below the surface in the West, and this stuff brings it up faster than a spoiled egg sandwich.

Now, I'm not a big fan of kids, never wanted any, and try to avoid being around them. But I'm still infuriated at the idea that some worthless scum would imperil babiesfor the sake of profit.

I found this on Yahoo:

"Melamine, used to make plastics and fertilizer, has been found in infant formula and other milk products from 22 Chinese dairy companies. Suppliers trying to cut costs are believed to have added it to watered-down milk because its high nitrogen content masks the resulting protein deficiency."

They make chopsticksout of melamine. If this thing happened because, for instance, a whole pallette of chopsticks fell into the formula mixer and oops!, that's one thing.

But we're talking about knowingly and intentionally putting children at risk to deceive quality standards tests designed to protect babies.

If you want to tamper with, oh let's say car wax, go ahead. It's wrong, but all that's at risk is a less-than-stellar shine on your car.

We're not talking about poisoning children.

Don't get me wrong, I like money. But I can't imagine loving it so much that I would imperil, much less kill kids to get it.

I got a bright idea. In the old days, they would put prisoners on 'bread and water.' I say we make them drink the baby formula.

I seriously need to apply for the job of trigger jockey at these executions. Get these dirbags off the planet and leave it to the human beings... andme .