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By VOA News
10 November 2007
China’s state-run news agency says the country’s quality control investigation has found a toxic substance was contained in Chinese-produced toy beads that harmed at least five children in Australia and the United States.

Xinhua reported Saturday that Chinese authorities have suspended the toymaker’s export license. It is believed all the beads were produced at the same factory in the southern city of Shenzen.

On Friday, China’s safety administration halted the export of the toy beads that had already been recalled in the United States, Australia and South Africa.

The toy beads were sold under the name Bindeez or Aqua Dots.

When swallowed, an adhesive coating on the beads reacts with digestive enzymes to make a powerful sedative that has caused unconsciousness, seizures or respiratory distress in several children. The children affected by the chemical have since recovered.

The toys were supposed to be covered by a harmless coating, but on some of the beads it appears that a toxic substance that metabolizes into a so-called date-rape drug known as GHB (gamma hydroxy butyrate) was used instead.

Moose Enterprises, the Chinese producer of the toy, says it now plans to coat the beads with a bitter tasting substance that will discourage kids from eating them.

The recalls are the latest in a series of problems that have seen 21 million Chinese-made toys pulled from store shelves world wide because of lead paint and other hazards.

from MoreWhat.com:
This is certainly getting a little old. Combined with food recalls, commercial pharmaceuticals and street drugs as well as obesity, health care issues and health in general, we may no longer have to concern ourselves with terrorism. We will be our own worst enemy.

Dishwashers for Clinton
By Hill Truth
The Hillary Project
Donors whose addresses turn out to be tenements. Dishwashers and waiters who write $1,000 checks. Immigrants who ante up because they have been instructed to by powerful neighborhood associations, or, as one said, “They informed us to go, so I went.” Others who say they never made the contributions listed in their names or who were not eligible to give because they are not legal residents of the United States.

You know, it just might not go away. One needs a template to simplify posting of Clinton stories to include the dirty laundry list of sordid scenarios that have not, to date, resulted in convictions. If liberals want to present their counter arguments against members of the conservative side of politics that’s fine. We have all heard enough Bush bashing. We have all probably heard enough liberal bashing. But then this is America and everyone is entitled to opinions served here as well as the sprinkling of facts from sources featured with this blog’s opinions.

Ann Coulter would not receive support from this blog if she ran for President. And neither would Janeane Garafalo even though some of her character parts were quite entertaining. Go figure, this blog will not support Hillary Rodham Clinton for President. For reasons that may mirror the liberal side of things in that they would not support another member of the Bush family, this blog will not support another member of the Clinton family. Once was way more than enough.

The echo of the LA Times report excerpted from The Hillary Project above is a quick review of the latest Hillary Rodham Clinton saga that continues to scream for resolution and is yet another torpedo that has not sunk the bad ship Hillary. About all that can be done is to keep the story alive so those in a position to unearth the facts, evidence and case to present are encouraged. Big time politics have a tendency to sweep over the dirt but as every Watergate conspirator knows, the long arm of the law can prevail even under intense pressure to retreat.

One more time, somebody call the DOJ.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com
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So, is it a non-partisan, civic engagement organization ( whatever that is ) or is it one cog in a multi-faceted Clinton campaign finance conspiracy? An Asian American group is bashing the press for bashing Clinton. Maybe we should all admit that we complain about the press when it publishes something we don’t like. Again, the left calls the press right wing while conservatives call it left wing. But if you get caught with your hands in the ‘cookie’ jar and the press pursues it, have enough strength of character to admit it or stay silent. Better yet, provide a compelling rebuttal.

At least two papers followed the story and gave their report. The campaign donation stories were not adding up. For example, donor addresses that cannot be confirmed as accurate. What’s the status on the hot potato funds from Hsu et al and whether Clinton gave it up, kept it, gave up part of it, asked for it back, etc., etc? Somewhere in the reports was use of the term(s) ponzi scheme. If anyone with connections and a bit of power had the stones to follow the money and complete an investigation we may witness a scandal to put Abramoff to shame. Maybe then both parties would admit that before, during or after McCain-Feingold, nothing changed and it is time that it should. Who wants to elect a crook besides other crooks.

The WaPo reference for this post refers to the Chinatown story as number two this year for Clinton following the Hsu scandal. Keep going back and review the Willie Tan connection of the Clintons. What’s with the Clinton money and Asai or the Pacific Rim? And let’s not forget Chinagate. But all the digging in the world will accomplish nothing if the follow through is abandoned. Somebody call the DOJ.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com
postscript: The WaPo piece ends with a ridiculous statement from the press release complaint spokesperson.

Clinton’s Chinatown Donors Scrutinized

An advocacy group for Asian Americans has lashed out at recent media scrutiny of several hundred thousand dollars in contributions that Hillary Clinton raised in New York’s Chinatown.

Asian & Pacific Islander American Vote, a non-partisan civic engagement organization, issued a press release last night calling the “undue scrutiny on a specific ethnic subgroup” an example of “negligent journalism.”

Starbucks Recalls Children’s Plastic Cups Due to Choking and Laceration Hazards

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: Starbucks Children�s Plastic Cups

Units: About 250,000

Importer: Starbucks Coffee Co., of Seattle, Wash.

Hazard: If the cup is dropped, the colorful face on the cup can break off and leave small parts or sharp exposed edges that can pose a choking or laceration hazard to young children.

Incidents/Injuries: Starbucks has received seven reports of the cups breaking, including two reports in which a child began to choke on a broken piece. No injuries have been reported.

Description: The recall includes four styles of Starbucks children�s plastic 10-ounce cups. Styles include: �Dot� Red Ladybug; �Dash� Green Turtle; Bunny Pink; and Chick Yellow cups.

Sold exclusively at: Starbucks stores nationwide from May 2006 through August 2007 for about $6.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should immediately take the recalled cups away from young children and contact Starbucks for instructions on returning the cups for a refund. Starbucks is also offering a complimentary beverage as an incentive to return the recalled cups.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Starbucks at (888) 288-4008 anytime or visit the firm�s Web site at www.starbucks.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 9, 2007
Release #08-017

Firm�s Recall Hotline: (888) 288-4008
CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772
CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908

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Reject the UN
Screw the UN

These days it is naive to use phrases like ‘ since the Cold War ended.’ So the Soviet Union had a name change and Chairman Mao is not the leader of ‘Red China’. Beyond that, other details may have changed but the situation is hardly much different than it was since the end of WWII and the late eighties.

The US and Russia competed for allies during the Cold War to maintain a balance of power throughout the world. The fortunes of Third World countries since then has in some cases improved dramatically. One obvious change since the seventies, even before the assumed end to the Cold War, is the relationship between Iran and the US. And the former Soviet Bloc and relationships with Russia have also been altered. But what about larger countries like China? How have things changed for them?

In terms of military matters and international games countries play, China’s actions mirror those of Cold War history. Over the last couple of weeks reports indicate other members of the United Nations have encouraged China to be more forthcoming about military expenditures. The reports state China has not presented such information in a decade. Being cynical, how much value can such information have? Both sides of the discussion characterize past data as being basic. And it is also noted by groups who monitor such things that some countries provide detailed data while others, including China, only present a minimum of detail.

What is known, as in other similar news reports, suggests China has developed strong ties with countries like Sudan and Iran. Most of their arms exports go to these and other countries. Just like the Cold War that is supposed to be over, the current actions of countries throughout the world have much in common with those previous practices. The recent agreements over nuclear technology between the US and India raised questions of concern. Similarly, China’s exports raise the same questions.

While there are rules at the UN for reporting on conventional weapons, the concern that China’s testing program may be an attempt to weaponize space would not likely include conventional arms. Besides, how realistic is the expectation of full disclosure among nations regarding arms? Just another example of the pointless nature of the United Nations. Weapons disclosure among nations based on the honor system is a silly notion.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

China to report military spending to UN
By ANITA CHANG, AP
Sun Sep 2, 6:45 PM ET
China said Sunday it will provide the United Nations with information on its military spending and arms deals for the first time in more than a decade, taking a step to address international concerns about the secrecy surrounding its defense spending and operations.

China promises more military transparency
Sun Sep 2, 7:37 AM ET
China said Sunday it will begin reporting its armed forces budget to the United Nations and rejoin a global register of conventional arms amid foreign pressure for greater military transparency.China said the moves were meant to show the world its commitment to military transparency, at a time when its massive armed forces expansion is causing alarm bells to ring in Asia and further afield.

By Heda Bayron
Hong Kong
17 August 2007

Bayron report - Download (MP3) 560K audio clip
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The global financial turmoil continues, with another bruising trading day in Asia. Analysts say investors are worried the credit crisis in the United States will slow down the economy and hurt Asian exporters. VOA’s Heda Bayron reports from Hong Kong.

The Japanese stock market reeled from another day of heavy selling Friday. The Nikkei 225 index plunged 5.4 percent to close at 15,273 - its lowest level in a year.

There was no let-up to this week’s selling across Asia. South Korea’s KOSPI fell three percent to 1,638. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng fell as much as five percent before recovering somewhat and closing down almost 1.4 percent. China’s Shanghai Composite index ended 2.28 percent lower at 4,656.

Analysts say investors fear the U.S. sub-prime loan crisis could trigger a slow down in the U.S. economy, which could ultimately hurt Asian exporters.

Japanese exporters such as Honda, Canon and Toyota saw shares drop sharply Friday.

Yoshimasa Maruyama is an economist at investment bank BNP Paribas in Tokyo.

“The Japanese economy is depending on the U.S. economy so today the Japanese market was worried about U.S. consumer spending will go down because of the sub-prime problem and slow down the U.S. economy,” Maruyama said.

Adding to Japan’s woes, the yen reached a 14-month high against the dollar, making Japanese exports more expensive.

Over the past several years, many U.S. finance companies issued mortgages to people with poor credit histories. As U.S. interest rates have risen, many of those borrowers have defaulted, and some lenders have gone bankrupt, creating a credit problem in the United States.

Many investors are selling their shares because they fear the problem will spread to other companies and make it hard for businesses to borrow cash for their operations.

The crisis has triggered global stock market volatility in the past two weeks. Worries of a credit squeeze have prompted central banks in the U.S., Europe, Australia and Japan to inject billions of dollars into the money markets to raise liquidity and market confidence. On Friday, the Bank of Japan injected $10.5 billion into the system.

By Daniel Schearf
Beijing
16 August 2007

Schearf report (mp3) - download 450K audio clip
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The chief U.S. negotiator at the North Korean nuclear talks says negotiators are discussing the “technical procedures” that would eventually be used to shut down the North’s nuclear weapons programs. The talks in the Chinese city of Shenyang are in preparation for the next full round of six-nation talks on ending Pyongyang’s nuclear capabilities. Daniel Schearf reports from Beijing.

Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill told reporters Thursday he expected the two days of meetings in Shenyang this week to be substantive. But he said they would not yet produce a schedule for Pyongyang’s nuclear disarmament.

“The purpose is not so much to negotiate an agreement today or this week, but rather to identify the technical procedures that can be used to affect disablement, and so we hope that if we can have an agreement on what type of technical procedures can be used, then we can put together an actual agreement,” Hill said.

In February, the six-nation talks produced a broad agreement on North Korea’s nuclear disarmament, and preliminary steps have already been taken. But the painstaking details of identifying and shutting down all of Pyongyang’s nuclear programs have yet to be worked out.

Hill says this week’s working group talks will lay the groundwork for the next full round of six-nation negotiations, which are expected to be held in Beijing in early September. China, South Korea, Japan and Russia are also involved in the talks.

The goal of the next round is a timetable for North Korea to reveal the full range of its nuclear programs, and details on how and when they will be disabled.

Pyongyang in July allowed international inspectors to verify the shutdown of its main plutonium nuclear reactor, the first step in what negotiators warn will be a lengthy process.

The February agreement calls for North Korea to eventually receive a total of one million tons of fuel, other types of aid, security guarantees and diplomatic concessions - as long as it follows its promise to declare and dismantle those nuclear programs.

North Korea’s economy is in tatters, and long-running food shortages have led to widespread malnourishment and death among the population. Those problems were aggravated in recent weeks by flooding that Pyongyang says has killed hundreds of people, and affected up to 300,000.

The United Nations, South Korea and the U.S. are all are considering what humanitarian aid they can offer North Korea.

By Daniel Schearf
Beijing
16 August 2007

China’s Commerce Ministry is investigating Chinese companies that produced and exported the toys that the U.S. company Mattel says are unsafe. Daniel Schearf reports from Beijing.

China’s Commerce Ministry said Thursday that the manufacturers and exporters of the toys sent to Mattel would not be allowed to operate until their products were deemed safe.

Mattel, the leading U.S. toy company, this week extended a recall to more than 18 million toys made in China. Mattel says the toys had two safety problems: unsafe amounts of lead paint, which can cause serious bodily damage, or small magnets that children could choke on.

Commerce Ministry spokesman Wang Xinpei repeated the Chinese authorities’ often-used defense in such cases, saying the majority of China’s toy exports are safe, and the media are exaggerating the extent of the problem.

“Why is there some bias against Chinese-made products, or a belief that ‘made in China’ is bad? There are some media or irresponsible people taking small problems, without any basis, and applying them to other products or all Chinese products,” the spokesman said.

Wang says in 2006, the Chinese toy industry’s exports were worth $7 billion, and amounted to 70 percent of world toy exports.

By Thomas Rippe
Kigali
15 August 2007

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Actors, athletes and politicians from Europe and the United States have joined genocide survivors from Rwanda and Darfur to put pressure on Olympic host China to help end genocide in Darfur. For VOA, Thomas Rippe has more from Kigali, where the gathering was held.

American actress Mia Farrow joined human rights activists and genocide survivors in Kigali Wednesday to put pressure on China to take on a bigger role in Darfur. Farrow lit a symbolic Olympic torch in memory of genocide victims.

“This flame was first lit on August 9 on the Chad - Darfur border, where genocide is ongoing,” she said. “This flame honors all those who have been lost and those who suffer. This flame celebrates the courage of those who have survived. And this flame symbolizes the hope we all share for an end to genocide everywhere.”

In the run-up to the Beijing Olympics, China, which is by far the largest foreign investor in Sudan and absorbs almost two thirds of its oil output, has been under mounting pressure to use it influence with Khartoum to ease the suffering in Darfur.

Dream for Darfur, a U.S.-based human rights group, organized the event. It was held at the Ecole Technique Officielle, a school where 2,000 Rwandans were killed in 1994.

According to the United Nations, a total of at least 800,000 people were slaughtered in the space of a few weeks during the genocide.

Director Jill Savitt says China is key to resolving the crisis.

“We believe that the host of the 2008 Olympic games, China, can play a powerful role, and a positive role, in resolving the Darfur crisis,” she said.

Omer Ismail is a survivor of the genocide in Darfur. He spoke directly to the Rwandans attending the event.

“I, like you, am a survivor. And us survivors, we know that we cannot leave anyone behind. We must work together to stop genocidal violence wherever it occurs,” he said.

U.S. Congressman Donald Payne helped push Congress to call the crisis in Darfur genocide back in 2004.

“Three years later, from the declaration of genocide, genocide is still occurring. And that’s wrong,” he said.

Activists hope that continued pressure will lead to a strong U.N. peacekeeping force in Darfur.

By Gary Thomas
Washington
14 August 2007

Watch US India Nuclear report / Windows Broadband - download video clip
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The United States has pledged to provide India with nuclear technology and fuel under a just-concluded agreement. However, the final deal must still be ratified by the two nation’s legislatures, and approved by the consortium governing the international nuclear trade. As VOA correspondent Gary Thomas reports, some controversy still clings to the U.S.-India nuclear deal.

India has been a member of the nuclear club for more than 30 years after first conducting a test it called a “peaceful nuclear explosion.” That prompted the U.S. and Canada to cut any nuclear cooperation with India and, say many analysts, sparked creation of international institutions and pacts to halt nuclear proliferation.

But now the U.S. and India have concluded a deal under which India will get U.S. nuclear fuel and technology, even though India has not renounced nuclear testing and, like its nuclear neighbor and archrival Pakistan, still refuses to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

Gary Samore was senior director for Non-Proliferation and Export Controls at the National Security Council in the Clinton administration. He says China’s growing power was a key factor in the decision to grant India special treatment in nuclear help. “The president in particular was persuaded that India would work with the United States to contain and balance the rising power of China if an exception was made.”

Henry Sokolski, executive director of the Non-Proliferation Policy Education Center, says the administration concern about Indo-Iranian military cooperation was also a factor in the deal.

“Now it’s one thing for India to have diplomatic relations. Lots of countries have that. But formal military-to-military ties with working groups and the like — I don’t know of any other country that does, not even Russia. I mean, they sell them things, but they don’t sit around figuring out how to do naval exercises with a foreign navy.”

U.S. Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns plays down stories about Indian and Iranian cooperation.

“Now, I know there is some connection between India and Iran militarily. Our advice, consistent with the Security Council sanctions, would be to diminish a country’s military relationship with Iran. But I’m not sure, as an objective observer, I would say that there’s a burgeoning relationship.”

But Sokolski says the Indo-Iranian military cooperation could be a key stumbling block in getting final Congressional approval for the pact. “Well, one way to deal with that is to say, ‘Okay, we approve the deal, we’re ready to go, but one condition: you’ve got to give us an answer that we like, you’ve got to renunciate these ties with regard to the formal military-to-military connections.’ I don’t know if Congress will do that. There are some who want to. And we’ll see what happens.”

The deal must also be approved by the Nuclear Suppliers Group, the international body that governs the nuclear technology trade. Gary Samore says that in the end China will reluctantly go along with the agreement. “Even China, I think, wants to have a good relationship with India, and recognizes that if it blocks consensus in the Nuclear Suppliers Group to allow India to benefit from this agreement, Delhi will be very, very angry, and that will damage bilateral relations between India and China. So I think the N.S.G. will go along, even though some countries may try to delay a decision a bit longer than the Bush administration hopes.”

However, Henry Sokolski says, Beijing may try to wring concessions out of Washington in return for signing off on the U.S.-Indian deal.