[ridenrain]

The ultimate blame for the toy problem rests on Mattel, because the customers are going to blame them and not some shadow company run by the brother-in-law of a PLA general and party official.
It's not Mattels fault because they wouldn't have specified toxic products and I have every confidance that they do spot checking and quality assurance programs. The manufacturer pulled a fast one, made a substitution and the problem was found by the consumer.
Mattell has 2 options:

-Stop buying all toys from China and miss a couple years of manufacture.
-Take some of the blame and try to manage the problem.

There os no doubt in my mind that the 2nd one was what mattell chose. I wouldn't doubt that some heads rolled over at PLA Factory 11 but you can be sure that the extended mafia family is still running it.

If I were Mattel, I'd derfinately be worried about some descriminary labeling like they did with South African wine, "blood" diamonds, and animal tested products.

.. and to keep it in tone: China and their usefull idiots can blow goats !

[ShepherdsDog]

neopundit neopundit:

ShepherdsDog ShepherdsDog:

Hence, Mattel accepted some of the blame for the shitty products coming out of their factories.

Like you said, Mattel accepted some of the blame for the shitty products coming from their factory. Why shouldn't they? It's their product, they have to be accountable. I fail to see how it's a "Chinese" problem.

Mattel's cash was the only thing American that went into that factory, the Chinese run everything else. Foreign partners are always getting screwed over by Chinese partners.

[ShepherdsDog]

of course they did. They had to say something to appease the bruised Chinese ego.

[ridenrain]

After all, the Chinese killed their `chief Inspector`over the dog food problem.

[Wada]

And the North American over zealous consumer wishing to purchase shit they don't need and demanding low prices has no responsibility for this fiasco?

[ShepherdsDog]

read all of your 'made in' labels do you?

[Wada]

ShepherdsDog ShepherdsDog:

read all of your 'made in' labels do you?

Naw unless I'm impressed with the product. Example Taiwanese computer products. They weren't so great in the beginning but look at them now. Japanese products for awhile were what we're getting from China now. Give them another 10 years. Besides it's crap toys and such we are talking about. China manufactures many excellent products. There's no doubt that we should strive for safe toys for our kids. Mexico just had some toys discontinued and there are probably instances where American made products have been recalled because of potential harm to the consumer (user).

[ridenrain]

Wada Wada:

And the North American over zealous consumer wishing to purchase shit they don't need and demanding low prices has no responsibility for this fiasco?

Desperately trying to blame the west again..

The consumer will buy the greatest percieved value they can get but it's the job of the government to set standards and hold companies to account. I see no reason why the US government can't charge a huge fine on mattel for their endangering of consumers.

[ShepherdsDog]

Taiwanese export products are of a better quality than that which is produced for domestic consumption. I bought an Acer and went through 4 hard drives in 4 months. Right now, I rely mostly on my Toshiba lap top (bought in Japan). What has to happen, is North America has to retool and create a manufacturing industry curtailed to domestic consumption.

The Chinese, icluding the Taiwanese are big in cutting corners and expenses when they can. Building standards here are piss poor. Contractors are knnown to use old oil cans and rolled up newspapers in building construction to save on concrete. The last big earth quake exposed that. Inspectors are easily bribed as corruption is both endemic and inherent in Chinese society and has always been so.

[Wada]

ridenrain ridenrain:

Wada Wada:

And the North American over zealous consumer wishing to purchase shit they don't need and demanding low prices has no responsibility for this fiasco?

Desperately trying to blame the west again..

The consumer will buy the greatest percieved value they can get but it's the job of the government to set standards and hold companies to account. I see no reason why the US government can't charge a huge fine on mattel for their endangering of consumers.

Just laying the blame where it's deserved. I have absolutely no problem with a fine, even a law suit, hell I'd even go for closing them down, but too many privileged kids might get on my ass for saying so.

[ShepherdsDog]

lily lily:

ridenrain ridenrain:

Desperately trying to blame the west again..

Sometimes, ridenrain... it IS our fault.

only when we allow them to produce our products.

[ridenrain]

Thanks to the government's regulations, the consumer is protected, knowing that all products available for purchace have met a basic quality and safety assurance specifications. If they bought it from the back of a truck in a parking lot, they deserve what they buy, but if it's bought from a recognised retail store, that's just another place to sue.
I'd like to see Mattel punished for this by an enormous lawsuit and a boycott.

[ridenrain]

I guess those consumers-ed classes paid off?

[neopundit]

ShepherdsDog ShepherdsDog:

Mattel's cash was the only thing American that went into that factory, the Chinese run everything else. Foreign partners are always getting screwed over by Chinese partners.

You do realize that two-thirds of factories are 100% foreign-owned, right?

China is a member of the WTO, and thus has a very open economy. Unfortunately, their government is not so open.

I continue to hear this blame the Chinese argument. Where is the accountability? If we're worried about the product, why should blindly expect someone else to make sure it's safe?

To restate and old example, when it was discovered that the Crown Vic gas tanks needed a bladder to prevent them from exploding in rear end collisions, the rest of the world didn't sit around and blame "Those fucking Canadians!". They blamed FORD.

People sit here and bitch about the lax regulation in China. Well I'm sorry to say that Mattel is over there precisely to circumvent regulation of more stringent countries. I don't just mean "no lead paint" legislation; labour laws, minimum wage etc etc.

Every complaint you have about China and its lack of standards is a reason Mattel is over there in the first place.

[-Mario-]

I think that it is time to find another country who will opress its people for our confort. One who can deliver for cheaper... and safely.

I've should have posted this in the Fuck section... because I am holding back here... not even a pic to describe how I really feel.