Fisher-Price Recalls Chinese Made Toys

Tim, I have a five year old and I am irate! Not to mention my grandchildren who play with fisher price toys, many of which I have purchased. Why can't they tell the american consumer this "we want you to know we are trying to screw you out of every penny, so we get our crap made cheap and pass the profit on to ourselves!"
McDonalds, fisher price, what the hell, these are our children!!!!!!!!!!!
btw-Thank You for passing this on.

yep it's all over the net

Apryl..They don't care. It's all about the allmighty dollar. To heck with our children and our health..it doesn't matter. Stick around..you'll eventually see some U.S. Citizens comment here in support of the cheaper Chinese made produsts believe it or not.

Just what the heck else could these people expect from a country that specializes in sweatshop labor? Do you think that the Chinese Government cares? Do you think that the people laboring in the sweatshops care? Just think....

Oh Tim, it makes me mad. Years ago I worked for motorola when the thin flip phone first came out. But heres the kicker, motorola shiped overseas long before releasing that phone here. Everyone here was carrying those fat freddies and in Japan they had the mini flip phone. I remember it so well because we got a precentage of our production and I had a huge bonus check that Christmas. But as they are pushing us to finish this order they kept telling us how great it was that we had this giant order and we had the technology first and it was they who were buying from us. This is what the supervisors were telling us at the head of the line. Now they have moved most of the production to Mexico. What happened to that American pride. I loved that company, I believed in that company. Though they made the move long after I was gone, I still feel let down.

Sorry, maybe I shouldn't have opened up tha can of worms.

Apryl..Another of our local factories is closing down and moving to Mexico. I was speaking with one of their employees yesterday who is in charge of training the Mexicans to do his job once the factory has relocated to Mexico.

He told me that one of the Mexicans that he was training asked him " Hey gringo, how do you feel about training me to take your job? "

I keep looking for things made in America, but they are beginning to be really hard to find, even the better brands of clothes. Even down to the diabetic shoes which were alwalys made in the USA are now sometimes imported. Sad thing to watch, we are selling our jobs away and we wonder why we have unemployment, and do you really notice any great price drop since those things are made in China or Mexico or Japan, no, just more profits in the company coffers. Careflul parents, Careful America.

Thanks Elsie.....America..listen to the voice of experience.

Elsie, I hear you loud and clear. I am always trying to buy American but it is almost impossible.

Wow I checked the list and had three of the items on it!!!! I am horrified that there were so many on this list.

It just so unfair that the company trying to get as much money from the consumer and don't really care until it's become a big issue.

Is anything really american made anymore..as the parts to be put together are made somewhere else.. and as long as it is assembled here in america, it does not matter where the parts came from. The parts themselves can be made in say China. With all the tainted stuff coming from China, why do we keep buying stuff from them.. I am in agreance with others here that we need to start a boycott on China made stuff... When is this gonna stop.

I'm so SICK of all the recalls lately. It's scary. Thankfully we haven't had any of the items that have been recalled, but it seems as if it's just a matter of time before we finally do.

Outstanding, you have clearly outdone yourself! First of all, excellent information/article and if I'm not mistaken you have kicked it up a notch...Being featured in a specific catagory is awesome, being "THE FEATURE" is really cool.
Good Job, and even thought this was National news, I have no doubt you have informed someone who didn't know and has kids....The old "If I can save just one" cliche comes into play here, but so what ....IT IS ABSOLUTELY TRUE!! If you conveyed this to just one parent who didn't hear about it, you are a hero...."10"....

Gee! Lead in the paint, imagine that!
It wouldn't surprise me if the lead paint was "surplus" sold by the good old USA back when it was discontinued here, much like leftover stockpiles of DDT were sold to developing countries after being banned here.

Maybe we could encourage these toy companies to return production to the United States by refusing to buy their products and letting them know why. Boycotts have worked in the past. But just think how many kids chewed on those toys before the recall. the mind boggles.

Todd....One of the main reasons that I posted this article is the fact that this recall has been overshadowed by the bridge collapse, and some people may not have heard about it. At least half of my co-workers had not heard about this issue until we got the recall via e-mail today.

BTW, we had five of the items listed on the recall and they were as follows

1. Talking Rescue Radio

2. Sesame Street Shape Sorter

3. Dora and Friends

4. Antarctic Rescue

5. Super Boom Box

One of my co-workers used to work for Fisher-Price and he was wondering why they painted these plastic toys since most of the time the plastic is injected with dye for color before it even makes it to the molding process, making the color of the plastic the same no matter how deep you cut it.


I scratched the surface of one of the windows of the Shape Sorter and sure enough they had been painted. It was the same with the Talking Rescue Radio..painted. Why ?? Makes one wonder.


Mugg...probably so!

Thanks everybody else for stopping by>

Thanks Liz......And I'm afraid that you are correct.

Excellent reporting in this piece Timothy. I especially enjoyed the personal perspective at the end. Nice touch. (And ditto on Liz's comment.)

I just located a list of of model names and product numbers for Fisher-Price toys recalled in the U.S. because of excessive lead in the paint. Hope this helps.

Thanks Ms. Meacham....I checked out the link that you provided. Great info. I have to admit that I didn't know about the Canadian recall....thanks for sharing that info.

Looks like this recall may spread to even more Countries.

When a country is controlled by BIG BUSINESS which is obsessed with maximizing profits to enhance its "shareholder value;" when BIG BUSINESS makes hundreds of millions of dollars in political donations to members of the Congress and presidential candidates; and when that country has a public that is more concerned about the activities of "American Idol," "Bradjolina," "Brittney," "Paris," and "Linsay," when Barry Bonds will hit his 756th home run, et cetera, you have a country that is on its way to economic suicide.

Thanks Tim; I was not aware of this recall.
John L. you are on the right track. That's capitalism going downhill 100 miles/hour.
Tim's article is not only a warning to parents but a big eye opener to me as a U.S. citizen. I began to reflect and I asked myself: What incentives are the U.S. companies receiving to keep their business in this country? Why our government is ignoring this issue? If many of our products are manufactured in China and Mexico,
why are their citizens still fleeing to this country?
on this coming elections.

I agree with Trish B. Why are we still buying things from China? (Obviously, the financial reasons outweigh other considerations.) From worsening human rights abuses in Tibet to selling arms to the Janjaweed in Darfur, China needs to be stopped. Where is the American product?

And yes, Timothy V. - you're right that the Chinese government doesn't care about their own sweatshops, not to mention most of the goods they export are made by prisoners in labor camps.

wow, another recall of CCMIC (cheap crap made in china)! How surprising is that! Read the labels folks, if it's made in china, you're just wasting your money, it's all crap.

It seems like we've been getting several things from China as of late, that one might consider negligantly tainted. Thanks for sharing ...

Hey, just call me Olivia Stone, after "paranoid" "suspicious" and usually dead-bang right Oliver Stone. It ain't "the Chinese" who are doing this to us; it's us who are doing this to us.

Judging from the comments above, people are connecting all the dots -- cheap crap made in China + empty "factory towns" in the US where ops were moved to Mexico and then Asia for the greater stock option glory of their rapacious shareholders and managers (Op Cit: All of Michigan and General Motors; Cortland NY and LC Smith Typewriters; Wherever Fischer-Price used to be; et cetera Ad Nauseum)

Does anyone remember the Fatal Pet Food episode from only March of 2007? The Canadian distribution company did a good job of not hiding stuff and trying to get the word out to all buyers of 90 re-branded pet foods distributed in the US -- including Special Kitty sold at WalFarts -- and warning all Vets and major pet food retailers. 'Member that one? I do cuz I lost a cat to renal failure.

Does anyone remember what that Killer Pet Food recall was all about? (Answer: Wheat Gluten, an additive to thicken up pet food gravies, that came in UNINSPECTED and UNREGULATED from China. Later found to contain quantities of rat poison.)

Do not rely on the US government or food safety regulations to cover your behinds, either. Not with the current fascisti squatting at all levels of the federal gov't post Bush-Cheney hostile takeover. Those boys n girls have worked very hard the past 7 years to gut all safety inspections, recall procedures and quality controls. For food that reaches the human table ... much less the pet bowl.

See any MEGA DOTS to connect here????

I understand there is a movement that started in Northern CA to rescind the "personhood" granted to US corporate entities in the US Commercial Code. That's the crap that says we are supposed to treat corporations with the same basic rights (free speech, freedom from government seizure, habeous corpus etc.) as we do flesh and blood human beings.

This Corps(e) as Person crap was only written into US code in the late 1800s; so it's not like John Adams, John Hancock or any of the original signers of the Declaration of Independence put THAT monkey on our backs.

The modern crop of NeoCons, Bushistas and right-wing Republicans (going back to The Big Dick Nixon) have crafted this monkey. Let's send 'em all back to the organ grinders!! (Lovely image just popped into my head, seeing nasty Dick C. crawling for bananas.)

Oh, and stop blaming the Chinese. They get jobs and export income. It ain't the Chinese (or Japanese chip and automakers before them) who are doing this to us. It's "us" who are doing this to us. Get it?

The tainting of products is one arguement. However the availability of products from another country is entirely another. I've been to China and I've lived in China and I've taught in China. To those people who spend their time trying to find non-Chinese products why the exercise in futility? What could you contribute to the world with the time you are spending trying to find things not made in China? As a country we need to try to evolve and let go of our #1 status (which really now just exists in our head as we aren't #1 in anything except our Military and our want to tell others how to run their countries). Were the English a little more dignified when they turned the baton over to us? Or did we merely snatch it like a child snatching another child's rattle? And if so, what is wrong with another Child doing the same? And if we want that child to grow up to be a responsible adult, what is the best way to do so? Kick, scream and cry so that everytime we say something that child will ignore us just to be contrary? Or realize the inevitable, and guide that child as best we can? And the comment about it all being crap, isn't true entirely anymore and will less and less be so (remember all the crap that was made in Japan up until the 70's? God those Lexus's are crappy cars). And prison labor camps, where do you get your information(Maury Pauvich?)? Most products? So they are making all of these products with a prison population that is % wise less than ours while the rest of the population eats bon bons? Please do some research before posting comments.

That's a very restrained way of calling attention to the consequences of sending American jobs overseas. If people want American quality, then then need to buy American. Maybe it will become cool to buy Ameircan if Martha Stewart or someone claims it as stylish. American manufacturers and American workers, however, need to guarantee that the products they make are the best and most efficiently made.

Until Americans demand and are willing to pay a few cents more for goods, we can expect more products that are dangerous. It really does not cost that much more to make products in the USA. This is part of the Wal-martification of the global economy. For those who do not know, Wal-mart has required companies that supply it to move factories overseas. Wal-mart actually tells companies that it will not put their products on its selves if they are made in the USA.

There are some of us who boycott Wal-mart. While we are few in number, we are growing slowly but steadily. Go to the following and learn more: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/walmart/

Ginger O.

Jonathan...lay off the crack pipe dude! There is no way in hades that 80% of toys sold in the U.S. is a good thing. Also, look at the recent problems with Chinese made products. First there was the tainted pet food, then the tainted tooth paste, then the tainted mouthwash and now toys painted with excessive lead in the paint when the plastic toys never should have been painted in the first place. If you are willing to sacrifice your childrens health as well as your own so some kid in China can have a better life, then you obviously have a serious drug problem or you're getting rich off the stocks you own in the companies who are moving their operations to China. Either way, you have a SERIOUS problem.

Tim, Sorry no crack here. Please do the math (80% you really have no idea how much stuff comes from China, do you). How many items imported from China (stats are available online) vs how many items with issues? Now is it acceptable, no, but whose fault is it? China's or the people who are importing them, I.e. Mattel et. al. I do import quite a lot of items from China, all made in good quality workshops. And I (double capital I) pay for each lot to be inspected (usually this is drinking vessels, etc...) upon arrival to the US. Because it is MY RESPONSIBILTY, I'm importing it, I'm offering it for sale, I know where it is being sold. That isn't the factories responsibility(specifications for import of items varies by country and per international law it is the responsibilty of the importer to make these known and to make sure they meet specifications, not the exporter). And shame on you for allowing yourself and your readers to think of China as one person, one entity and not 1.3 billion different people different thoughts. Thinking like that is what started the Cold War and allowed it to happen, allows the Bush group to keep America paranoid about scary terrorists (does the every day news sound a little orwelian?). And until America starts to think of its children in other items why should other countries start to care?

Any your article reaks of media frenzie. The kind that keeps parents from allowing their kids to play outside or walk to school (did you realize that the amount of attacks on children % is the same as in the early 70's when I walked to school. However no we hear about every attack in every city and our brains aren't able to do the math and so every kid is in danger, every neighbor is a pedafile, etc...).

And I'm not attacking your article(informative), I'm attacking the idiots who don't know anything who like to pipe in unison because it makes them feel validated. Its like the Oprah show, Oprah says something is good and it is good and anyone who says otherwise is just plain wrong (and we wonder how Hitler and Mao got their starts)

Jonathan..I did the math. At least ten different news reports online state that 80% of the toys sold in the U.S. are made in China. That figure was also reported on TV.

Also, it seems that you overlooked the other recent problems with Chinese made products that I listed in the article as well as my last comment. Anyone with half a brain will realize that we have a problem with these imports as of late and all are potential safety or health issues.

" And your article reaks of media frenzy.The kind that keeps parents from allowing their kids to play out side or walk to school"

Yep, at least one person commented in this thread that they didn't know about this recall. Also I've been talking about this with friends and most of them had no clue about the recall. One of my friends has already bought several Fisher-Price toys as birthday gifts for her grandaughter and she thanked me for making her aware of this issue. You see, she cares about her grandaughter and she doesn't want her to get sick. I fail to see how bringing this to people's attention is the kind of media frenzy and scare tactics that you mentioned.

Timothy,
Again, I don't think you are reading my posts. 1. I agree that your article is a good article. I think people did not get to know about this, great wonderful. The article is good and contains facts wonderful. I have no problem with bringing this to peoples attention. However, when you jump in the middle of people yelling "yeah China Bad, blah blah blah with your comment about Chinese govt not caring and the Chinese people not caring that's just ignorant ( I was going to put stupid, but I think here it is not knowing on your part and not a lack of intellect). Sorry about the 80% misread your reply to me as infering 80% of what we receive is bad, upon rereading I realize I was incorrect.

Now with the "anyone with half a brain" reminds me completely of the current administration. How many times did Donald Rumsfeld use the same exact words? Looks like it is what we say when we are challanged and we just want to shut the other party down instead of engaging in a discussion.

Again, I agree with pointing this out. However, I agree with pointing the finger at the correct persons responsible(all persons). I believe that people are people all over the world and by trying to put an entire country in one basket reaks of facism.

Do you truly believe that the people of China don't care? If so that's ok, I grew up going to High School thinking that Soviets soaked bread in anti freeze so they could eat it and get drunk (really this was taught in High School World History in the US), then I met two Russian guys on a train in China and realized hey they aren't so different from me. And neither are the parents and kids I taught English to in China. The people who work in the factories of China(not the prisions), and make the things that we use everyday. Just like we used to do when American labor was the bargin of the world.

There is a big difference between capitalism and the rampaging greed that we have in this county.
The country is being run by the stock analysts, lawyer and the upper 1%

Jonathan......I really don't care very much for Georgie W. Hitler or Donald R. Himmler.

And I by no means have a problem with the Chinese people. It's not their fault.

What I have a problem with is tainted goods coming from China and the corporate greed that is putting American workers out of jobs.

Again I have no problem with the people of China, however perhaps if you want to put them ahead of honest AMERICAN workers, then you should go back over there and theach them some more English. It's obvious that your alliance is with China and not the U.S.

Timothy,
Talking to you has been a trip through history. And what would that be without a stop at the Vietnam war with the "Love it or Leave it" signs. How about "Love it enough to Change it".
I wouldn't put any one above anyone just based on where they were born(neither would the founding fathers "All Men are Created Equal..." Not "All American Men..."). And not every American worker is an honest American worker(that retoric from our politicians makes us feel good, but really makes us lazier. Just like the kid who sits on the couch eating doritos playing video games and his parents say "someday he's going to be president" I mean what message does that send. Why would he do anything other than what he is doing, I mean his parents told him that behaviour will make him president)?. We do have some, but todays work force pails when compared to the work force of what some has called Americas Greatest Genereation (post WWII, don't worry doesn't include me by far). We have a lot of people looking to collect a paycheck and being American shouldn't gloss that over.

What is obvious from what I have said is that I have raised issues you aren't comfortable with. And when that has happened you attempt to insult me "anyone with half a brain", "its obvious your alliance..." I don't think I have hurled insults at you . It is obvious to me that you are caught in an "America is #1" mentality without examing it. Are we really #1 are we really the greatest country in the world? Why? If you are only able to yell America is #1 with no reason or backing or evidence. How are you different from the youth who shouted Heil Hitler in the streets of Germany? They did it because others were and if feels good to be part of a group. Or the Dumb Jock who yells "Riverside High Rules" at the end of his speach to be president of the High School(and the gymnasium erupts in applause)?

wow, this thread has gone down many roads, with no end in sight. I think the bottom line is that we, as Americans, need to make some choices on where we want this country to go. It's not about being #1, or that the politics of this country are allowing our way of life to degrade (politics have always caused this throughout history). The fact is that profit is the motivational basis for any business, and, if more profit can be realized by manufacturing inferior products offshore, then that is where the manufacturing will be. If we decide that we are unwilling to purchase inferior products from anywhere, then inferior products will cease to be made. I'm not saying that everything made overseas is of poor quality and inferior, I'm just pointing out that the products brought here are of poor quality and inferior to our locally produced items. Case in point Japanese cars were crappy little pos's until we demanded better products. This demand eventually produced arguably the best cars on the road, which, by the way, are still produced in the USA.

First it was toothpaste now its fisher price toys whats else is it gonna be

Jonathan..I give up. You're correct. American workers suck , so let's just go ahead and shut down the rest of our factories and move them to China. And while we're at it, let's advoacte for all of the retailers, hotels, c-stores and restaurants to lay off all of their American workers. In fact, let's advocate to put all American workers out of work, then you and I can go down to Mexico and bring more illegal immigrants in to take their place.

And for all of you parents, I must apologize for using scare tactics. Really, the lead paint used on the Fisher Price toys isn't a problem at all. I wouls also suggest that you go out and buy as many of the recalled toys as possible and let your kids chew the lead paint off of them. Oh, and don't stop there. I also suggest that you scrape some of the lead paint off, crumble it up and mix it with some orange juice and then serve it to your children.

Tim, Where do you find all of these people that hate America? What'd you do, spray
some odium on yourself to attract these type of instigators?
I'd like to know Jonathan, if America is not No.1, just who is in your eyes?

" Tim, Where do you find all of these people that hate America? "

Bob..I have no clue. I just post these articles and they seem to appear out of the blue.

BWY Bob...Have you served up the Chinese lead paint/ orange juice coctail that I mentioned to your kids yet? Yum..Yum gimme some! LOL

Years ago, I worked for a company( and I did really like this job), the people were bitching and wanted a union , The boss simply said, if you vote the union in , we will just shut down this company and move to Mexico, its so much cheaper to pay them, than pay people here in the US. The union wasnt voted in at this time. This company , did close down several years later, I had already quit by then, am not sure where they relocated to. Its all about the cheapest price, but these foreign countries dont care about our children or us, and this is so wrong,

Bob,
I love America, that's why I'm here. But # 1, #1 in what? Education(I think that is Japan, but Iowa as a state always does well)? Not even close. Lowest Child mortality rates, nope again(Japan again, I think). Greatest Constitution, yep. Military, yep, we spend 60% more than the Chinese who have a standing army that is in number 10 times the United States.
The rest of the world realized a long time ago that they weren't number 1 in a lot of areas and they have made some improvements. And when people like myself say "hey we might need to make some improvements..." I am told that I hate america.

For me, let me put it like this. You have a child, that child is 1 year old. Do you love that child, Yes. Do you think that that child is the best kid ever, Yes you do. Do you think that child is the most important thing in your life, of course. But Do you want them to learn, do you want them to grow, do you want them to become the man/woman they were meant to be? Yes you do(but by wanting that according to your logic, you hate the child. By my logic, you don't). That's all I want for America, to continue to grow.

And Tim, again I think the lead paint is apalling. But I think that the responsiblity for testing is with Mattel as well as with the Chinese. Who do you think makes more money off of the toys that Mattel sells? Give me a toy name, and I'll tell you the exact amount of cost FOB China, then I'll show you the average wage for a Chinese factory worker, amount for power, etc.... and then you can see who is making the most money, and who has more money to do batch testing for things like lead paint.

Or we can just pull our 1 year old out of school (and no cheating, don't home school them either) and have them sit at home and watch Soaps (no Barney, there is some learning in that) and continiue to tell them that their number one.

Jonathan..You wrote in an earlier comment " And shame on you for allowing yourself and your readers to think of China as one person, one entity and not 1.3 billion people different people different thoughts"

China is a nation, not a person. I simply stated that recalled the toys were made in China, which is a fact.

You also wrote "It's obvious that you are caught up in an Americas #1 mentality without examining it. Are we really #1 are we the greatest country in the world? Why? If you are only able to yell America is #1 with no reason or backing or evidence. How are you different from the youth who shouted Heil Hitler in the streets of Germany"

First of all, I haven't heard any of our children shouting ' Heil Bush ' in our streets, nor have I shouted such.

Americas#1 mentality? Is America the greatest country in the world? In some areas yes, and in some areas no. However for me, I was born here. I'm a U.S. Citizen. I live here. So for me, yes it's #1. I'm more concerned about OUR economy..OUR security...the general welfare of OUR workers than I am concerned about the security..the economy...the general welfare of workers in another country. If you ask any citizen of any country on Earth, you'll get the same answer. Comparing that to being ' Nationalistic ' or yelling ' Heil Hitler " is about the lamest analogy that I've seen yet.

Then you wrote " Who do you think makes more money off the toys that Mattel sells?"

It's quite obvious that the Chinese manufacturers are the ones who are making the most money, however the U.S. companies who are importing these goods are doing so to exploit cheap labor and in turn thay are putting honest hard working Americans out of jobs and making a killing as well. It's as simple as that. It has nothing to do with the work ethic of the American people.

Of course the work ethic of some American workers sucks just as I'm sure the work ethic of some people in other countries does. However these companies can't use that as an excuse, nor can they or you make such a sweeping generalization of the American workers. Again, it's all about exploiting cheap labor...plain and simple.

If you really love this country and you want it to grow, then perhaps you should quit advocating for Chinese imports. Of course I'm sure that you will deny that you advocate for such, however the tone and content of your comments speaks otherwise. Then again, since you import Chinese made products yourself, it's obvious that you have a vested intrest in advocating for them..so how could any of us expect otherwise from you?

I'm a first-time grandmom and I hadn't heard of this until now. I don't watch much TV, perhaps that's why. My soon-to-be one-year-old granddaughter is saved from lead poisoning due to your post. I was going to buy her a Fisher-Price shape sorter among other toys for her upcoming birthday. Thank you!

You're welcome Becki. After hearing stories such as yours..oh well..you know. I'm glad that this article has made a difference.

Thanks for the info Timothy. I have a 4 year old daughter and she has almost every Dora the Explorer toy available (Daddy has a hard time saying no to her, LOL). I'm going to follow up on the recall. Thanks again.

Wow Tim, you finally read what I was writing! I really never had any problem with what you said in your article. Only the shark feeding that ensued. And its the shark feeding that gets all of us into trouble. We start choosing sides and not listening and just talking, getting more an more upset until someone pulls out a gun or a knife or an IED...
Businessmen go where there is opportunity. If not China, then somewhere else (maybe even here. We're currently developing some wind turbines here).
The only thing I am advocating for China is a fair chance. We want China to be the country we are today without allowing it to make the same mistakes. I grew up with lead paint, asbestos insulation, etc... but we like to gloss that over (that and the slavery thing, the sweat shops and child labor during the industrial revolution, the fact that public education didn't become a right for every child in America until the 1930's, we even killed some student demonstators in the 60's and got busted for selling prison made items to Japan in the 1990's). I think we just need to play the part of the older brother our parents would like us to be, Guiding, helpful. There is a saying... Anyone can learn from experience, a wise man learns from someone else's experience.

Example for the $, I import some t-shirts. I buy them for $0.75 FOB China. I sell them for $1.50 and they sell via the internet for $12. Really it is pretty simple math.

In regards to the hitler youth, no they aren't screaming heil Bush, but that isn't the point. Are the seeds sown? Do people get information from questionable sources? Do people fail to do adequate research on issues they are passionate about (really how do some people become pro-life and pro death penalty and not notice the dichotomy) ?

I understand the want to yell out "we're number one" its a common feeling. But you only feel America is #1 because you were born here. And somewhere there is someone else on the other side of the world who feels just as strongly that his is the greatest country. And if you both sit and shout it, sooner or later it will get ugly. I'd rather engage in discussion to better us both. Do you feel better working for a manager who belittles you, constantly pointing out your inadequacies? Or one who lets you know that they were once in your shoes and understands mistakes and offers guidance?

Jonathan.... Again, I was born in America and I live here, so naturaly what happens in this country comes first and foremost.

Suppose that your son and a stranger were trapped in a burning house. You have a chance to rescue both, but you can only rescue one at a time. So which one would you rescue first? Your son? The stranger? Any parent would rescue their son first.

And China is getting more than a fair chance. Also your example of selling Chinese made t-shirts is simple math alright. That simple math is exactly what is putting American workers out of jobs...but I suppose that since you're making a profit, that's all that counts.

Eamon..You're welcome.

I"m afraid that most of my kids' toys are in this recall...sounds like time to buy all new toys!!

If you live near an Amish community, you can find some of them selling hand-carved wooden train sets, Noah's Arks and other traditional toys as well as calico dolls and stuffed animals. These toys are made by loyal Americans, contain no lead or other dangerous substanes, and offer far more imagination activity for your child.

Thanks Dorine!

Now as far as Jonathan goes, I've been following his comments. Ouside of one comment, he has only commented on articles concerning Chinese made products where of course he defends Chinese imports.

" Wow Tim, you finally read what I was writing!"

Yep..I sure did just as I have been reading all along.

Tim,
Yes you are right, I am an evil entity and must be stopped at all costs. Please call Mr Bush and see if he can add me to the list as another Axis of Evil.

I comment on what I know about (unlike some), and I read what I am interested in. I am interested in China, and I know alot about China (most of which was learned in College here in the US where I majored in Modern Chinese History. I know you think I was brainwashed like John Candy's character in the movie Volunteers while living in China)

I think you just don't like criticism.

Nah Jonathan..It's your " Pro Chinese Imports " attitude that I don't like.