China's Tragic Toy Story

The recent "made in China" merchandise scandals have really got to me, from a reporter faking a news report of cardboard pork buns, to bad tires, toothpaste, and now massive amounts of Mattel toys being recalled., with earlier reports in the US that lead paint and loose magnets have caused harm to children.

The recall of millions of Polly Pocket, Batman, and now Barbie dolls, all made in China, is completely tarnishing the consumer confidence on all products made in China by the US public... With Mattel being reputed for its trusted brand, it's not surprising that it will try all it can to salvage itself, even with a massive recall and at the risk of a stock crash. And this is even more understandable given that the safety of children is being compromised here. The US will certainly use this opportunity to step up its protectionist measures.

What gets to me, though, is the fact that both sides are to blame, yet both are blaming each other. China blames Mattel for "disgracing the name of China", as if the "face" is going to help in anything to salvage the situation... True, maybe most of the other products do not have any problems, but it's no excuse for carelessness. As the saying goes, "one accident is enough to take a life"...

Mattel, on the other hand, clearly shows whose side it's on: "Fellow Parents", "safety of OUR children", it says. "WE are one of the most trusted names [...] and we will maintain that trust". And so it's all China's fault... why, then, weren't there any quality checks before the toys could go to the shelves? This should be the responsibility of the company who does the outsourcing.

It is sad that this can escalate to a meaningless fight between the Chinese people and the American people, so evident in emotional blog comments everywhere.

Who wins in all this fight and finger-pointing? Let's solve the problems for what they are. Children have already died, and a factory owner has already committed suicide. Please do not let them die in vain...

Powered by ScribeFire.

ERC's dilemma

The recently set-up European Research Council (ERC) is facing a big dilemma concerning the assessment of scientific proposals from academic institutions all over Europe. The dilemma is: scientific transparency, or political correctness?

The ERC is responsible for assessing and allocating scientific funds to Europe's most promising scientific projects, but its recent reluctance to disclose the destinations of allocated funds points to a lack of transparency in its selection processes. It faces big issues, I know... there is no question that scientific merit is biased in Europe, with countries like Britain, Germany and France having the largest proportion of world-class research. But the disclosure of such fact may well lead to criticism and puts it into a position of complex political issues.

Excellent science cannot be performed when muddled in political issues. If the intent of the ERC is to select Europe's best, then be courageous and do what it was originally intended for. Lukewarmness will only compromise Europe's science.

Powered by ScribeFire.

South African AIDS crisis

Nature editorial reports the firing of an important AIDS spokesperson in South Africa: Nozizwe Madlala-Routledge, the deputy health minister.

South Africa has the highest incidence of AIDS in the world, with 5.5 million infected. Madlala Routledge has been the main outspoken person behind the recently applauded national AIDS strategy, with practical plans to halve rate of infection by 2011 and make antiretroviral treatment accessible to 80% of population (only 30% are receiving it).

The firing of this deputy health minister sends a very bad signal for the progress of the AIDS plan, mainly because the current health minister has such misguided values about AIDS (one example is her denial that HIV causes AIDs, which embarrassed herself at the World AIDSCongress in Toronto), and at the same time reflects the government's bad sense judgment in the choice of their leaders.

And the culprit, as always, is conflict of interest... When perople are so concerned about their interests being threatened, they can easily place their own interests on top of the interests of the other million.

Powered by ScribeFire.

The end of sentimental Christianity

The ability to think critically about the world around us is a God-given gift, which I must admit I am at times tempted to dig a hole on the ground and bury just like the guy in the parable of the talents... It is always tempting to let the mind disengage and just enjoy in the basking of hedonistic pursuits, and let the mind wander...

The bible teaches each of us "not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith." It is my responsibility, as well as a God-given privilege, to exert my own measure of faith in nurturing and growing whatever has been given to me.

Only recently have I come to really grasp the fact that faith is so much more than saying we believe in God's truth. It is so deeply rooted in everyday issues that unless we understand this world and the issues that concern people, we cannot even begin to convince ourselves, let alone other people, why it is that we believe Christian values are the way to live by.

So, here's my attempt to nurture the habit of thinking soberly about world issues that concern me, partly with fear that God will take it away one day if I keep on disengaging my mind, partly because I really believe that good thinking can lead to better decisions in life, and ultimately a richer life... It is my attempt as a Christian to not just 活在地上, but also to 活在人間...

So please lead me on, challenge me, rebuke me, or whatever... but by all means keep me moving.